Last year I developed Smart Buttons an app to control smart home and other systems via IFTTT. The free app enables you to setup buttons like “Turn on Kitchen” or “Send a Tweet” which you can then tap on the desktop or in Windows Mixed Reality.

Today I have updated the app so that it works on the HoloLens so HoloLens users can pin the switches to the wall and control their smart home without having to use any third party apps. The app also now works with Surface Hub, Windows 10 PCs, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens. It is simple to set up and as it uses IFTTT it can control just about any service.

The app is free from the Microsoft Store.

To get started:

  1. The first step is to go to IFTTT and get a maker key https://maker.ifttt.com
  2. Next download the Smart Button app for free from the Microsoft Store.
  3. Enter your IFTTT key into the Smart Button app by click on the settings button and then click Save.
  4. Now create your applets in IFTTT.
  5. For the IF part of your new applet search for Webhook and select the “Receive a web request” event.
  6. The event name needs to match the name of the smart button e.g. WallButton1
  7. In the THAT section search for and select the service you want to trigger. It could be Philips Hue, Twitter or any service IFTTT supports.
  8. Once you click Create Action the button will be live.
  9. Click on the button in the Smart Button app and the event will be triggered

More details in our forum.

Here is the app in action in Windows Mixed Reality

2 thoughts on “Smart Buttons, my IFTTT app for Windows 10 updated to support HoloLens”
  1. COuld be handy, but would be even handier if it also received IFTTT webhook commands so that it could light up buttons or act as a display of some kind?

  2. It works and it was easy enough to set up. I have a feature request. I want to have a way to programmatically toggle a smart plug based on laptop battery level. Then I would be able to set a policy for charging (start at 40% stop charging at 85%) to lengthen the battery life.

    I’d also like to be able to automate other things based on PC events.

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