ABB
Motionblinds works with ABB-free@home®
With Motionblinds and ABB-free@home®, you can control smart blinds and smart shades directly from the ABB-free@home® Next app, wall panels, or voice assistants including Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Open your blinds in the morning, set them to follow the sun, or include them in scenes alongside lighting, heating, and climate control. Your motorized window coverings add comfort, privacy, and energy efficiency to any residential or commercial space.
Motionblinds is a smart motorized window covering system developed by Coulisse that works with all leading smart home platforms and building management systems — discover them all here.
What is ABB-free@home®?
ABB-free@home® is a smart home and building automation platform by ABB. It integrates lighting, blinds, heating, climate, access control, and more into a single ecosystem, controlled through the ABB-free@home® Next app, the ABB RoomTouch wall panel, or voice assistants including Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. ABB-free@home® supports the Matter standard, allowing it to work with devices from multiple brands — including Motionblinds — through a single interface.
ABB-free@home® was developed by ABB, the Swiss-Swedish multinational electrification and automation company. ABB's acquisition of Eve Systems — the Munich-based company that co-developed Eve Motionblinds with Coulisse and was an early adopter of Matter and Thread technology — brought deep Matter and Thread expertise into the ABB ecosystem and established the foundation for native Motionblinds integration.
Matter and Thread motors
Eve Motionblinds motors with built-in Matter and Thread connect directly to ABB-free@home® using the ABB Thread USB-Stick. The Thread USB-Stick plugs into the ABB-free@home® System Access Point (version 2.0 or higher) and, combined with the Matter Controller Add-on, transforms it into a combined Thread Border Router and Matter Controller. No additional hub — such as an Apple HomePod or Google Nest Hub — is required to establish the Thread network.
Once configured, the System Access Point discovers and commissions Eve Motionblinds motors as native Matter devices. Motors are assigned to rooms and included in scenes and schedules alongside lighting, heating, climate, and access control, all managed through the ABB-free@home® Next app.
Eve Motionblinds wired motors are Full Thread Devices: permanently powered, they act as Thread routers within the mesh network. Each motor installed extends the network's reach and redundancy, making larger installations more robust without requiring additional networking hardware.
When a smart home hub with Thread Border Router capability — such as an Apple HomePod or Google Nest Hub — is already present in the installation, the ABB Thread USB-Stick is not required.
Matter and Wi-Fi bridges
All Motionblinds motors with RF — both wired and battery motors — can connect to ABB-free@home® via the Motionblinds Matter Wi-Fi Bridge. This allows mixed installations that combine the full range of Motionblinds motors across a complete property to be managed within a single ABB-free@home® environment. Setup is simple using QR-code scanning, and no account or registration is required. The bridge works fully offline, so your blinds remain responsive even without an internet connection.
Local API and Wi-Fi bridges
Motionblinds Wi-Fi bridges (CMD-01 and CM-20) can connect to ABB-free@home® directly via a local API. The ABB-free@home® System Access Point communicates with the Motionblinds bridge over the local network, without routing through the cloud. This means your blinds remain fully responsive and controllable through ABB-free@home® even when there is no active internet connection.
Once linked, all motors connected to the Wi-Fi bridge are available in ABB-free@home® and can be assigned to rooms, added to scenes, and included in schedules alongside lighting, heating, and other ABB-free@home® devices. This integration supports the full range of Motionblinds RF motors — both wired and battery-powered.
ABB-free@home® — Frequently asked questions
ABB-free@home® is a smart home and building automation platform by ABB. It integrates lighting, blinds, heating, climate, access control, and more into a single ecosystem, controlled through the ABB-free@home® Next app, wall panels, or voice assistants including Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.
Motionblinds connects to ABB-free@home® in three ways: (1) Eve Motionblinds motors with Matter and Thread connect natively via the ABB Thread USB-Stick and Matter Controller Add-on; (2) all Motionblinds RF motors connect via the Motionblinds Matter Wi-Fi Bridge (CM-55); (3) Motionblinds Wi-Fi bridges (CMD-01 and CM-20) connect via a local API. All three options work locally and remain functional without an internet connection.
The ABB Thread USB-Stick plugs into the ABB-free@home® System Access Point (version 2.0 or higher) and turns it into a combined Thread Border Router and Matter Controller. It removes the need for an Apple HomePod, Google Nest Hub, or any other external device to establish the Thread network.
Only if no other Thread Border Router is already present. If a compatible smart home hub — such as an Apple HomePod or Google Nest Hub — is already active on the network, the ABB Thread USB-Stick is not required.
Yes. Eve Motionblinds wired motors are permanently powered, qualifying them as Full Thread Devices. Each motor acts as a Thread router within the mesh, extending network coverage and improving redundancy with no additional networking hardware required.
Yes. Eve Motionblinds motors with Matter and Thread connect directly via the ABB Thread USB-Stick. All other Motionblinds RF motors — both wired and battery — connect via the Motionblinds Matter Wi-Fi Bridge (CM-55) or via Motionblinds Wi-Fi bridges (CMD-01 / CM-20) using a local API.
The Motionblinds Matter Wi-Fi Bridge (CM-55) connects to ABB-free@home® via the Matter standard. The Motionblinds Wi-Fi bridges CMD-01 and CM-20 connect via a local API, with the ABB-free@home® System Access Point communicating directly with the bridge over the local network. Both options work offline and support the full range of Motionblinds RF motors.
Yes. The ABB-free@home® System Access Point controls Motionblinds Wi-Fi bridges via a local API over the local network. No internet connection is required for this integration to function.
Yes. Once Eve Motionblinds motors are commissioned in ABB-free@home®, they can be controlled through the ABB RoomTouch wall panel alongside lighting, climate, and other ABB-free@home® devices.
Yes. Motionblinds motors featuring dry contact control provide a conventional wiring option for retrofit projects or where direct switch input is required alongside Matter over Thread connectivity.
ABB acquired Eve Systems, the Munich-based company that co-developed Eve Motionblinds with Coulisse and was an early adopter of Matter and Thread technology. This brought Matter and Thread expertise into the ABB ecosystem and established native compatibility between ABB-free@home® and Motionblinds motors.
Yes. ABB-free@home® supports the Matter standard, so Eve Motionblinds motors can be managed through ABB-free@home® and simultaneously accessible in Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Samsung SmartThings.
