Home Assistant will no longer support iOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS 11 in its companion app.
Home Assistant, an open-source smart home platform, has built a reputation for keeping legacy hardware functioning long after manufacturers typically end support for it, and that philosophy shapes how it handles its apps today.
This change is effective in version 2026.8.0 of the Companion app, and version 2026.7.1 remains the final release to support these three older operating systems on iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac devices.
This schedule is in line with Apple’s own developer tools, which will end support for watchOS 8 and macOS 11 starting September of this year, making it increasingly difficult to maintain continuous builds for these platforms.
Currently, less than 1% of Home Assistant users are running these older operating systems, but that share is small enough that this update allows the team to focus resources on the platforms that most people actually use.
What this means for existing users
Once version 2026.7.1 is retired, companion apps will require at least iOS 16.4, watchOS 9, or macOS 12, raising the baseline for future software updates.
Ending support for older platforms also removes long-standing limitations that limited user experience, stability, and performance improvements, including features such as Apple Watch complications and more advanced widgets.
Support for Apple Watch complications and more advanced widgets has been a feature request among Home Assistant users for some time, and removing the burden of maintaining outdated software will ultimately free up development time to build them.
The web-based front end will continue to be fully supported and continue to receive monthly updates regardless of the operating system you’re using, so owners of unsupported devices won’t lose access to Home Assistant completely.
The last compatible release, version 2026.7.1, remains available in the App Store, and its source code remains accessible on GitHub for those who wish to compile the app themselves.
Home Assistant hasn’t confirmed the exact retirement date for version 2026.7.1, only that it exists as the final build of iOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS 11 before version 2026.8.0 arrives.
