It’s officially spooky season, and that means Halloween is right around the corner. And if you’re hoping to have the most haunted house on the block, it’s worth looking at how today’s best smart home devices can help you achieve your goal. Whether you’re throwing a costume party, spending the night curled up with a scary movie, or expecting to have hundreds of trick-or-treaters lining up at your door, there’s a good chance upgrading your smart gadgets can make the spooky season all the more exciting.
Here’s a look at how video doorbells, smart lights, and other smart devices can help you celebrate Halloween.
Update your video doorbell with a terrifying chime
Depending on your video doorbell, you might now have access to a long list of seasonal chimes. Companies like Ring and Vivint love to launch these exclusive sound effects around Halloween — so if you don’t yet see them in your companion app, be on the lookout in the coming weeks. When enabled, you’ll have access to sound effects that play things like a witch’s laugh, a wolf howling, or spooky organ music. Sound effects vary by brand and product, so be sure to dive into your app and see what’s available to you!
Looking to make the jump from a DIY system to a professional smart home system? The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro will have a long list of both doorbell chimes and approach chimes starting on October 16. You’ll find even more options in our list of the best video doorbells.
Decorate your home with spooky smart lights
Smart lights are great to use year-round, but they’re particularly nice around Halloween. Indoor smart lights like the Wyze Bulb Color can be toggled to deep reds to create a chilling vibe for your party, or they can be dimmed to low levels while enjoying a scary movie. Outside, you can use something like the Philips Hue Lily Outdoor Spot Light to cast an ominous glow over your home. Pair them with the Festavia String Lights to create a truly spooky atmosphere.
These lights can also be used for holidays beyond Halloween, making them a nice long-term investment. You can even program in different schedules, allowing your outdoor lights to kick on at night, while your indoor lights mimic a sunrise when it’s time to wake up for work. For more great options, check out our roundup of the best smart lights.
Send chilling sounds through your home with a smart speaker
Lights can help set the mood for a party, but no Halloween gathering is complete without some chilling music. Smart speakers are an ideal way to blast your tunes through the entire house, as they can easily pair with other devices to send Monster Mash to every square inch of your property.
Alexa devices are particularly good at this, as they offer a feature known as multi-room audio. Using the Alexa app, you can pair various smart speakers like the Echo Studio or Echo Dot to ensure your tunes are synchronized and playing throughout the entire home. Consult our list of the best smart speakers for more great options.
Stay safe with a smart floodlight
While you probably won’t have to worry about werewolves and goblins, it never hurts to have extra eyes on your property. Using a smart floodlight makes it easy to keep tabs on your home even when you’re away — so if you tell visitors to “take one piece of candy,” you can figure out which neighbor took your entire bowl.
Aside from guarding your candy, a smart floodlight is a wise investment as the days grow shorter and nights grow longer (and colder). Floodlights can be programmed to activate when they sense motion, so whether you’re taking your dog outside or just trying to scare away a pesky raccoon, they’re a helpful gadget to have installed. Check out our roundup of the best smart floodlights to find the best one for your needs.