Home Assistant Companion Drops iOS 15, watchOS 8 and macOS 11

Home Assistant announced that the Companion app will drop support for iOS 15, watchOS 8 and macOS 11 starting with version 2026.8.0. The last compatible release for those platforms will be 2026.7.1, and if your device falls out of scope you can keep controlling your home from the browser. Here's what's changing, why, and how it affects you.

What's changing

Starting with version 2026.8.0 of the Companion app, Home Assistant is dropping support for iOS 15, watchOS 8 and macOS 11. The last version those platforms will receive is 2026.7.1.

After that, the minimum supported versions become iOS 16.4, watchOS 9 and macOS 12. If your iPhone, Apple Watch or Mac already runs above those thresholds, you don't need to do anything.

Why this decision

The team explains that keeping old OS versions alive has a cost: it limits their ability to adopt modern technology. From September this year, Apple's developer tools will officially stop supporting watchOS 8 and macOS 11, making it technically difficult to keep building the app for those platforms.

They also share a key data point: less than 1% of users are running these older OS versions. Focusing on current systems keeps the codebase maintainable and unlocks features that were held back.

Improvements you can expect

Moving off the old versions removes long-standing constraints on UX, stability and performance. Specifically, the team mentions room to move forward with Apple Watch complications and more advanced widgets, both of which were previously limited by backward compatibility.

If you're on iOS 16.4+, watchOS 9+ or macOS 12+, this means a more capable Companion app in the mid term.

What happens if your device is left behind

Don't worry, your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac won't become useless. You can still control your home with Home Assistant through the web frontend in your browser, which remains fully supported and gets monthly updates.

On top of that, version 2026.7.1 (the last compatible one) will remain available on the App Store, and the source code will stay on GitHub for anyone who wants to compile it themselves.

How to prepare

If you use Home Assistant on Apple devices, check each device's OS version before 2026.8.0 ships. If you're on iOS 15, watchOS 8 or macOS 11 and your hardware allows it, consider updating the operating system so you keep getting the app with all the new features.

If the hardware can't move up, plan a replacement or switch to using browser access as your main flow.

Our take from EgeaINC

In the Home Assistant smart home installs we deliver, we always recommend keeping the ecosystem up to date: device firmware, HA itself and client apps. Changes like this reinforce the value of choosing hardware with a solid support cycle and planning renewals ahead of time.

If you're unsure how this change hits your setup, or you want to build an install designed to last, reach out and we'll review it together.