Control Your Smart Devices with IFTTT

Smart devices are becoming more and more popular in our homes and offices. They can make our lives easier, more convenient, and more fun. But sometimes, they don’t work well together, or they require too much manual input to perform certain tasks. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could automate some of these tasks and make our smart devices work for us?

That’s where IFTTT comes in. IFTTT stands for If This Then That, and it’s a free online service that lets you create simple rules or applets to connect and control your smart devices. With IFTTT, you can make your smart devices do things automatically based on certain triggers or conditions. For example, you can make your smart lights turn on when you arrive home, or make your smart thermostat adjust the temperature when you leave. You can also use IFTTT to integrate your smart devices with other online services, such as Google Calendar, Gmail, Spotify, Twitter, and more.

In this article, we will show you how to use IFTTT to connect and control your smart devices. We will cover the following topics:

• What is IFTTT and how does it work?
• How to create an account and explore the IFTTT app
• How to find and activate applets for your smart devices
• How to create your own applets with the IFTTT applet builder
• How to manage and edit your applets
• Some tips and tricks to get the most out of IFTTT

What is IFTTT and how does it work?

IFTTT is a platform that lets you create smart home and social media applets with over 800 services⁶. You can choose triggers, actions, and filters to customize your automations and achieve your goals.

A trigger is the event that starts an applet. For example, the trigger could be arriving at a location, receiving an email, or sunset. An action is the event that completes an applet. For example, the action could be turning on a light, sending a message, or playing a song. A filter is an optional condition that modifies an applet. For example, the filter could be a time range, a weather condition, or a specific word.

An applet is a combination of a trigger and an action, with an optional filter. For example, an applet could be: If I arrive home, then turn on the lights, but only after 6 pm. You can use applets to automate tasks, save time, and have fun with your smart devices.

How to create an account and explore the IFTTT app

To use IFTTT, you need to create a free account on the IFTTT website⁴ or download the IFTTT app on your iOS or Android device. You can sign up with your email address, or use your Apple, Facebook, or Google account.

Once you have an account, you can explore the IFTTT app and discover what you can do with it. The app has four main sections: Home, Explore, My Applets, and Settings.

• Home: This is where you can see your active applets, check their status, and run them manually. You can also see your activity log, which shows you the history of your applets and any errors that occurred.
• Explore: This is where you can find and activate applets for your smart devices and online services. You can browse by categories, such as Smart Home, Social Media, Productivity, and more. You can also search by keywords, such as “lights”, “thermostat”, or “calendar”. You can also see the most popular and recommended applets, and get inspiration from the IFTTT blog and newsletter.
• My Applets: This is where you can create, edit, and manage your own applets. You can also see your archived and disabled applets, and access the applet builder tool.
• Settings: This is where you can manage your account, profile, notifications, and preferences. You can also connect and disconnect your services, and get help and support from the IFTTT team.

How to find and activate applets for your smart devices

One of the easiest ways to use IFTTT is to find and activate applets that are already created by other users or by the service providers themselves. There are thousands of applets available for your smart devices, such as smart lights, smart plugs, smart cameras, smart speakers, smart thermostats, smart doorbells, smart locks, smart refrigerators, and more.

To find and activate applets for your smart devices, follow these steps:

• Go to the Explore section of the IFTTT app and browse by categories or search by keywords. You can also use the filters to narrow down your results by service, device, or feature.
• Tap on an applet that interests you and read the description, reviews, and ratings. You can also see the trigger, action, and filter of the applet, and the services that are required to use it.
• If you want to activate the applet, tap on the Turn on button. You may need to connect your services and grant permissions to IFTTT to access them. You may also need to configure some settings, such as your location, device name, or message content.
• Once you activate the applet, it will appear on your Home and My Applets sections. You can also run it manually by tapping on the Check now button, or edit it by tapping on the Settings icon.

How to create your own applets with the IFTTT applet builder

If you can’t find an applet that suits your needs, or if you want to customize your automations, you can create your own applets with the IFTTT applet builder. The applet builder is a tool that lets you choose your own trigger, action, and filter, and create your own applets from scratch.

To create your own applets with the IFTTT applet builder, follow these steps:

• Go to the My Applets section of the IFTTT app and tap on the Plus icon. This will open the applet builder tool.
• Tap on the Plus icon next to the word “If” and choose a service that you want to use as the trigger. You can search by keywords or browse by categories. You may need to connect your service and grant permissions to IFTTT to access it.
• Tap on the trigger that you want to use and configure any settings, such as your location, device name, or message content. Tap on the Create trigger button to confirm your choice.
• Tap on the Plus icon next to the word “Then” and choose a service that you want to use as the action. You can search by keywords or browse by categories. You may need to connect your service and grant permissions to IFTTT to access it.
• Tap on the action that you want to use and configure any settings, such as your location, device name, or message content. Tap on the Create action button to confirm your choice.
• If you want to add a filter to your applet, tap on the Plus icon next to the word “Only if” and choose a service that you want to use as the filter. You can search by keywords or browse by categories. You may need to connect your service and grant permissions to IFTTT to access it.
• Tap on the filter that you want to use and configure any settings, such as your location, device name, or message content. Tap on the Create filter button to confirm your choice.
• Review your applet and give it a name and a description. You can also choose an icon and a color for your applet. Tap on the Finish button to create your applet.
• Your applet will appear on your Home and My Applets sections. You can also run it manually by tapping on the Check now button, or edit it by tapping on the Settings icon.

How to manage and edit your applets

Once you have created or activated your applets, you can manage and edit them from the Home and My Applets sections of the IFTTT app. You can do the following actions:

• Run your applets manually by tapping on the Check now button. This will force your applets to check for the trigger and perform the action, regardless of the schedule or frequency.
• Edit your applets by tapping on the Settings icon. This will open the applet details page, where you can change the name, description, icon, color, trigger, action, filter, and notifications of your applets. You can also see the activity log, which shows you the history of your applets and any errors that occurred.
• Disable your applets by tapping on the toggle switch. This will turn off your applets and prevent them from running. You can re-enable them by tapping on the toggle switch again.
• Archive your applets by tapping on the Archive button. This will remove your applets from your Home and My Applets sections, but keep them in your account. You can restore them by tapping on the Archived tab and tapping on the Restore button.
• Delete your applets by tapping on the Delete button. This will permanently delete your applets from your account and disconnect any services that are associated with them. You can’t undo this.

Some tips and tricks to get the most out of IFTTT

Now that you know how to use IFTTT to connect and control your smart devices, here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of it:

• Use the IFTTT app to discover new applets and services. You can also use the app to run your applets manually, edit your applets, and manage your account and services.
• Use the IFTTT website to access more features and tools, such as the applet collections, the applet maker platform, the IFTTT Pro plan, and the IFTTT developer portal.
• Use the applet collections to find curated applets for specific themes, such as working from home, staying healthy, or saving money. You can also create your own collections and share them with others.
• Use the applet maker platform to create more advanced applets with multiple triggers, actions, and filters. You can also use the platform to publish your applets and share them with the IFTTT community.
• Use the IFTTT Pro plan to unlock unlimited applets, faster execution, and priority support. You can also use the Pro plan to access more features and tools, such as the queries, the conditional logic, and the multiple accounts.
• Use the IFTTT developer portal to create your own services and applets for IFTTT. You can also use the portal to access the IFTTT API, the documentation, and the support.
• Use the IFTTT blog and newsletter to get the latest news, updates, and tips from the IFTTT team. You can also use the blog and newsletter to get inspiration and ideas from the IFTTT stories and the applet of the week.
• Use the IFTTT help center and the IFTTT forum to get help and support from the IFTTT team and the IFTTT community. You can also use the help center and the forum to report bugs, suggest features, and give feedback.

Conclusion

IFTTT is a powerful and versatile platform that lets you connect and control your smart devices with simple rules or applets. You can use IFTTT to automate tasks, save time, and have fun with your smart devices. You can also use IFTTT to integrate your smart devices with other online services, such as Google Calendar, Gmail, Spotify, Twitter, and more.

In this article, we have shown you how to use IFTTT to connect and control your smart devices. We have covered the following topics:

• What is IFTTT and how does it work?
• How to create an account and explore the IFTTT app
• How to find and activate applets for your smart devices
• How to create your own applets with the IFTTT applet builder
• How to manage and edit your applets
• Some tips and tricks to get the most out of IFTTT

We hope you have enjoyed this article and learned something new. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to leave them below. We would love to hear from you. Thank you for reading and happy automating!

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about IFTTT and smart devices:

• Q: What are some examples of smart devices that work with IFTTT?
• A: There are hundreds of smart devices that work with IFTTT, such as smart lights, smart plugs, smart cameras, smart speakers, smart thermostats, smart doorbells, smart locks, smart refrigerators, and more. You can see the full list of compatible services on the IFTTT website or app.
• Q: How can I check if my smart device is compatible with IFTTT?
• A: You can check if your smart device is compatible with IFTTT by looking for the IFTTT logo or the words “Works with IFTTT” on the device packaging, website, or app. You can also search for your device name on the IFTTT website or app and see if there are any applets or services available for it.
• Q: How can I connect my smart device to IFTTT?
• A: You can connect your smart device to IFTTT by following these steps:
  • Make sure your smart device is set up and connected to the internet.
  • Go to the IFTTT website or app and sign in to your account.
  • Go to the Explore or My Applets section and find an applet or service that you want to use with your smart device.
  • Tap on the Turn on or Connect button and follow the instructions to connect your smart device to IFTTT. You may need to enter your device credentials, grant permissions, or scan a QR code.
  • Once you connect your smart device to IFTTT, you can use it with any applet or service that supports it.
• Q: How can I disconnect my smart device from IFTTT?
• A: You can disconnect your smart device from IFTTT by following these steps:
  • Go to the IFTTT website or app and sign in to your account.
  • Go to the Settings section and tap on the Services tab.
  • Find the service that corresponds to your smart device and tap on it.
  • Tap on the Settings icon and then tap on the Disconnect button.
  • Confirm your choice and your smart device will be disconnected from IFTTT.
• Q: How can I troubleshoot my smart device or applet issues?
• A: You can troubleshoot your smart device or applet issues by following these steps:
  • Check if your smart device is powered on and connected to the internet.
  • Check if your smart device is connected to IFTTT and has the latest firmware or software update.
  • Check if your applet is enabled and has the correct settings and permissions.
  • Check the activity log of your applet and see if there are any errors or warnings.
  • Run your applet manually and see if it works as expected.
  • If none of these steps solve your problem, you can contact the IFTTT support team or the smart device manufacturer for further assistance. You can also visit the IFTTT help center or the IFTTT forum for more resources and tips.