Not able to add accessory to HomeKit

[nickwilkie]

I've got HAP-ESPHome installed and running with a single lock entity. Everything is connected, and it's recognized when I look for accessories to add. When I try to add it, my phone says "Unable to Add Accessory, This acessory cannot be used with HomeKit". I've tried playing around with the homekit_base parameters, but not able to get connected. I'm on the same wifi network, no client isolation.

In the ESPHome logs, I get:

[13:28:43][D][LockEntity:074][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Found allocated controller - Hash: 
[13:28:43][D][LockEntity:079][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Issuer  already added, skipping

My config is:

substitutions:
  name: box-s3
  friendly_name: BOX-S3

esphome:
  name: ${name}
  friendly_name: ${friendly_name}
  min_version: 2025.5.0
  name_add_mac_suffix: false

esp32:
  board: esp32s3box
  flash_size: 16MB
  cpu_frequency: 240MHz
  framework:
    type: esp-idf
    sdkconfig_options:
      CONFIG_ESP32S3_DEFAULT_CPU_FREQ_240: "y"
      CONFIG_ESP32S3_DATA_CACHE_64KB: "y"
      CONFIG_ESP32S3_DATA_CACHE_LINE_64B: "y"

      CONFIG_COMPILER_OPTIMIZATION_SIZE: y
      CONFIG_LWIP_MAX_SOCKETS: "16"
      CONFIG_MBEDTLS_HKDF_C: y

external_components:
  source: github://rednblkx/HAP-ESPHome@main
  refresh: 0s

lock:
  - platform: template
    id: "s3_lock"
    name: "S3 Box Lock"
    optimistic: True
    on_lock:
    - logger.log: "Door Locked!"
    on_unlock:
    - logger.log: "Door Unlocked!"

homekit:
  lock:
    - id: s3_lock
      nfc_id: nfc_spi_module
      on_hk_success:
        lambda: |-
          ESP_LOGI("HEREHERE", "IssuerID: %s", x.c_str());
          ESP_LOGI("HEREHERE", "EndpointID: %s", y.c_str());
      on_hk_fail:
        lambda: |-
          ESP_LOGI("GSDGSGS", "IT FAILED :(");
      hk_hw_finish: "SILVER"

homekit_base:
  meta:
    name: "PRIMO"
    manufacturer: "AMICI&CO"
    model: "IMPERIUM"
    serial_number: "16161616"
    fw_rev: "0.16.2"
  setup_code: '159-35-728'
  setup_id: "ES32"

button:
- platform: homekit_base
  factory_reset:
    name: "Reset HomeKit pairings"

spi:
  clk_pin: 38
  miso_pin: 39
  mosi_pin: 40

pn532_spi:
  id: nfc_spi_module
  cs_pin: 41
  update_interval: 100ms

logger:
  level: DEBUG
  hardware_uart: USB_SERIAL_JTAG

api:
  encryption:
    key: "**********"

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    id: ota_esphome
    password: "*****************"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password
  ap:
    ssid: "Box-S3 Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "*******"

[rednblkx]

Could be a glitch, probably things got confused for a moment, there is currently a bug where it’s not able to connect in some conditions but I cannot reproduce the issue you are seeing but I might have a lead.

I’ll update this issue if anything comes up.

[joschi36]

I seem to have the same problem. Also the device only appears sporadically.

My config:

esphome:
  name: REDACTED
  friendly_name: REDACTED
  platformio_options:
    board_build.flash_mode: dio

esp32:
  board: esp32-c6-devkitc-1
  framework:
    type: esp-idf
    #version: '5.5.0'
    #platform_version: '55.03.30-2'
    sdkconfig_options:
      CONFIG_COMPILER_OPTIMIZATION_SIZE: y
      CONFIG_LWIP_MAX_SOCKETS: "16"
      CONFIG_MBEDTLS_HKDF_C: y

external_components:
  source: github://rednblkx/HAP-ESPHome@main

# Enable logging
logger:
  level: DEBUG

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "REDACTED"

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: "REDACTED"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi2_ssid
  password: !secret wifi2_password

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "REDACTED Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "REDACTED"

captive_portal:
    
spi:
  mosi_pin: GPIO18 #D10
  miso_pin: GPIO20 #D9
  clk_pin: GPIO19 #D8

pn532_spi:
  id: nfc_spi_module
  cs_pin: GPIO17 #D7
  update_interval: 100ms

button:
- platform: homekit_base
  factory_reset:
    name: "Reset HomeKit pairings"

homekit_base:
  setup_code: '159-35-728'

lock:
  - platform: template
    id: "this_lock"
    name: "Main Lock"
    optimistic: True
    on_lock:
    - logger.log: "Door Locked!"
    on_unlock:
    - logger.log: "Door Unlocked!"

homekit:
  lock:
    - id: this_lock
      nfc_id: nfc_spi_module
      on_hk_success:
        lambda: |-
          ESP_LOGI("HEREHERE", "IssuerID: %s", x.c_str());
          ESP_LOGI("HEREHERE", "EndpointID: %s", y.c_str());
          if (id(this_lock).state == LOCK_STATE_LOCKED) {
              id(this_lock).unlock();
          } else {
              id(this_lock).lock();
          }
      on_hk_fail:
        lambda: |-
          ESP_LOGI("GSDGSGS", "IT FAILED :(");
      hk_hw_finish: "SILVER"

Also, I tried playing with the homekit_base settings, but with no success.

[eigenphase]

I also have the same issue now. Did you guys have any progress?

[eigenphase]

I have an even harder issue: In 8/10 cases, I do not even find the accessory. When "ESP Bridge" (where is this name defined?) shows finally up and I connect, I get exactly your error message. Afterwards, I can't find the device again.

Similarly, this is my debug messages:

[16:47:27][D][LockEntity:074][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Found allocated controller - Hash: 
[16:47:27][D][LockEntity:086][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Adding new issuer - ID: 
[16:47:27][I][LockEntity:097][httpd]: hap_event_handler > NVS SET STATUS: ESP_OK
[16:47:27][I][LockEntity:098][httpd]: hap_event_handler > NVS COMMIT STATUS: ESP_OK

[nickwilkie]

I didn’t have any progress @segdy, tried playing around with new network configurations and whatnot but no joy. HomeKit is unfortunately pretty opaque for debugging, so it’s really hard to know what’s going on. I really wish I could see debug logs for the device trying to initiate the pair.

[eigenphase]

But you were able to find it at least?
It's driving me nuts

It showed up two times, randomly, without having done anything specific (and then I got same error as above). But now it doesn't even find it any more. I tried everything I could think of:

1. Two separate phones
2. Added home hub
3. Phone with and without internet access
4. ESP with and without internet access
5. Same L2 network
6. Various yaml changes
7. Everytime a complete new re-flash
8. 15W wall charger
9. Removing lock and just using a simple "Test Sensor"
10. Rebooted phones

[heilerich]

I had the exact same issue with these log lines

[17:40:30][D][LockEntity:074][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Found allocated controller - Hash: 
[17:40:30][D][LockEntity:086][httpd]: hap_event_handler > Adding new issuer - ID: 
[17:40:30][I][LockEntity:097][httpd]: hap_event_handler > NVS SET STATUS: ESP_OK
[17:40:30][I][LockEntity:098][httpd]: hap_event_handler > NVS COMMIT STATUS: ESP_OK

Afterwards the ESP seems so to operate under the assumption that it is paired, but the iPhone thinks pairing failed. When I reset the pairing on the ESP I can restart the process, but with the same result.

Reading this #49 (comment) I downgraded to

type: esp-idf
version: 5.3.1
platform_version: 6.8.1

And now it is working as expected 🥳

Before I was on the versions recommended in the readme

version: 5.5.0
platform_version: 55.03.30-2

Something must have changed in between those versions that breaks the pairing. I was using an iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 26, an ESP32-C6 from Seeed Studio and a PN532 that I think is an original.

I am happy because it works for me now, but I would also gladly provide more information if it helps resolve this issue. Great project!

[rednblkx]

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback, I forgot to update the README, specifying version and platform_version is not required, using the default recommended version from ESPHome is enough, please if possible remove those two fields, do a clean build and let me know if that still works as well.

[eigenphase]

Hi @rednblkx i know you're currently not actively working on this but is there hope to get this working at any point? Meaning, is this considered done/abandoned for now or may there be releases that could fix things?

It still doesn't show up for me in 99% of the cases (and if it does, getting the discussed error messages):

Is there any minimum defined test I could try to debug the HA proxy issues?

[rednblkx]

Yeah, currently I can’t work on this, there is a lot to be done and I don’t have time for it, I’m focusing on finalizing the next update for HomeKey-ESP32 and also got some other projects that I want to check out, but I plan to come back to this sometime soon.
Since nothing that was discussed here works then it could be something specific to your network that the firmware is in conflict with. I haven’t yet tried using the HASS addon or the ESPHome Device Builder, i usually use the CLI version installed through pip, i know there is some weirdness with those addons so i will check that out to see what is going on.

ESPHome is really cool stuff but developing components for it is quite a learning curve and it’s fluid nature is quite a pita at times but I’m not stopping here, I’ll come back and I’ll make this work.

Is there any minimum defined test I could try to debug the HA proxy issues?

Could you remind me what are the “HA proxy issues” ? Is it related to #50 ?

[eigenphase]

[...] but I plan to come back to this sometime soon. [...]

Yay thanks!! :-) Happy to hear it's not abandoned!

Is there any minimum defined test I could try to debug the HA proxy issues?
Could you remind me what are the “HA proxy issues” ? Is it related to #50 ?

No, I am just talking about the issues in general of not being able to find/add the bridge to Home app (e.g., #45 (comment))

Since nothing that was discussed here works then it could be something specific to your network that the firmware is in conflict with.

I am really trying hard to find ideas what else to try. I am connecting already to the same Wifi (i.e., no mDNS proxies/forwarders). I tried 2 different iPhones. I tried to make sure both devices have internet access. I do have a home hub which is usually not available (because my AppleTV is always turned off) but having it on does not seem to increase the success rate either.

My question is if you have any idea how I could debug futher. For example, I am already using the "Discovery" app and confirm that I find the mDNS entries. So no mDNS issue. Are there any packets that I could try to sniff? Any logs/debugs I could enable? Any conditions I should make sure are satisfied? (for example, does home hub have to be up if used, or does either device have to have internet access to reach some Apple servers?)

Unfortunately I do not have a spare Wifi router, otherwise I could spin up an entirely separate Wifi network between ESP and iPhone... Maybe I try to add an isolated virtual SSID with only ESP and iPhone w/ static IP. But then, just to double check, connection to internet and home hub would not be required?

[rednblkx]

Ok, the problem is that discovery is done using mDNS and that is almost impossible to debug if no actual error arises, however, you can try rising the log level to verbose(don’t know from the top of my head now) and see what you get.

If you say the “_hap._tcp” contains the device entry then it might be that HomeKit is ignoring the device, I only know it does that to previously paired devices but this is usually fixed by reconnecting to WiFi so it clears the cache and it queries again for services or just a “HomeKit factory reset” on the esp, but I haven’t seen this happen with new setups so I really have no idea atm.

[rednblkx]

I’m sorry I can’t really help more right now, I’ll take a deeper look once I come back to work on the project, in the meantime, let me know if you come across anything that might help solve this.