- Belkin is shutting down a large number of Wemo smart home devices on January 31, including its flagship app
- Wemo devices supported by Thread and Apple HomeKit won’t be affected, but you’ll have to set them up through the Wemo app before it shuts down
- Belkin has also assured users that they may be eligible for a partial refund
The day that Belkin customers have been dreading is here, and the company is officially ending support for its Wemo range of smart home devices after announcing plans last year – and you have until January 31 to make the most of them.
When the day comes, your Wemo smart plug, switches, and sensors will lose their smarts, and the Wemo app and accompanying cloud features will stop working, meaning you’ll lose support for almost all of Wemo’s older devices. While this affects a large portion of Wemo’s products, there’s one exception – devices supported by Thread or Apple Home will still work.
Belkin says that the following Thread-based devices aren’t affected by the shutdown:
- Wemo Smart Light Switch 3-Way
- Wemo Stage Smart Scene Controller
- Wemo Smart Plug with Thread
- Wemo Smart Video Doorbell Camera
Since sending out a reminder email to its customers, Belkin has faced a wave of frustration from users who have relied on its Wemo devices to supercharge their smart home setups, but it’s not been an easy decision for the company.
“Over the last decade, since Belkin first launched Wemo in 2011, we’ve been committed to providing consumers with innovative, simple-to-use accessories for a seamless smart home experience. However, as technology evolves, we must focus our resources on different parts of the Belkin business,” the company shared on its help page, where you can also find the full list of devices affected by the changes.
If you’re one of the unlucky customers who’s impacted by the shutdown, here are a few things to note.
Here’s what you should do
First of all, Belkin has assured that you may be eligible for a partial refund if your Wemo device is still under warranty on or after January 31, 2026. Refund requests will be processed after that date.
If you use Wemo devices through HomeKit, they will still function after the shutdown date has passed and won’t be affected; however, you’ll need to set them up through the Wemo app before it shuts down. You can still use the following devices through the Home app:
- Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch with Dimmer
- Wemo Smart Light Switch
- Wemo HomeKit Bridge
- Wemo Dimmer Light Switch
- Wemo Mini Plugin Switch
- Wemo Outdoor Plug
- Wemo Mini Smart Plug
- Wemo Stage Smart Scene Controller
- Wemo Smart Plug with Thread
- Wemo Smart Video Doorbell
Based on other reports, a large number of outlets are recommending seeking out alternative smart home replacements for users with devices that aren’t supported by Thread or Apple HomeKit. Our homes editor, Cat Ellis, recommends WiZ or TP-Link’s range of smart home devices as reliable replacements, such as the WiZ smart plug or the TP-Link Tapo smart switch.
A shutdown of this scale is unprecedented for a leading smart home tech brand, but with this move comes hope that Belkin is working towards investing in better and improving the lifespan of its smart home products.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
