I’ve long held the view that the easiest way into Matter is through the doors of IKEA. The Swedish home furnishings giant introduced a device called the Dirigera in 2023, first positioning it as a smart home hub for its existing products, with the potential for Matter Bridge functionality.
This came in 2024, enabling the device to communicate with other systems like Samsung SmartThings, Apple Home, etc. IKEA devices connected to the Dirigera, like smart bulbs and sensors, could be controlled over the Matter Bridge.
But in 2025, IKEA has taken things further, rolling out an upgrade that turns every $109 Dirigera into a Matter controller.
Now, anyone can begin assembling their smart home components from a single shopping trip.
Making the Dirigera Matter
I’ve previously enabled the Dirigera’s Matter bridge mode, and updating it to be a Matter controller is seriously simple. It starts with an update to the IKEA Home smart app, which is initiated either in the relevant app store or by opening the app and tapping the prompt.
(If you have only just bought a Dirigera, the chances are that it is not Matter ready. It’s probably been sat on a warehouse shelf for some months, and will need updating.)
Once this is done, upgrading the Dirigera from Matter Bridge to Matter controller is straightforward. Simply launch IKEA Home smart, open Settings (the profile icon), then scroll to The Workshop and tap Connect Matter products.
Note that this is a beta feature; this was previously the menu for enabling Matter Bridge functionality, which can now be found in Settings > Our home > Integrations – the important thing to note here is that switching back to Matter Bridge mode disables Matter controller mode.
Adding a Matter device is easier than building an IKEA wardrobe
After updating the Dirigera, adding a new device is the easiest thing.
In the IKEA Home smart, just click the + symbol, then Add a product. The Scan QR Code button is for enrolling Matter devices, and there is the option to use a keyboard to input a Matter code. Standard IKEA smart home gear can be added by category, and other non-Matter brands can be added too, if supported, using a network scan.
So, all those smart IKEA devices can be easily added within the app, while any Matter device you own can be effortlessly added with the QR code.
Make it work anywhere
It’s a superb idea to enable the Control Anywhere feature in the IKEA Home smart app. This lets you access the hub and smart home tech from anywhere, but can only be enabled on your network.
Once switched on, you can also get push notifications from and about devices in your home.
I’ve been meaning to enable this for months, but just got around to doing so when setting up the Dirigera for as a Matter controller. Enabling it is a case of tapping Our home > Control Anywhere, and checking an automated email to confirm the action. If necessary, this can be disabled, but what is a smart home if you can’t control it when you’re at the football game?
A Matter smart home with those IKEA meatballs
Overall, the IKEA Home smart app makes finding and enrolling devices far less painful than, say, Samsung SmartThings. I really think this is a game changer for smart homes, bringing the fastest growing platform, with affordable, easy-to-use smart devices, into one of the world’s biggest retailers.
How, setting up a smart home is child’s play (although I wouldn’t let them do it...)
