Setup Ecosystems
Shelly and Matter: supported devices, setup and limits
Gen4 Shellys ship with Matter on by default; Gen3 needs a firmware update and a toggle. Which devices support it, what your network needs, and how to pair with Apple Home, Google Home or Alexa.
Matter gives a Shelly a second way in. The device keeps its app, its web interface and its automations, and also appears as a native accessory in Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa or SmartThings. For Apple Home this is the part that counts: Matter is the only way a Shelly shows up there at all. So if you want a Shelly inside Apple Home, choose a Matter-compatible device, which generally means going for Gen4.
What Matter adds
If you already run everything from the Shelly app, Matter adds three things.
- One app for everything. Your Shellys sit in the same app as the rest of your accessories, so one room view holds the Hue bulbs, the lock and the relay behind the wall switch.
- Local control. The hub talks to the device over your own network, with no cloud round trip.
- Native voice control. Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa reach the device through the ecosystem itself, without linking the Shelly cloud skill.
The trade is depth for reach. Matter exposes the device's basic type, a switch, a light, a cover, plus power readings on metering models. Everything that makes a Shelly a Shelly, the schedules, the scripts, the input configuration, still lives in the Shelly app and web interface, and both work at the same time. There is one cost to know about: on the Gen3 plugs, scripting only runs while Matter is switched off, so pick one or the other on those models.
Which Shelly devices support Matter
Support follows the generation, with exceptions inside each one.
| Generation | Matter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gen4 | Yes on by default | The relays, dimmers, plugs and sensors all have it. The I4 and two of the Gen4 Pros (Pro 1PM 40A, Pro 2PM) skip it; support varies across the energy meters, so check the meter's own page |
| Gen3 | Some models, off by default | Needs a firmware update (Matter arrived in 1.6; the Dimmer and H&T got it in 2.0), then a manual enable. Relays (1, 1L, 1PM, 2L, 2PM, the Minis), the Dimmer, the H&T and the plugs have it. The 3EM, EM, PM Mini, I4, D Dimmer and Shutter don't |
| Plus / Pro (Gen2) | No | One exception: the Pro 3EM is Matter-ready via a firmware update |
| Gen1 | No |
If you're not sure which generation you own, our guide to the Shelly generations covers how to tell. Buying new? Which Shelly do I need? narrows it to a model from your switch and wiring, or you can jump straight to the Gen4 relays in the shop.
What you need first
- A Matter hub. Apple Home needs an Apple TV 4K, HomePod or HomePod mini, Google Home a Nest Hub or Nest speaker, Alexa an Echo (4th gen or later), SmartThings a SmartThings Hub or Station.
- IPv6 enabled on your router. Matter uses IPv6 for all communication after pairing, and IPv4 alone is not enough. Local (link-local or ULA) IPv6 is fine, you don't need IPv6 from your internet provider.
- A 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network, and your phone on that Wi-Fi (not mobile data) with Bluetooth on while pairing.
No Thread is involved. Shelly's mains devices carry Matter over Wi-Fi, so a Thread border router plays no part.
Pairing a Gen4
- Get it powered
Power the device and connect it to your Wi-Fi through the Shelly app, or use it fresh out of the box.
- Open your ecosystem's app
In Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa or SmartThings, choose add accessory or add device.
- Scan the device's Matter QR code
Most Gen4 devices ship with it on a sticker; it's always in the device's web interface and the Shelly app, which helps once the device is behind a wall plate. There's nothing to switch on first, Matter is already enabled.
- Keep your phone on the same Wi-Fi network
Phone, hub and device all sit on one network while it commissions.
- If the code won't take, restart the device
The pairing window times out; a restart reopens it.
Enabling Matter on a Gen3
- Get the device onto your Wi-Fi
Open its web interface at its IP address, from the Shelly app or your router's client list.
- Update the firmware
Matter arrived in version 1.6, so if there's no Matter section in the interface, update first.
- Enable Matter
Open the Matter page in the navigation panel, tick Enable, then save. The device reboots.
- Refresh the page
The QR code and an 11-digit manual code appear.
- Scan the code
Add it in your ecosystem's app, the same as a Gen4.
Sharing between ecosystems
A Matter device can join more than one fabric, which is Matter's word for one ecosystem's network. The same relay can sit in Apple Home and Google Home at once, and the Shelly app and Shelly cloud keep working alongside both. How sharing an accessory between ecosystems works is its own guide.
A Gen4 in Zigbee mode gives up Matter
Gen4 devices can run Zigbee instead of Wi-Fi, but not both. In Zigbee mode the device leaves Wi-Fi entirely, so there's no IP address, no Matter, no Shelly app. If you're choosing between the two, our Zigbee or Wi-Fi guide walks through the decision. One device, one mode.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shelly support Matter over Thread?
No. Shelly's mains-powered devices have no Thread radio; Matter runs over Wi-Fi. A Thread border router does nothing for a Shelly.
Do Shelly devices need a hub?
Not for the Shelly app, which talks to each device directly. Matter is the part that needs a hub: an Apple TV or HomePod, a Nest Hub, a recent Echo or a SmartThings Hub acts as the controller.
My Shelly won't pair, or shows no response after pairing. What's wrong?
It is almost always IPv6. Check that IPv6 is enabled on your router, that your phone is on Wi-Fi rather than mobile data, and that phone, hub and device share one network. On a Gen3, confirm the firmware is 1.6 or later and Matter is enabled.
Can I still use the Shelly app after pairing with Matter?
Yes. Matter runs alongside the Shelly app, the web interface and Shelly cloud. Schedules and scripts you've built keep running on the device.
Is there a Shelly Matter bridge?
No, and you don't need one. Each Wi-Fi Shelly joins Matter directly. That's different from Zigbee, where bringing Shelly Zigbee devices into a Matter home relies on the hub bridging them.
I've lost the pairing code. Where do I find it?
Gen4: it's on the device label, in the Shelly app and in the web interface. Gen3: disable and re-enable Matter in the web interface and it generates a fresh code.
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