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Aqara to Issue Firmware Update to Fix 1.6.1 Problems [UPDATE]

For anyone that is still having issues with their hub, due to the problematic 1.6.1 update from a couple of weeks ago, Aqara have now told us that they can issue an OTA update to your hub on a customer-by-customer basis. To do this, you will need the following info, and email it to support@aqara.com;

  • Your Aqara Hub serial number, which can be found on the underside of the hub where the electrical pins are.
  • If you’re using the Apple Home app, you can find the serial number for the hub, by going into the settings for the hub light, or the hub alarm.
  • Your Mi Account ID. This can be found in the Mi Home app under Profiles, then click on the avatar or image for your profile and the Mi Account number can be seen under your name/profile.
  • If you’re using the Aqara app, then you just need to provide the email address you use for your Aqara account.

We’ve just been told by Aqara that they are planning to issue a firmware update to fix the issues that many people have been facing with their hubs and child devices after upgrading to 1.6.1 via the Aqara app for iOS, namely reduced ZigBee signal range and offline devices and slow response times.

It seems the 1.6.1 update that has caused these problems was only meant for beta testers but somehow managed to make its way to normal users, resulting in a series of problems, centred around the hub. The update that Aqara will be issuing, presumably via the Aqara app, will drop early next week, and will in actual fact be a downgrade to the previous stable build, which is 1.6.0.

some users online have been erroneously reporting that both 1.6.1 and 1.6.0 firmware updates were causing the aforementioned issues, but in actual fact, depending on the app you’re using or even viewing the firmware number on, this would in some cases appear as 1.6.0, when in actual fact, the problem-prone update has always been 1.6.1. This is backed up by the fact that 1.6.0 has been out for a while with no reported issues, up until the 1.6.1 update dropped.

As soon as we know more or have an exact date for the ‘downgrade’ we will update this page.

Eric Yao

Occasional HomeKit reviewer, HomeKit addict, and Apple fanatic.

44 thoughts on “Aqara to Issue Firmware Update to Fix 1.6.1 Problems [UPDATE]

  • Hello,

    Thanks for the article.
    About the « … and will in actual fact be a downgrade to the previous stable build, which is 1.6.1 »
    You probably made a small typo as reading the article the previous stable release was 1.6.0 and not 1.6.1 😉

    Rgds

    • Thanks, I literally saw that two minutes before you commented, so it’s already fixed. Thanks for pointing it out just in case though.

    • Right. Aqara will release a firmware update to downgrade the firmware to stable firmware.

  • Aqara app itself clearly shows firmware 1.6.0
    Most of my Aqara child devices are “out of range”, my smart home is broken.
    Why on earth it takes so long to take old firmware, change its build number and release it as an update?
    They sure take their sweet time!
    And please.. fix your own hardware / software errors, that cause it to report different firmware numbers, that is just sad.. if true.

    • We are told that despite this number, the firmware update that has broken things has all along been 1.6.1. This may have been a fault with their servers that attempted to discourage people from downloading the problematic update, or equally possibly, it’s due to the numbers for firmware updates not always matching due to this update being only for beta testers. Either way, 1.6.1 has always been the issue in this case.

      Aqara have to take responsibility for this and I do agree it’s a bit of a disaster for many people. I’ve been through a similar situation previously, so I totally sympathise.

    • The 1.6.1 firmware updates the ZigBee SDK to 3.0. So it costs problems connect to older Zigbee devices. Aqara is going to fix this with 1.6.2 firmware. (Basically it is a quick fix to downgrade your hub to v1.6.0.)

      • This is interesting!
        Good news – its Zigbee 3.0 !!
        Bad news: So all of my brand new and latest Aqara sensors and switches suddenly are “older devices”? Gloomy future?

        • At least it works.

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  • My both Aqara hubs downgraded to 1.6.0 but range issue is still present.

      • it’s not a downgrade, just the hub shows 1.6.0 firmware as the last available now, and yes range issue is still present

        • Ok, you said ‘Downgrade’ in your original comment, which is the reason I mentioned it in the first place. If you’re having issues, I can almost guarantee, regardless of what it says, the issue is the 1.6.1 update.

    • Oh. The aqara hub runs two different OS when you connect to different platform. v1.6.1 if you connect the hub to Aqara home app. V1.6.0 if you connect to MiHome app.

      • I’ve just obtained one of these. Upgraded firmware immediately to 1.6.2_003. Then added to HomeKit and Mi Home app and added several sensors to the hub. All good for around 3-4 hours and now all are showing (inc hub) as ‘No Response’. Bizarrely notifications are still working in HomeKit even though all icons are unresponsive. In the Mi app most sensors and the hub itself are showing as online. 2 door/window sensors are not. Are these hubs a waste of time? Should my firmware version be all good? Seems what is happening is similar to some of the stuff posted on here.

        • Don’t worry. It’s normal. Child devices don’t talk to the hub all the time. I could take up to 1 hours to be discovered.

          • That’s weird as I have the Mi hub too, and it’s continually shown all sensors and hub without dropping. Is this a HomeKit issue? This very thread seems to link to dodgy firmware causing dropouts in hub/child devices – surely that seems more logical?

          • It’s not thing wrong with it. Keep sending Activity package is waste a lot of power. Every child devices report status every hours.

        • I also got the same problem on some of my child devices. Especially the Aqara Wall Switch (No neutral). It took me more than 10 times to connect it and always disconnect itself. Totally unable to use.

          • Update to latest firmware will solve this issue.

          • Firmware update will not solve this.
            Do you have enough load connected to this switch? It gets power via connected bulbs or whatever else.

          • Already update to latest firmware. Now using 1.6.2_003. Same problem. Some Sensor is ok. But Aqara Wall Switch (No neutral) still difficult to connect and often disconnect itself.

          • That switch use the load wire as neutral wire. It passes through some electricity to the lamp that enough to power self up but not enough to power the lamp. Which lamp do you have and which country do you live?

          • I live in Malaysia. I am very sure the problem is with Aqara Hub. Because before that I am using Mi Hub, and totally don’t have any problem with it. The reason I change it because I need to use HomeKit. I already change it back to Mi Hub (without any problem with connections). Will try again if Aqara Hub have new firmware updates.

  • Aqara has a nice designed products with the worst software/firmware. I lost 2 aqara hub because the firmware 1.4.7 They never answered me about that. In any place I see something related to aqara I blame them. I will not buy anything else from this crap company.

    • Please do tell more! What happened with firmware 1.4.7 ?

      • There’s small chance that when users try to hold the reset button for 10s. And the hub reset the whole OS.

        • I did everything possible to restore to a normal state. After several mails and tweets they answered me telling that my hubs are damaged. They will not honor any kind of warranty and said that they are not responsible. I’m not the only one. After a web investigation I realize that a lot of users had the same problem.

  • Aqara support say fix will be released next monday…

    • 👌Thanks for the info.

    • don’t update as soon as they released. Take care!!!

    • And nothing happened …

  • Aqara update 1.5.1 released today ,but nothing changed for me. Same issue, most devices out of range. Aqara Hub firmware still 1.6.1.

  • Yes, no firmware-downgrade online. 🙁

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  • they downgraded me to 1.5.9 but all problems still there.

    aqara need to get their shit together, this is NOT acceptable!

  • Aqara turn useless 2 of my hubs because the 1.4.7 firmware. 2!!!!!!!! of them. I lost almost 80 dollars in a fancy product with several firmware problems. In this opportunity they did it again.
    We buy aqara products becuase are cheaper that turn to expensive for that reason.
    I hate aqara!!!!!

  • Yesterday, after a complaint message, the Aqara support contact to me.

    They sent me a mail to conduct the update for me to fix the firmware 1.6.0/1.6.1 problem.

    After that, they solve the problem. Now my two Aqara hubs working fine.

  • Aqara support also helped me to fix firmware 1,6,0/1.6.1 issues remotely. Now everything works as usual. 18 devices are connected again. All 3 app where Aqara devices are used namely Aqara Home,MiHome, Apple HomeKit work fine.

    • How long did you waited for reaction?

  • Dear Simon,

    Do you know if the problem with the Aqara temperature sensor has been solved in the Aqara hub update version 1.6.2_002
    When the sensor becomes below minus degrees celcius, than the homekit sensors (Aqarqa) are not responding anymore.
    All Aqara sensors and Aqara hub Homekit “Not Responding”. You need reset Aqara hub and re-install all sensors.
    Thanks for your help in advance,

    Regards Wijnand

    • Hi, I will ask some others if they know if this has been resolved. I can’t tell you myself, as it never gets close to zero at any point in the year.

      • Update the hub to 1.6.2. It solved temperature sensor won’t respond blew frozen temperature.

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