Secure Actions for Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts on iOS

If you are like many Alarm.com users with iOS, then you have likely built some Siri Shortcuts for Alarm.com to make your life easier. But did you know that Siri Shortcuts can be used for secure commands, including system disarming, unlocking Z-Wave locks, and performing complete scenes?

For anyone not familiar with Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts, these are customized spoken voice commands that you can use to control your Alarm.com Security System and its connected automation devices. You can set up a Siri Shortcut to perform a single security or automation command, or you can create a complete smart scene to control your system and multiple devices all at once. The important rule to keep in mind though is that each Siri Shortcut Voice Command must be created individually. You can even create a custom verbal command so that you trigger the shortcut exactly how you prefer.

Some users aren't sure if they can use Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts for secure commands, such as disarming the system or unlocking a door lock. The answer is that you can, but Alarm.com put some special provisions in-place to prevent this feature from being abused for malicious purposes. Namely, any secure command can only be set up if the user has some type of locking mechanism set up on their iOS device. This can be something like a passcode, touch ID, or some other approved security measures. The user will need to unlock their iOS device before they can use it. This is to prevent anyone from just opening up Siri voice commands and gaining easy access to the property by disarming the system and/or unlocking a door.

You may recall that we discussed the new capability of Siri Shortcuts support for door locks back in February when Alarm.com announced Version 4.18 of the Alarm.com Mobile App for iOS. If you missed that post, you can review it here. To put this feature into practice, make sure you are on version 4.18 or higher of the iOS app. Prior to that release, controlling a door lock was only possible by creating a rule or a smart scene that included the lock. Before version 4.18, other secure commands, including system disarming and scene control, had been possible provided the user had a security protection mechanism set up on their iOS device. Alarm.com may not have a HomeKit integration, but Siri Shortcut functionality is about as close as you can get. Go check out Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts if you haven't already!

What do you think about Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts? Have you gotten good use out of them in controlling your Alarm.com Security System? Is there any other feature or capability you would like to see integrated with the feature? What about a possible Apple HomeKit integration for Alarm.com? Would you use such a feature if it were available? Share your thoughts in a comment below, and let us know what you think. And remember to stay tuned to our blog for more security news coming soon. Just last week, a new Alarm.com Security System became available in the 2GIG Edge. That system is a great option if you want to try out Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts for yourself. Keep checking our blog for more news, and we look forward to a great week ahead!