Homekit: How to back & restore settings?
While iCloud for HomeKit, Keychain and iOS device backup were enabled, there was no way to restore HomeKit to a previous state. How can HomeKit device information be backed up at restored?
QUICK BACKGROUND
- 3rd party software bug vaporized an ENTIRE HomeKit network by removing a home from Home app.
- 'New' state of Home was rendered as NULL, which populated across all devices...aka most recent=null.
- There was no way, w/Apple Support involved, or restoring the HomeKit network.
- Net result required rebuilding the entire network from scratch...adding each device again 1-by-1.
PROBLEM
- No way to save my own instance of settings. No way to restore a working set of settings.
- No way to prevent this from happening in the future - and no way to restore if it happens again. Yes, this is happening to many which can be read on other forums and mediums.
OTHER
- One additional tidbit, I was able to restore Home settings through a desktop using TimeCapsule. This worked great, as expected...UNTIL...iCloud is back on and then the most recent (null) would again overwrite all devices. Rinse and repeat.
- Unrealistic expectation - to restore the entire iOS device to a previous state to gain back HomeKit devices. 1) This did not work because HomeKit kept using the 'latest' and the latest was the problem. 2) This is an unrealistic expectation as a means to restore settings of any network.
HomePod, 15