Smart home devices should work offline
The gist
Google Home users reported smart lights and switches showing offline in the app in January 2026.
The incident fed guides on running a smart home without the internet.
How it unfolded
- Jan 22, 2026Google Home users report on Reddit that smart lights, switches and outlets show as offline in the app even though they work in their own apps; some automations fail or can't be edited.
- Jan 22, 2026Google acknowledges the issue in a Reddit comment and says teams are working on a fix.
- Jan 22, 2026BGR reports a Google Home Hub can be used without internet with the right setup and a Matter-enabled hub, though setup takes work and some features may not function.
Key terms
- Matter-enabled
- Supporting Matter, an open technical standard that lets smart home and IoT devices from different manufacturers interoperate with local control.
- Zigbee
- A low-power, low-data-rate wireless protocol standard for short-range personal area networks such as home automation.
- Home Assistant
- Free open-source software that acts as a central smart home hub and integration platform, running with local control and no cloud requirement.
Source: Wikipedia