One of the promises of the smart home is that it should adapt and respond to your needs. iOS 26 delivers a major upgrade with new Adaptive Temperature features in the Home app for automating your thermostat.
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During the iOS 26 beta cycle, code snippets revealed new Adaptive Temperature features for Apple's Home app. It was initially unclear whether these features would be ready for the iOS 26 release or if they would arrive in a future software update, but they have now officially arrived.
You can set your thermostat to adjust automatically when you’re on your way home, when you’re going to bed, or when you’re away for an extended period of time. Your iPhone uses on-device intelligence to predict when you’re on your way home, so it can bring the temperature to the right level by the time you arrive, and adjusts the thermostat to save energy when you’re away. It also responds to the sleep schedule you’ve set on your iPhone to adjust the temperature when you go to bed and when you wake up.
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There are two key elements to Adaptive Temperature:
Some smart thermostats have offered similar functionality in the past, but there has never been support directly from Apple.
The advantage of integrating Adaptive Temperature into the Home app is that Apple's strong stance on user privacy can be tied into your existing sleep routine on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
There are some key requirements to note. Apple states that the feature “Requires a home hub, such as Apple TV or HomePod, and a compatible Matter thermostat.” You also need to have location services enabled for the Home app and accessories.
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It's not yet clear which Matter thermostats qualify as compatible.
