PairVaultGuides
Can you pair a Matter device without the QR code?
Yes. Every Matter device also carries an eleven-digit pairing code you can type in. It works for almost all of them, with one exception worth knowing about.
2 min read
Yes. The Matter specification requires every device to carry an eleven-digit numeric pairing code alongside the QR code, precisely so you can pair without a camera. Type it in and it works.
Entering the code by hand
Start adding an accessory in your smart home app, whether that is Apple Home,
Google Home or Alexa, and choose “enter code manually” or “I can’t scan” rather
than the camera. Type the eleven digits, usually shown grouped as
XXXX-XXX-XXXX. The device has to be powered on and in pairing mode, so reset
it first if it has been used before.
What the QR carries that the number does not
The eleven-digit code is a trimmed-down version of what is in the QR. The QR holds a fuller device identifier, the vendor and product IDs, and a flag for which radios the accessory is listening on: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or Thread. The manual code leaves most of that out.
In practice you will not notice. Pairing over the typed code still works. It can just take a little longer while your app works out how to reach the device, and the accessory needs to be actively advertising rather than sitting idle. A fresh reset sorts that.
The one case where the QR matters
Some Matter devices use a custom commissioning flow. The QR sets a flag that tells your app to visit a manufacturer step first, such as a firmware download or an account link, before pairing continues. For those the eleven-digit code on its own is not enough, and the setup instructions will point you at the QR or the maker’s app. This is rare, and the packaging usually makes it clear.
If you have no code at all
You cannot commission a Matter device without its pairing code. It is a required secret, used to prove your app and the device are in the same place.
There are two ways back. If the device has never been set up, recover the code from the box, the manual or the maker. If it is already paired to another platform, open it there and turn on pairing mode, which mints a fresh temporary code you can type into your other app.