Can the Lyric Built-in Camera's Disarm Pictures Be Used With HomeKit?

No, the Lyric built-in camera's disarm pictures cannot be used with HomeKit. The front panel camera on the Lyric is for use with Total Connect 2.0 only. Neither the Lyric nor TC2 can send photos or videos directly to HomeKit. But you can use the Lyric as a trigger for a HomeKit Camera.

Apple HomeKit is a smart interactive automation platform that is used with various smart home automation devices. It is available to most Apple iOS users. Many people with devices such as iPhones and iPads will set up HomeKit automation networks to have devices respond automatically based on a schedule and/or with predetermined events. The Honeywell Lyric is one of the few systems that is compatible with the HomeKit platform. This means that you can include the Lyric with HomeKit automations and have events on the Lyric serve as triggers for activating other HomeKit devices.

But it is important to understand that the compatibility between the Lyric and HomeKit is somewhat limited. The Lyric is designed to be used with Total Connect 2.0 for virtually all security purposes. The Lyric-HomeKit compatibility is mostly just a nice bonus feature for expanded automation functionality. Furthermore, the compatibility between HomeKit and Total Connect 2.0 is non-existent. Total Connect 2.0 and AlarmNet360 cannot speak directly with Apple HomeKit. You may be able to set up an indirect integration using a third-party platform like IFTTT, but even then the functionality will be very limited.

The front camera on the Lyric Panel is designed to take disarm photos that can be sent to Total Connect 2.0. The purpose of these photos is to verify that system disarms at the panel are performed by authorized individuals. Total Connect 2.0 cannot send these photos or share them with other platforms. They are only available through the Total Connect 2.0 website or mobile app. HomeKit cannot view these photos. Remember, the integration between the Lyric and HomeKit is mostly designed for automation purposes only. The Lyric disarm photos are considered to be a security function, so it makes perfect sense that they cannot be accessed or seen through Apple HomeKit. Lyric System users should use Total Connect 2.0 as the system's interactive security platform, not Apple HomeKit.

However, it is still possible to create a setup so that you get a "disarm photo" through HomeKit when the Lyric System is disarmed. To do this, you should instead look into purchasing a HomeKit-compatible security camera. You could then integrate this camera with your HomeKit network, alongside the Honeywell Lyric Security Panel. Then all you would need to do is create a HomeKit automation that tells the camera to activate when the Lyric System is disarmed. If you position the camera appropriately, it would basically be the equivalent to getting a Lyric disarm photo through Apple HomeKit. Alarm Grid does not sell any HomeKit-compatible cameras, so you would need to look elsewhere to find a camera. We recommend reaching out to Apple if you are interested in finding cameras designed to integrate with your HomeKit network.