Seeking Workaround for Dimmer Switch Control via Level Cluster in Apple Home

[xiongwei.wang]

Hello Nordic Team,  

I recently encountered an issue similar to the one discussed in the post [Matter] Apple Home cannot identify light_switch example .After testing multiple device types, I found that only generic switche is recognized by Apple Home, while dimmer switches appear unsupported. My observations suggest this might relate to Apple’s lack of Binding Cluster implementation, as previously discussed in the community.  

To address this, I have two key questions:  
1. Brightness Control via Level Cluster:
   Is it possible to bypass Apple’s current limitations and programmatically control brightness through the `LevelControl` cluster in Matter (e.g., sending direct commands via Node/Endpoint IDs), even if dimmer switches are not natively supported?  

2. Alternative Approaches:
   Are there any **non-standard workarounds** (e.g., custom cluster implementations, gateway-level interventions, or firmware tweaks) to enable dimming functionality in Apple Home today, or must we wait for Apple to officially support the Binding Cluster?  

Any insights or experimental solutions would be invaluable for our development efforts.  

Thank you in advance!

Best regards,
XiongWei.Wang

[Charlie]

Hi Xiongwei,

Thanks for checking with us about this issue. May I ask which version of the nRF Connect SDK you're currently testing with?

The discussion you referred to is from two years ago. I've seen more recent discussions indicating that the sample may now work with Apple Home. Could you try testing it with the latest version of NCS and let us know the results?

(+) Matter Generic Switch not working on reset - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone

(+) Multi-Generic Switch in Matter - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone

Best regards,

Charlie

[xiongwei.wang]

Hi Charlie,

I am using the NCS 3.0.0. I can implement a Generic Switch, but I cannot implement a Dimmer Switch or other switches to control the level of other Matter devices.

Best regards,
Xiongwei Wang.

[Charlie]

Hi Xiongwei,

It looks the Dimmer functionality is already avaliave in Matter: Light switch samplle for a while. I also find a previous discussion related to dimmer working with Apple Home.  (+) Bug in Matter Light_Bulb Example on nRF52840 Development Board - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone 

Do you mean your Apple Home UI does not have function to adjust Brightness Level? You should be able to see the birghtness level on the Apple Home UI at least.

I find the following Matter dimmer switch products on the market, so there must be a solution for dimmer switch to work with Apple Home properly.

Tapo S505D | Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Light Switch, Matter | TP-Link

Eve Dimmer Switch | evehome.com

Best regards,

Charlie

[xiongwei.wang]

Hi Charlie,

Thank you for your response. After reviewing the information you shared, I still have some concerns about implementing a Matter dimmer control solution.

I've looked into both the Tapo S505D and Eve Dimmer Switch products you mentioned. These appear to be hardwired solutions that physically control the power/current to connected lights rather than using software-based Matter control commands.

I've already tested the Light Switch Template project, and I believe there's a key distinction between light bulbs and control devices that's causing my issue. The Apple Home app can successfully:

1. Recognize and add Matter Light Bulbs with brightness controls
2. Add Matter Generic Switches and detect different input types (single press, double press, long press)
3. Associate button actions with scenes (like a "movie scene" that adjusts light levels and temperature)

However, what I'm unable to accomplish is creating a Matter control device that directly adjusts the brightness level of another Matter device (like a light bulb). Apple Home doesn't appear to support binding a dimmer control to directly manipulate brightness attributes on other devices.

What I need is relatively simple - I want to send control commands with brightness level values from a control device (with a knob or similar input) to one or more light devices. Currently, I can only set fixed scenes triggered by discrete button actions, but not create dynamic brightness control relationships between devices.

Best regards,
Xiongwei Wang