Setup Matter Over Thread In Home Assistant

<p><strong>Title:</strong> Setup Matter Over Thread In Home Assistant<br><strong>Channel:</strong> MrTimTech</p><p>Hi, and thanks for watching the MrTimTech YouTube channel. In this video, I'm going to teach you how to set up Matter over Thread in Home Assistant. And to be specific, we'll be using this, which is the SMLIGHT <strong>SLZB-MR3</strong>, as the Matter over Thread coordinator.</p><p>I'll also be using an Android tablet to adopt the devices and to install the Home Assistant Companion app. And the device I'll be adopting into Home Assistant, which has both the Matter and Thread logos on the box, is the Eve Energy smart plug. It's the British version, but of course you can use any version—just make sure it has both the Matter and Thread logos on the box.</p><p>If you're having trouble setting up, or you want to know how to set up a Matter over Thread network in Home Assistant, then keep watching and I'll show you how. One thing to mention: the device we'll be adopting into the Matter over Thread network is the Eve Energy smart plug, and it has been factory reset. So it hasn't been adopted into any other platform prior to this. However, if you're adopting devices that have already been adopted into Apple Home or Google Home, I'll put a link in the video description where you can follow instructions for that.</p><p>Follow my instructions up until we get to the point where we're scanning the QR codes. Then, before you scan the QR code, refer to the link in the video description. That will tell you how to adopt a device that's already been added to Apple HomeKit or Google Home. So, let's get started.</p><p>Here we are in Home Assistant. Just to confirm the versions I'm using: Core is 2026.2.3, Supervisor is 2026.02.2, and the operating system is 17.1. These are the latest versions at the time of recording. Also, the <strong>SLZB-MR3</strong> I'm using as the Matter over Thread coordinator is using SLBOS version 3.2.4, which again is the latest at the time of recording.</p><p>First, go into Home Assistant and create a backup. Go to <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>System</strong> → <strong>Backups</strong> → <strong>Show all backups</strong>, then click <strong>Backup now</strong> to create a backup before we start. This ensures that if anything goes wrong, we can restore the backup. I've already created a backup, so I'll go back to the overview page.</p><p>Now we're going to the other tab for the <strong>SLZB-MR3</strong>, and we're going to enable Matter over Thread. To do this, go to the <strong>Mode</strong> option on the left-hand side. Just to confirm, this <strong>SLZB-MR3</strong> has two chipsets: the CC2674 is running the Zigbee coordinator, and the EFR32 is going to be running Matter over Thread.</p><p>To enable Matter over Thread, click the slider for <strong>Matter over Thread</strong>, then select the option for <strong>Got it</strong>, and it will reflash with Matter over Thread. Click <strong>Next</strong>, then change mode to Matter over Thread and click <strong>OK</strong>. Then we wait for it to flash the Matter over Thread firmware onto the MG24 chip.</p><p>You should be able to use the CC2674 chip for this, or the MG24. However, if you're using one of the SLZB devices that only has one chip, then if you enable Matter over Thread you will disable Zigbee coordinator mode. If you're using it for Zigbee, that will break your Zigbee network. Once the update is done, click <strong>Close</strong>. You can now see the Matter over Thread option enabled.</p><p>Next, scroll down to the bottom of the page to <strong>Connection mode</strong>. Make sure you've already plugged in the MR3 (or whichever coordinator you're using). It needs to be plugged into both <strong>Ethernet</strong> and <strong>USB</strong>. Connect the USB-A to USB-C cable: the USB-C end into the coordinator and the USB-A end into your Home Assistant server (the machine running Home Assistant, whether that's a NAS with a USB port or similar). Make sure both Ethernet and USB are connected at the same time—this creates a more stable connection.</p><p>In connection mode, enable the <strong>USB</strong> option, but also keep network access. Tick the box for <strong>Keep Wi-Fi/Ethernet/Network/Web server in USB mode</strong>. For <strong>Select the radio in USB connection mode</strong>, leave it as <strong>EFR32 MG24 hardware connection</strong> (or select the CC option if you're using that). Click <strong>Save</strong>, and it will ask you to restart the MR3—click <strong>Restart now</strong>. After it restarts, you should see Internet and USB with a green icon at the top.</p><p>Now go back to Home Assistant: <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Devices &amp; services</strong> → <strong>Add integration</strong>. Search for <strong>Matter</strong> and select it. For connection method, ensure <strong>Use the official Matter Server Supervisor add-on</strong> is checked. Select <strong>Submit</strong> and wait for the add-on to be installed and started. After a few minutes you should see success—click <strong>Finish</strong>.</p><p>Next, install the Home Assistant Companion app on an Android tablet or Android phone. In this case I'm using a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Open the Google Play Store, search for <strong>Home Assistant</strong>, and install the Home Assistant Companion app. Once installed, open it and log in with your normal Home Assistant username and password.</p><p>You also need to enable permissions. On the tablet, go to <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Apps</strong> → <strong>Home Assistant</strong> → <strong>Permissions</strong>, and allow <strong>Camera</strong>, <strong>Location</strong>, and <strong>Nearby devices</strong>.</p><p>Now back in Home Assistant, add the Thread integration: <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Devices &amp; services</strong> → <strong>Add integration</strong> and search for <strong>Thread</strong>. Select <strong>Thread</strong> (not OpenThread Border Router). It should say success—click <strong>Finish</strong>. Under configured devices you should now see Matter and Thread.</p><p>Next go to <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Apps</strong> (this used to be called Add-ons). Click <strong>Install app</strong> and search for <strong>OpenThread Border Router</strong> (the one with the OT logo). Install it. Enable <strong>Start on boot</strong> and enable <strong>Watchdog</strong>. Then go to the <strong>Configuration</strong> tab. Under <strong>Device</strong>, select the port where your <strong>SLZB-MR3</strong> appears (yours may be a different port number). Select the device you're using, whether it's an MR3, an MR1, MR2, or for example an <strong>SLZB-06p7</strong> in Matter over Thread mode.</p><p>Set the baud rate to <strong>460800</strong>. Make sure <strong>Hardware flow control</strong> is off. Click <strong>Save</strong>. Then go to the <strong>Info</strong> page and confirm OpenThread has the green icon.</p><p>Now go back to the tablet, open the Home Assistant Companion app, go to <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Companion App</strong> and scroll to the help section. Select <strong>Troubleshooting</strong>, then select <strong>Sync Thread credentials</strong>. Wait a few moments for it to sync. You should get a message confirming sync with a green tick—click <strong>OK</strong>.</p><p>Now go back to Home Assistant (not the companion app): <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>System</strong>, then click the power button at the top right and restart Home Assistant. Confirm restart. Wait for Home Assistant to reload.</p><p>After restart, go to <strong>Settings</strong> → <strong>Thread</strong>. You should now see a preferred network like <strong>HA Thread</strong> with the Home Assistant logo, and <strong>Home Assistant Open Thread Border Router</strong> as the preferred network. If you see that, it means it's added correctly.</p><p>Now we've configured Matter over Thread and the OpenThread Border Router in Home Assistant, and we've installed and configured the Home Assistant Companion app on the Android tablet. Now we can add our device—here it's the Eve Energy Matter over Thread smart plug.</p><p>On the Android tablet, open Home Assistant. Go to <strong>Settings</strong>, scroll down and select <strong>Matter</strong>. You should see Matter status <strong>Online</strong> with a green tick. Now select <strong>Add device</strong>. It will ask if the device is already added to another Matter controller. Since it's factory reset and new, select <strong>No, it's new</strong>. Then scan the QR code from the label. Once scanned, it will say get ready for setup.</p><p>Power on the smart plug. Make sure <strong>Bluetooth</strong> and <strong>Location</strong> are both enabled. Click <strong>I am ready</strong>. It should connect and add the device into Home Assistant directly, without having to use Google Home or Apple Home.</p><p>Now you'll see it generating Matter credentials, checking connectivity for the Thread network, and connecting the device to Home Assistant. And now we've got device connected—click <strong>Done</strong>. It takes us straight into the device screen with all the information for the Eve Energy smart plug. We can add it to the dashboard, share the device, and set up automations just as you would with any other device in Home Assistant.</p><p>If we select Matter, you'll see a list of devices added into Home Assistant for Matter over Thread. Select the device and you'll get the controls—you can turn the plug on and off.</p><p>That's how easy it is to set up a Matter over Thread network and add a Matter over Thread device directly into Home Assistant without having to go through Google Home or Apple Home. That will do it for this video. Hope you found this video useful. Take care, and I'll be back soon with more.</p>