Restoring an old iPhone 4s

I restored my exwife's old iPhone 4s for my 12yo daughter, meant to be used as an emergency phone and HomeKit controller for her. You know, to turn on-off my home lights and stuff when she's here...


Last installable S.O. is 9.3.5. Her Apple ID on it. No SIM right now, will be delivered a new one this week.

I have a fully working Apple Home installation on my devices (iPhone, Apple TVs, MacBook) for my Apple ID.


Ok, done it all. But... where's the Home app??

No app around.. Hmm, I tried to share now my home settings inviting her from my Apple Home, but the invite did not succeed; it's probably needed a SIM on her phone I haven't yet. Isn't the app supposed to be there anyway?

I searched here and there and I found this: "To use the Home app [...] log in to iCloud with your Apple ID on each device, then activate the iCloud Keychain and Home options in iCloud settings".


In Settings / iCloud /Keychain there is only the ON switch and an Advanced submenu (with a Security Code switch in it), no Home options.

In Settings / Privacy / HomeKit I am allowed to Restore HomeKit configuration, but it seems to have no effect. There was no HomeKit configuration on here phone anyway, it was newly restored...


What I am doing wrong?

..Pleeease..

Posted on Jul 14, 2020 12:17 AM

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Posted on Jul 15, 2020 8:00 AM

The Home app does not exist in iOS 9. It did not make its debut until iOS 10.

You won't get the home app on that device.

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Restoring an old iPhone 4s

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