The Problem
HomeMapper finds devices from up to five sources, the protocols and Home Assistant, and each one reports devices on its own. One smart light can show up as a HomeKit accessory, an IP Network service, a Thread router, a Matter device, and a Home Assistant device. Correlation merges those reports into one device entry.
How Matching Works
HomeMapper merges reports that clearly describe the same hardware, using identifiers the devices themselves report, such as a MAC address. Names alone never merge two devices: two plugs named "Smart Plug" stay separate. When HomeMapper can't be sure, it shows two rows rather than risk combining two different devices.
When two sources disagree about a detail, like a device's name or room, your Primary Platform wins. That's Apple Home by default; change it in Settings > Discovery.
Why Duplicates Still Appear
- Nothing to match on: some devices, like Sonos speakers and some smart TVs, don't report anything that links one protocol's view of them to another's, so they show as two rows. Each row is accurate.
- Bridges: a bridge like a Hue Bridge shows in HomeKit as one accessory per bulb, but on the network as one device, the bridge itself, so the bulbs and the bridge appear as separate rows.
- Home Assistant's HomeKit Bridge: devices Home Assistant shares with Apple Home appear in both scans with nothing to link them. Devices Home Assistant controls through its HomeKit Controller integration are matched automatically.
- More than one home: the same kind of device in two homes is two real devices.
Reducing Duplicates
Tap the IP Network filter on Devices or Rooms to hide it (Pro). Most leftover duplicates are IP Network-only rows, and devices that did merge keep their IP Network details.
App updates may reduce duplicates as matching improves. If two rows are clearly the same device, use Send Feedback in Settings > Support and name the devices.