Smart-home guide

Create a smart-home backup and recovery plan

Recovery planning means keeping account access, setup information and device records—not trying to make a secret copy of every cloud service.

RecoveryRecords

Editorial review: August 12, 2026 · Julian M. Carverton

Keep a device inventory

Model, room, ecosystem, bridge and reset/setup code location are the useful minimum.

Protect account recovery

Use secure account-recovery methods and multi-factor authentication where supported.

Keep firmware and apps current

Updates can address security and interoperability problems.

Plan for replacement

Know which functions are important enough to replace quickly if a controller or bridge fails.

Keep in mind. Compatibility is not permanent. Confirm the current manufacturer, platform and certification information before purchasing, resetting or migrating a device.