From the support desk 2026-08

Should my Primary Controller be a Mac or an iPad?

In short

Either works — what matters is that the primary stays powered, on the network, awake, and signed in. A Mac mini is an excellent always-on primary and needs no special treatment; a wall-mounted iPad in Guided Access works too. Problems attributed to "the Mac as primary" almost always turn out to be sleep settings or licensing, not the platform.

What the primary actually does

The Primary Controller is the home's hub: it relays commands from your other devices, runs schedules, and holds the licensed session. Any device that's always on and always reachable can do the job — the platform itself isn't the deciding factor.

If you use a Mac

Keep it plugged in, prevent full sleep (Energy/Battery settings), and stay on current versions — recent updates specifically keep Roomie's sync services alive through macOS App Nap and display sleep. A Mac mini tucked in a closet is one of the most reliable primary setups there is.

If you use an iPad

A dedicated iPad — often wall-mounted in Guided Access — is equally valid. Keep it on power so iPadOS doesn't suspend the app, and treat it as the appliance it is.

Before you re-architect

If commands are being dropped or devices act dead, check the basics on the current primary first: is it awake, on the network, signed in with your Apple Account, and licensed? Moving the primary role to different hardware rarely fixes an issue that licensing or sleep settings caused.

Distilled from real support conversations, with details generalized. Every setup differs — if this doesn't resolve it, contact support with diagnostics.