5 Ways to Control Your Smart Home from Your Computer

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Despite the existence of smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, voice control still has its drawbacks. Sometimes, it’s easier to control your smart home devices using your computer instead.

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Here are a few different ways you can control smart home systems from a Windows PC without needing to grab your phone or shout at the nearest voice assistant.

Alexa App

Even though it doesn’t appear in Microsoft Store search results and may seem discontinued, you can still install the Amazon Alexa app for Windows 10 and above.

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Once installed, you can control Alexa-supported smart devices through the Smart Home tab. However, you can’t set up new Alexa devices using the Windows app; that still needs to be done on your phone, and they will then appear in the PC app.

The Alexa app for Windows also supports voice control, using a voice trigger to activate the app by saying “Alexa” or with the default keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + A.

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Google Home Dashboard

Although the web dashboard for Google Home is less functional than the mobile app, it still allows you to view live camera feeds and run automation routines from your computer.

The Google Home web dashboard also offers a text editor, allowing you to create more advanced routines than is possible in the mobile Google Home app.

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Home Remote App

This is a smart home control app for Windows available through the Microsoft Store. Once installed, you can connect various smart home platforms and control your devices through one app.

The integration with Chromecast and Sonos speakers is particularly useful, allowing you to mute or adjust the volume of any speaker running throughout the house.

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However, a downside is that there are some notable compatibility issues, and it lacks support for Ring, Wyze, and Nest devices in particular. So, check the compatibility list before installing this app to ensure it works for you.

Dedicated Web Apps

Some smart home device manufacturers offer web applications that allow you to view camera feeds or control devices via any web browser. For example, you can access web dashboards for Ring, Wyze, Ecobee, SmartThings, and more.

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Before purchasing a smart home device, visit the manufacturer’s website to see if they offer a web dashboard for controlling their devices. If they do, bookmark it in your browser for quick access.

Home Bridge Tool

If you want to control all Apple HomeKit devices from a single dashboard on a Windows computer, the only option is Home Bridge, a free app that links HomeKit to other smart home ecosystems.