The Settings > Swap Device page (previously called Swap Apps Device, a term you may find longtime users or older third-party instructions still use) allows you to replace references to one device in all apps with references to another device. The most common use is to replace a defective device with a newly paired device in all apps without needing to manually remove the old selection and re-select the new device in all apps that reference the original device.
- "Child devices" (devices with a parent device or parent app; such parents may depend on specific characteristics of the child device) are not eligible for use with this feature and will not be displayed in the list for this reason. This is by design.
- A "manual" swap works for any device, including parent/child devices that are not eligible for this tool:
- Open any apps using the old device (check "In use by" on the device detail page to see for sure).
- Select the new device in all app preferences where the old device was selected. If necessary, configure the new device similarly to the old device (every app is different; many apps will require simply selecting the new device). Similarly, de-select the old device.
- Select Done or any equivalent option the app presents to save your changes (unless this particular app notes that this is not required).
¶ Notes and Tips
- It is recommended that the "new" device not be in use by any apps yet (these will not remain associated with the new device; they will be swapped to the "old" device)
- Both devices should have identical or at least similar capabilities, or the new device may not work correctly in apps (e.g., if you replace a dimmer with a switch, apps that try to set level on the device may fail, as plain switches do not support the
Set Level command)
- The same outcome (just with fewer clicks/taps) can be created using the "Replace" option that will appear when using the Add Device process with compatible devices