Big Ass Fans Are Now Matter-Compatible Thanks to a New Firmware Update

Matter finally has its first ceiling fans with the release of a new update for Big Ass Fans. Owners of select Big Ass Fans can upgrade their current fans to Matter now by downloading version 3.3.0 of the Big Ass Fans app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play and applying firmware version 3.3.1.

Which Big Ass Fans Support Matter?

According to the Big Ass Fans Matter FAQ, the company's current generation of residential ceiling fans are all now Matter-compatible.

Supported models include:

• i6
• es6
• Haiku
• Haiku L
• Haiku Coastal
• Turbo6
• Speakeasy

Unfortunately, industrial/commercial fans and other device types are not supported at this time. However, the company also states that all future residential fan releases will support Matter.

What Fan Controls Are Available Through Matter?

While we were expecting simple on and off controls, it appears that Big Ass Fans has gone beyond that with their Matter release. Through Matter, users can expect to see fan speed controls, dimming and color functionality for integrated lights, and access to temperature and humidity sensors.

Here's the complete list of Matter features:

• Control your fan and light using voice assistants.
• Control your fan’s speed.
• Control your light’s brightness and color temperature (if applicable).
• Access your fan’s motion, temperature, or humidity sensor (if applicable).
• Set up advanced scenes, routines, or automation using your preferred platform.

Will I Lose Anything By Upgrading to Matter?

Of course, there are some limitations to the current matter release. The biggest is that the state of the fan may get out of sync with Matter if controller through the Big Ass Fans app or via a remote.

What is currently missing:

• Fan and Light Auto – enabling AUTO using the Big Ass Fans app or Bluetooth Remote will cause your fan to automate its behavior outside of Matter. While the fan speed and light brightness are available in Matter, the state of fan/light AUTO is not.
• Grouping – Any groups that are set up in the Big Ass Fans app will continue to work outside of Matter. For grouping, we suggest either to use Matter, or Big Ass Fans, but not both.
• Scheduling – Same as grouping, any schedules set up in the Big Ass Fans app will continue to work outside of Matter. For scheduling, we suggest either to use Matter, or Big Ass Fans, but not both.

The good news is that this functionality will still be available through the Big Ass Fans app. And, you can always use automation through your preferred Matter platforms to build your own groups and schedules.

Big Ass Fans Now Matter

Thanks to this new release, Matter fans can finally keep their cool with Big Ass Fans. Not only do Matter users gain access to convenient app and voice controls through platforms like Apple Home, Alexa, SmartThings, and Google, but they can also use their fan alongside other devices through automation.

Paired with devices like Matter-compatible temperature sensors, a Big Ass Fan can now automatically turn on when it gets too warm. Or, when an air purifier senses a change in air quality, a fan can now be used to help circulate the air.