Unable to Add Nuki Smart Lock Pro Gen 5 to Apple HomeKit (Matter) – “Unable to Add Accessory” Error

Garnik · July 17, 2025, 12:01pm

Hi Nuki experts,

I’m reaching out for assistance with an issue I’m facing while trying to add my Nuki Smart Lock Pro Gen 5 to Apple HomeKit using Matter.

Issue Description:

When following the instructions in the Nuki app to add the lock to Apple Home, the process hangs on “Setting up…” and then fails with the following message:

“Unable to Add Accessory. Pairing with the accessory failed.”

No error code is shown. I’ve also attached a screenshot for reference.

What I’ve Already Tried:

Rebooted all involved devices (Nuki Lock, HomePod Mini, iPhone, Wi-Fi router)
Factory reset the lock and set it up from scratch
Tried adding the lock through:
- The Nuki app
- Apple Home app (scanning QR and entering Matter code manually)
Attempted setup using multiple Apple devices:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 18.5)
- iPhone 11, iPhone 14
- iPad Pro 4th Gen (latest iPadOS)
Confirmed all devices are on the same Wi-Fi network
Ensured Wi-Fi router is Wi-Fi 6 certified and HomeKit-compatible

Current Setup:

Nuki Smart Lock Pro Gen 5
↳ Firmware: 5.4.6
Apple HomePod Mini
↳ OS: tvOS 18.5
iPhone 15 Pro Max
↳ iOS 18.5
Wi-Fi Router
↳ Wi-Fi 6 certified; both 2.4GHz and 5GHz enabled

What I’m Looking For:

Is this a known issue with firmware 5.4.6 or iOS 18.5?
Is there a workaround or fix anyone has found?
Could it be a compatibility or certification issue with Matter/HomeKit?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions. I’ve spent hours troubleshooting and would really appreciate any insight from the community or Nuki support.

ridmaur · July 18, 2025, 9:25am

Have you verified whether your Homekit Home Hub is Matter compatible? If not, you will see these issues. I had the same. I have an old Apple TV 4K (from 2017) and 4 HomePods (1st gen.) all of which do NOT support Matter. I had to upgrade my Apple TV 4K to the 2022 version (which I planned anyway) and then it worked without an issue.

See also: https://help.nuki.io/hc/en-001/articles/14596875392017-Setting-up-your-Matter-integration#h_01J7X260HMNB82BJXP91TGX001

I do see you do have an Apple HomePod mini, which should be compatible with Matter. Then you must disable Automatic Selection and ensure that HomePod mini is defined as the Preferred Home Hub in HomeKit.

Garnik · July 18, 2025, 10:47am

you are totally right! I have an Apple HomePod mini, which supports Matter via Thread and Remote Access via Thread.

from here: Setting up your Matter integration – Nuki Support

could you please tell me on how i can do this?

Then you must disable Automatic Selection and ensure that HomePod mini is defined as the Preferred Home Hub in HomeKit.

ridmaur · July 18, 2025, 11:12am

On your Apple device, open HomeKit.
Tap icon at the top right (circle with dots).
From context menu select Home Settings.
In the sheet, select Home Hubs & Bridges.
Disable Automatic Selection and select your preferred home hub.

Garnik · July 18, 2025, 11:29am

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Garnik · July 18, 2025, 11:29am

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Garnik · July 18, 2025, 11:29am

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Garnik · July 18, 2025, 11:31am

Thanks for your response. I don’t see that setting available—most likely because I only have one Apple HomePod mini.

Garnik · July 18, 2025, 2:38pm

This is so strange—after creating a new home in the Apple Home app, the lock was added on the first try (though with a warning). Bit it works without any issues.