What Is IFTTT?

Sometimes in a review, we say a product or service is IFTTT compatible. If that makes you think, “Okay, but what is IFTTT, anyway?” then this piece is for you.

IFTTT (pronounced Ift, not I-F-T-T-T like some of us inevitably say in our heads) stands for IF This, Then That. Sound familiar? That’s the basic recipe for cause and effect. IFTTT is a (mostly) free tech service that takes this principle and makes it more concrete.

To use IFTTT, you first download the app. Then you create mini programs called applets that create cause-and-effect chains.

If someone else previously created an applet that performs the action you want, you can use that applet instead of making a new one.

If you want to create more than three applets, you have to pay $9.99 a month. You can use other people's applets without paying, though.

For instance, you could potentially create applets that do any of the following:

• Turn off smart sprinklers if your weather app says it's raining
• Unlock the door, turn on the lights, and crank up the smart thermostat when you arrive home
• Play the Spider-Man theme song through your Sonos speaker whenever Tom Holland tweets something new

Almost anything works as the trigger for the IF part of the IFTTT applet. For example, the chain can be set off by any of the following:

• A specific time of day
• A specific time of weather
• An event on a social media platform
• Use of a smart product
• Geofencing when you go to a certain place

IF This, Then That is a mostly free service that helps you set up event chains. It doesn’t work with everything, but it’s incredibly convenient for making your smart home smarter.

We’re sure you still have questions, so here’s some extra info about IFTTT.

Download the IFTTT app, then create an account. (It’s free.) As we mentioned earlier, you’ll both have access to existing applets and be able to create your own.

When you make a custom applet, it can use one simple conditional statement, or it can be more complicated with multiple actions. It’s all up to you.

A lot of things are compatible with IFTTT. Notably, you can connect IFTTT with the following:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Reddit
• Dropbox
• Evernote
• Google Sheets
• Nest
• Abode
• Ring
• Samsung SmartThings
• Amazon Echo/Alexa
• Google Home/Google Assistant
• Sonos
• Fitbit 
• Raspberry Pi
• Philips Hue
• LIFX

It depends on the device. Some devices that use Z-Wave or Zigbee protocols will also work with IFTTT.

People often mention IFTTT in the context of the Internet of Things, or IoT. IoT refers to networks of smart devices like the ones IFTTT can control.

Thread is still a bit of a mystery to us! IFTTT is a lot more accessible than Thread, which doesn’t seem to have officially launched to the public.

There are precautions that should be taken when using any app. Especially ones that have the ability to control your applets like IFTTT. We recommend always setting up two-step verification to keep your information safe.