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User profile for user: WastedSys
WastedSys Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Homekit - Can not accept invitation

Going back and forth with apple support for almost 8 months. The issue is my personal AppleID (@Personal) tries to join our house account's home (@HouseAccount) and the invitation just hangs and errors out. My wife's account can be added and removed -- same with my kids. No issue with anyone's account accept @Personal.


Apple has had me jump through so many hoops even though this happens on EVERY device and even devices that work for family members doesn't work for @Personal. I've started from scratch multiple times and I've created a new home with just a single HomeHub on it. Same error every time. @Personal just can't join ANY HOME.


After going through the typical steps with apple support -- everything from resetting a router, resetting home hubs, logging our of an account of anything -- we hit a head end and apple support sends me to another senior analyst to just start again.


Never able to talk to an engineer about this issue -- support is just a middleman for which they have no idea what they are supporting. Wish I would have kept the contact of an apple support engineer who one day was able to dig into a problem with a family member's account and said there was an alignment problem with the account and fixed it while I was on the phone.


All my TVs, music and lighting can be used via homekit and I'm the only one in the house that can't use anything?!?!?! So ridiculous. I can't simply create a new AppleID as mine is over a dozen years old and is the head of the family which includes every purchase!


Not sure how to move forward -- was hoping IOS14 would have solved this issue but I don't think it has anything to do with the Home app itself -- has to be an issue with the @Personal account.


at a loss and so fustrated.




iPhone X, iOS 12

Posted on Sep 25, 2020 7:03 AM

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User profile for user: WastedSys
WastedSys Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Posted on Jan 26, 2023 7:29 AM

After so long -- this issue has been resolved for me! There was an identifier that was shared between @Personal and @HouseAccount. This might have happened (but they don't know) when restoring from various backups or just overtime.


The way they resolved it.


*This will delete your entire home!*. Which is fine for me as the entire thing was a mess from troubleshooting.


They had me download this file on the device creating the home: (@HouseAccount)


So I downloaded this to my @HouseAccount IPAD. It asked permission to apply the profile. They had me open HOME APP and wait for it to timeout (but mine just opened a blank home which is fine, went to next step). We then went to Settings -> Home and apply the Identify -- this warned it would delete your home information. After that we removed the downloaded identity. We then Logged out of the device, logged back onto device. Opened the HOME app which should now be blank. I then added an accessory. (I chose an AppleTV). Then I invited my @Personal account. -- And it worked! I then invited each family member and they all joined.


To make things simpler, I added a HomePOD and for each AppleTV I disabled the HomeHub. This would allow me to just have the couple homepods in the house be hubs and not all the AppleTVs.


I now have 150+ devices within the home app and all family members are able to see and control. Couldn't believe its fixed!



[Link Edited by Moderator]




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User profile for user: WastedSys
WastedSys Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Jan 26, 2023 7:29 AM in response to MarcUweSimon

After so long -- this issue has been resolved for me! There was an identifier that was shared between @Personal and @HouseAccount. This might have happened (but they don't know) when restoring from various backups or just overtime.


The way they resolved it.


*This will delete your entire home!*. Which is fine for me as the entire thing was a mess from troubleshooting.


They had me download this file on the device creating the home: (@HouseAccount)


So I downloaded this to my @HouseAccount IPAD. It asked permission to apply the profile. They had me open HOME APP and wait for it to timeout (but mine just opened a blank home which is fine, went to next step). We then went to Settings -> Home and apply the Identify -- this warned it would delete your home information. After that we removed the downloaded identity. We then Logged out of the device, logged back onto device. Opened the HOME app which should now be blank. I then added an accessory. (I chose an AppleTV). Then I invited my @Personal account. -- And it worked! I then invited each family member and they all joined.


To make things simpler, I added a HomePOD and for each AppleTV I disabled the HomeHub. This would allow me to just have the couple homepods in the house be hubs and not all the AppleTVs.


I now have 150+ devices within the home app and all family members are able to see and control. Couldn't believe its fixed!



[Link Edited by Moderator]




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User profile for user: MarcUweSimon
MarcUweSimon
User level: Level 1
13 points

Oct 2, 2020 12:53 PM in response to WastedSys

I don't think next MacOS or iOS will bring any help. I am facing this problem for over three years now and having the same problems with Apple Support. I a certain way I understand that they don't want to "waste" their engineers capabilities to end users, but on the other hand it is really frustrating to explain a little bit more complex failures to a stupid person. I would be even glad if they gave my written description to the engineers.


So now I am trying to get in contact with other people facing these problems and checking out if there is any things in common.


Have you ever "shared" an Apple ID with a family member before family sharing was introduced?


My suspicion is that both people share values/secrets in their keychain that they actually shouldn't and so HomeKit accidentally mixes up two persons and throws one out.

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Homekit - Can not accept invitation

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