Samsung SmartThings Now Update Adds Offline Controls and a New Home Screen

What does the SmartThings Now update add?

SmartThings Now adds a redesigned SmartThings Home tab that presents personalized cards with relevant device information and controls. Samsung announced the platform update on October 5, 2026, describing the cards as situation-based prompts rather than a fixed list of every connected device. Samsung’s SmartThings Now announcement also confirms that SmartThings has 470 million registered users and supports more than 430 Works with SmartThings-certified brands.

SmartThings Now matters because large smart-home setups can become difficult to manage when lights, sensors, appliances, cameras, and routines all compete for space on one screen. The new Home tab attempts to reduce that clutter by emphasizing controls that match recent activity or a current situation. The limitation is that personalized recommendations depend on the devices, services, and routines already connected to an individual SmartThings account.

SmartThings Now also analyzes the previous week of activity to recommend changes to Home-tab Favorites. The recommendations can affect which devices, services, and routines appear first, which may make regular controls quicker to reach. Users who prefer a predictable dashboard should check suggested changes before accepting them, particularly when several people share the same household account.

How do SmartThings Now personalized cards work?

SmartThings Now personalized cards can suggest actions based on a user’s situation, including proximity to a preregistered home location. Samsung says the app can suggest turning on lights and air purifiers when a user arrives nearby, then offer to save that action as an automated routine. The feature is designed to move from a one-time recommendation to a recurring automation only after the user decides to enable it.

Location-based suggestions can be useful for routine arrival tasks, but they also require SmartThings to use location context. The practical response is to review which locations are registered, which devices can be affected, and whether an automatic action would be appropriate for everyone in the home. A light is generally low risk, while an appliance or access-related device deserves more careful review.

Family Care users can also receive a card suggesting a check-in or phone call when a monitored family member has had no device activity for an extended period. The Family Care prompt can provide a useful signal, but it is not proof that a person needs help because device activity can stop for ordinary reasons, including a phone being unavailable or a connected device being unplugged. Treat the card as a reason to check in, not as a medical or emergency assessment.

Smart-home alerts increasingly involve personal information, especially when activity patterns indicate whether someone is home. Users who want to limit AI and data-driven features across their apps can also review how to manage Meta AI settings in Meta’s services, although those controls do not change SmartThings data settings.

Which SmartThings users can use local control?

SmartThings local control is available to Android and iOS users who have a SmartThings Station, a V2, V3, or V4 Hub, or a hub-enabled Samsung TV or Family Hub refrigerator. Samsung says a phone can communicate directly with a compatible hub when both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, rather than sending each command through the cloud. Samsung’s SmartThings product page provides the company’s general overview of the platform and compatible smart-home ecosystem.

Local control matters because a direct connection can reduce the delay between tapping a control and seeing a device respond. Samsung says the approach can improve response times by about 30% under controlled conditions. That figure is a company statement, not a guarantee for every home, because Wi-Fi coverage, device hardware, network congestion, and the specific automation can all affect real-world performance.

SmartThings automatically switches between local and cloud-based control depending on whether the mobile device is at home or away, according to Samsung. The most sensible approach is to keep cloud access available for remote use while confirming that critical at-home controls work correctly on the local network.

Will SmartThings devices work when the internet is unavailable?

SmartThings local control can keep supported phone-to-hub commands on the home Wi-Fi network instead of routing them through the cloud. That can improve reliability during an internet outage for controls that are compatible with the local path, but Samsung has not said that every device, integration, routine, or remote feature operates fully offline. Smart-home owners should not assume that local control converts every SmartThings function into an offline system.

SmartThings Offline Device Diagnostics can update new network information across registered devices at once. The feature is intended to reduce the work involved after a Wi-Fi network change, especially in homes with several connected accessories. Users should still confirm that essential devices reconnect successfully, because a network update can affect device behavior differently across brands and connection types.

Back up or document important routine settings before making broad network changes. Smart-home automations can control lights, air quality devices, and other household equipment, so an incorrect setting can create confusion even when it does not create a serious safety issue. Stop and contact Samsung support or the device manufacturer if a hub repeatedly disconnects, fails to complete setup, or loses access to essential controls after a network change.

What does Matter 1.6 support mean for SmartThings?

SmartThings Now adds Matter 1.6 support, expanding the types of compatible devices that can join the platform. Samsung says the update adds support for energy meters, specialized door and gate closures, irrigation devices, and soil sensors. Matter is a smart-home interoperability standard intended to help devices work across supported ecosystems rather than being confined to one vendor’s app.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance says Matter 1.6 includes new device categories and improvements intended to support more intuitive setup, multi-ecosystem experiences, and context-driven control. The Connectivity Standards Alliance Matter 1.6 announcement explains the standard’s broader scope. This matters because home and garden devices, including irrigation equipment and soil sensors, can require different controls from lights and plugs.

Matter support does not guarantee that every feature from every device brand appears in every smart-home app. Device makers can expose different controls, and some products may require firmware updates or manufacturer-specific setup before they work as expected. Check the device’s SmartThings and Matter compatibility information before replacing an existing hub or building a new automation around a feature you consider essential.

How does the Floating Bar change SmartThings navigation?

SmartThings Now adds a Floating Bar at the bottom of the app to make one-handed use more accessible on larger phones. Samsung designed the navigation change around the practical difficulty of reaching top-screen controls while holding a large device. The Floating Bar can reduce that reach, particularly when users need to switch among common SmartThings areas while standing, cooking, or entering a home.

The navigation improvement is separate from local control and does not require a compatible SmartThings Hub. The benefit is primarily interface access, while the limitation is that familiar SmartThings users may need time to adjust to a new Home tab layout and different placement of common controls. Check the revised Favorites area after updating, because SmartThings Now can recommend changing which controls appear first.

Large-screen usability also depends on the phone’s performance and available storage. Android users dealing with heat while running several connected-home apps should address phone overheating problems before assuming the SmartThings redesign is responsible. Background activity, charging, and poor network conditions can all affect normal app responsiveness.

How should you set up SmartThings Now safely?

SmartThings Now is safest when users enable features gradually and verify each suggested automation before relying on it. Start by updating the SmartThings app, then review the Home tab cards, Favorites recommendations, registered home location, and connected household members. A personalized suggestion is a convenience feature, not an instruction that must be accepted.

1. Update the SmartThings app and open the redesigned Home tab.
2. Review the devices, services, and routines SmartThings places in Favorites.
3. Confirm that the registered home location is accurate before using arrival-based suggestions.
4. Test a suggested routine with a low-risk device, such as a light, before adding more devices.
5. Check whether a SmartThings Station, V2, V3, V4 Hub, compatible Samsung TV, or Family Hub refrigerator is available for local control.
6. Test local controls while the phone and hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

SmartThings Now can automate useful actions, but users should avoid applying untested routines to devices where an unexpected action would create a safety, security, or access problem. Review account access and connected devices after any household change. Users who receive an unexpected app alert should also be cautious with account-related notifications, since an unauthorized app alert can expose how easily a convincing message creates confusion.

Stop and contact Samsung support or the relevant device manufacturer if a routine controls a device unpredictably, a hub loses pairing after setup, or a door, gate, or other access device does not respond consistently. Do not rely on SmartThings activity cards as an emergency monitoring system. Contact local emergency services or an appropriate caregiver directly if there is an immediate concern about a person’s safety.

Who benefits most from the SmartThings Now update?

SmartThings Now benefits users with several connected devices, shared household routines, or a compatible hub that can use local control. The redesigned Home tab can reduce the time needed to find common controls, while local communication can make supported commands feel more responsive at home. The update is particularly relevant for SmartThings households that already use lighting, air purifiers, sensors, or routine-based controls.

SmartThings Now is less consequential for users with only one or two connected devices and no compatible hub. Those users can still see the Home tab redesign and Floating Bar, but they may not experience the local-control benefit Samsung describes. The practical decision is simple: update the app, review the new interface, and enable only the recommendations that solve a real household task.

Smart-home platforms are becoming more context-aware, which can improve convenience while increasing the importance of clear privacy settings and deliberate automation choices. SmartThings Now offers useful tools for supported homes, but its value depends on compatible hardware, reliable Wi-Fi, and careful setup rather than the update alone.

FAQ

What is SmartThings Now?

SmartThings Now is Samsung’s redesigned SmartThings Home tab that uses personalized cards to surface relevant information, controls, and automation suggestions. Samsung announced the update on October 5, 2026, and says the cards respond to a user’s situation and prior activity.

Does SmartThings Now work on iPhone?

Yes, SmartThings local control is available to Android and iOS users with supported SmartThings hubs or hub-enabled Samsung devices. The phone and compatible hub must be on the same Wi-Fi network for direct local communication.

Does SmartThings local control work without the internet?

SmartThings local control can send supported commands directly between a phone and a compatible hub on the same Wi-Fi network. Samsung has not said that every device, integration, routine, or remote feature works fully offline.

How much faster is SmartThings local control?

Samsung says SmartThings local control can improve response times by about 30% under controlled conditions. Actual performance varies because Wi-Fi strength, connected hardware, and network congestion affect response times.

What devices does Matter 1.6 add to SmartThings?

Matter 1.6 support adds energy meters, specialized door and gate closures, irrigation devices, and soil sensors to SmartThings. Device-specific controls and setup requirements can still vary by manufacturer.