HomeKit cameras and doorbells offer essential smart security features like timely notifications, event recording, motion detection, and two-way audio. However, facial recognition can make them even smarter. With HomeKit Secure Video Face Recognition, you can receive notifications that include a person's name and filter out unnecessary alerts without uploading photos to the cloud. Here's what you need to know about HomeKit Secure Video Face Recognition.

HomeKit Secure Video Face Recognition analyzes the feed from your smart camera or doorbell to identify who is in its field of view. Instead of relying on cloud-based facial recognition software, Apple utilizes your existing photo library across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. No manual uploading or naming through third-party apps is required. Once enabled, HomeKit Face Recognition automatically works, and any changes you make to your People album on iPhone or Mac are applied automatically.

Having a HomeKit camera or doorbell with facial recognition offers several benefits. Notifications for your smart accessories include a person's name in addition to the activity message, even on your Apple TV. For doorbells, Apple's virtual assistant, Siri, announces the name of famous people after the first notification tone. Face Recognition also allows you to filter out unwanted camera and doorbell alerts. You can turn off HomeKit camera notifications for specific people, perfect for when your kids are playing in the yard.

To use facial recognition, you need a compatible HomeKit camera or doorbell that supports Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service. You also need a subscription to iCloud+ and an Apple Home Hub, such as an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod. Ensure that all your devices, including iOS devices, Mac, and Apple Home Hub, are up to date.

Enabling Face Recognition is simple. Open the Home app, tap the More button in the top right corner, go to Home settings, then tap on Cameras and doorbells. Enable Face Recognition by tapping the Face Recognition switch. Facial recognition pulls from your photo library and adds names automatically. However, you can manually add a name to an unrecognized person by going to the Face Recognition settings in the Home app, tapping on the person's thumbnail, and selecting Add name.

If you want to remove a person from the facial recognition log, launch the Home app, go to Home settings, then tap on Cameras and Doorbells. Tap on Face Recognition and select the unrecognized person. Finally, tap Remove Face to remove them.

To turn off notifications for a specific person, open the Home app, go to Home settings, then tap on Cameras & Doorbells and Face Recognition. Find the person and activate the Hide notifications switch.

With HomeKit Secure Video Face Recognition, you can always know who's at the door and monitor your home's activity on your Apple TV using HomeKit cameras and doorbells.