What is Matter?
Matter is a single standard for smart home devices — in effect, a common language every brand speaks. Before Matter each brand needed its own app and its own hub: the bulb in one app, the plug in another, the camera in a third.
Matter changes that: a certified device works equally well with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings.
What Matter gives you
- No brand lock-in — a Tapo bulb and another maker’s sensor can take part in the same automation.
- Multi-Admin — every family member controls the same device from their preferred app: one on iPhone, another on Android.
- Local operation — commands travel over your home network, so lights and plugs keep working when the internet drops.
- Faster response — the signal does not go through the cloud, so latency is minimal.
- Simple onboarding — a QR code or numeric code, in seconds.
- Security — encryption and device attestation are built into the standard itself.
How Matter works
Matter runs over Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Thread using IPv6:
- Wi-Fi / Ethernet — for devices without tight power limits: plugs, cameras, robot vacuums.
- Thread — a separate ultra-low-power mesh network for small battery sensors. Thread devices need a border router to join the wider network.
- Controller / border router role — in the TP-Link range this can be handled by a Tapo hub or a Deco mesh system.
Matter support at TP-Link
| Line | Example devices | Role in Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Tapo | Smart plugs, bulbs, switches, hubs | Matter device |
| Kasa | Plugs and lighting | Matter device |
| Deco | Mesh Wi-Fi systems | Matter controller / border router |
Matter support for a specific model is shown on the box and on the product page — we can help you choose.
Where to start
- First step — a single smart plug or smart bulb: an inexpensive start with an immediate result.
- For sensors — a Tapo hub: door, motion and temperature sensors run for a long time on a battery.
- For the whole home — Deco mesh: Wi-Fi coverage and a smart home hub in one.
- The full range: Smart Home (Tapo).
Frequently asked questions
Will my older Tapo devices move to Matter?
Not all of them. Some models gain Matter support with a firmware update, others ship certified from the start. We can check a specific model for you.
Do I still need the Tapo app if I have Matter?
Not for control, but the Tapo app adds extras: automations, camera archive and energy statistics.
What happens when the internet goes down?
Local commands keep working — switches, sensors and plugs operate on the home network. Only remote control stops.
Are Matter and Thread the same thing?
No. Matter is the language devices speak; Thread is one of the channels that language travels over.