# Zapier Smart Home MCP

> Zapier Smart Home connects your entire house to natural language commands. Use this MCP to control lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors, and manage cameras across 5000+ connected devices using simple English instructions.

## Overview
- **Category:** friends-mcp
- **Price:** Free
- **Tags:** smart-home, home-automation, natural-language-control, device-management, automation-triggers, voice-control

## Description

Tired of opening a dozen different apps just to turn down the heat or dim the living room lights? This MCP lets your agent talk to every device in your house. You send plain English commands—like, "It's getting dark; set the kitchen lights to 60% and lock the back door." The system handles translating that single request into dozens of specific actions across brands like Philips Hue, Nest, and Ring.

It’s not just about sending a simple command. You can ask your agent to search for available functions—for instance, asking what kind of camera controls are possible—or even preview complex routines before they run. The power comes from the fact that you can build automations that cross multiple platforms. Because this MCP runs on Vinkius, you never worry about where your credentials sit; they pass through a zero-trust proxy for every call, meaning your keys never live on a disk. This lets your agent reliably coordinate everything—from climate adjustments to security checks—all from one spot.

## Tools

### list_climate_actions
Lists every available action related to controlling temperature and climate.

### get_zapier_config_link
Provides the link needed to expose new actions for your agent to control.

### execute_zapier_action
Runs a specific smart home action by ID using natural language instructions.

### list_lighting_actions
Shows all available functions for controlling lights, including dimming and color changes.

### list_ai_zaps
Shows all existing automation routines (zaps) that are enabled by AI in your Zapier account.

### list_exposed_actions
Retrieves a complete list of all smart home actions that are currently visible to the agent.

### send_natural_language_command
Processes any common house command and routes it to the correct device action automatically.

### preview_zapier_zap
Allows you to see how an automation workflow will run based on a natural language description.

### search_zapier_actions
Finds matching smart home actions across 5000+ apps using specific search terms.

### list_security_actions
Lists every function related to alarms, cameras, and physical locks.

### list_smarthome_actions
Returns up to 50 matching actions across thousands of apps for home automation control.

### trigger_ai_zap
Runs a specific, pre-defined AI automation routine (zap) immediately.

## Prompt Examples

**Prompt:** 
```
What smart home actions do I have exposed?
```

**Response:** 
```
I found 4 exposed smart home actions in your Zapier account: 1) Turn on kitchen light (Philips Hue), 2) Set thermostat to 72°F (Nest), 3) Lock front door (August), 4) Turn off all lights (SmartThings). Would you like to execute any of these?
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Search for actions to control my living room lights.
```

**Response:** 
```
I found 3 lighting actions: 1) Philips Hue - Turn on Living Room Light, 2) Philips Hue - Dim Living Room Light, 3) LIFX - Set Living Room Lamp Color. You can execute any of these using their operation ID with the execute_zapier_action tool.
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Turn off all the lights in the house.
```

**Response:** 
```
Executing command: "turn off all the lights in the house"... Found matching action: SmartThings - Turn Off All Lights. Executing... Done! All lights have been turned off successfully.
```

## Capabilities

### Send Natural Language Commands
Your agent translates any plain English command into the necessary smart home actions.

### List Available Actions
You can retrieve a list of all smart home functions that are currently exposed for control.

### Manage Lighting Control
The agent finds and executes actions to turn lights on or off, dim them, or change their color.

### Adjust Climate Settings
You can discover and execute commands for thermostats and other climate devices.

### Execute Security Routines
The agent runs specific actions related to alarms, cameras, and locking/unlocking doors.

### Review Automation Workflows
You can list, preview, and trigger complex, multi-step automation routines (zaps).

## Use Cases

### The Late-Night Exit
A homeowner is tired of checking 10 different switches when leaving for work. They tell their agent, "I'm leaving now." The MCP automatically runs the 'Goodnight routine,' which uses `list_security_actions` to lock all doors and calls `execute_zapier_action` on every light to turn them off.

### The Temperature Problem
It's too cold in the living room, but they aren't sure which device controls the zone. They ask their agent to search for actions using `search_zapier_actions` and get a list of climate options, finding exactly what they needed via `list_climate_actions`.

### The Initial Setup
A property manager is setting up a new unit. They need to know the full scope of possibilities across all brands. Using `list_exposed_actions` gives them one master list, preventing them from having to check 10 separate vendor manuals.

### The Custom Routine
Instead of manually setting up a complex 'Movie Night' routine, the agent drafts the steps and uses `preview_zapier_zap` first. Once confirmed, they trigger it with `trigger_ai_zap`, ensuring perfect timing for lights and ambiance.

## Benefits

- Single-Point Control: Instead of using separate apps for lights, locks, and heat, one command handles everything. This means less jumping between interfaces and more time actually living in the home.
- Action Discovery: If you don't know what a device can do, use `list_smarthome_actions` to search across thousands of integrations until you find the function you need.
- Complex Routine Management: You aren't limited to simple on/off switches. By listing and running AI-enabled zaps (`list_ai_zaps`), you build multi-step routines like 'Good Morning,' which adjusts heat, turns on specific lights, and starts the coffee maker.
- Safety First: Because this MCP executes inside its own V8 isolate sandbox with 34+ security rules enforced by Vinkius, running commands is safe. Your agent can't accidentally mess up system settings or access unauthorized data.
- Proactive Automation: Use `preview_zapier_zap` to check if an automation will work before you trigger it for real. This stops the frustrating 'it didn't do anything' moment.

## How It Works

The bottom line is that you talk to your house like a person talks to a person, and it acts accordingly.

1. First, you connect your Zapier NLA API key to the MCP. This tells the system what devices and functions it can control.
2. Next, you simply give your agent a command in natural language—say, "Goodnight routine." The platform interprets this request against all available device capabilities.
3. Finally, the agent executes the necessary sequence of commands across the supported smart home brands to fulfill your single request.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What smart home devices and apps are supported through Zapier NLA?**
Zapier NLA provides access to 5000+ app integrations including Philips Hue, LIFX, Nanoleaf (lighting), Nest, Ecobee, Honeywell (climate), Ring, Arlo, SimpliSafe (security), SmartThings, Home Assistant, IFTTT, and many more. Use `search_zapier_actions` to discover specific actions for your devices.

**How do I get a Zapier NLA API key?**
Visit https://nla.zapier.com/ and sign in with your Zapier account. Navigate to the NLA API settings page and generate a new API key (starts with `sk-nla-`). You'll need a Zapier account with exposed actions configured for the smart home apps you want to control.

**What is the difference between exposed actions and AI zaps?**
**Exposed actions** are individual smart home actions you've configured and made available for AI execution (e.g., "turn on kitchen light"). **AI zaps** are multi-step automation workflows that can be triggered with natural language instructions. Exposed actions are for direct device control, while AI zaps are for complex workflows involving multiple steps and apps.

**Can I control devices with natural language commands?**
Yes! Use the `send_natural_language_command` tool to send any smart home command in plain English. For example: "turn off all the lights", "set the thermostat to 72 degrees", or "lock the front door". The API will search for matching actions and execute the best match. You can also use `search_zapier_actions` to find specific action IDs for more precise control.

**How do I use `search_zapier_actions` to find out what device controls are available?**
It returns a list of matching actions that can be executed via the NLA API. You send natural language descriptions, and the tool searches across 5000+ apps to show you exactly which functions your AI client can call.

**What is the purpose of using `get_zapier_config_link` for my smart home setup?**
This link lets you expose new actions that aren't currently available to your AI client. You use it when you want to add more specific smart home functions or integrations beyond what's already connected.

**Can I use `preview_zapier_zap` before triggering a full automation routine?**
Yes, this tool lets you preview an entire automation workflow from natural language descriptions. You can check how the Zaps will run and what steps they take without actually executing them on your devices.

**When should I use `execute_zapier_action` instead of sending a general command?**
Use this tool when you know the specific action ID and need to execute it directly. It provides the primary method for controlling devices by running a known, exposed action through Zapier NLA.