Matter 1.6 Brings NFC Setup, Joint Fabric, and Smarter Thermostats

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has released the Matter 1.6 specification and an updated Product Security 1.1 certification program. Announced at the organization's inaugural Unify conference in Austin, Texas, the update introduces NFC commissioning that works before a device receives power, a new Joint Fabric feature for shared multi-ecosystem control, and Thermostat Suggestions designed to better respect user preferences.



Matter 1.6 introduces NFC-based commissioning, allowing the entire setup process to be completed through bi-directional NFC communication. This can happen even before the device is fully powered on. A light bulb can be commissioned before it is screwed into a ceiling fixture. An in-wall switch can be set up before mains power is available. For larger deployments, multiple devices can be provisioned in advance and activated at their final locations. Earlier Matter versions, including 1.4.1, allowed NFC tag reading but still required Bluetooth LE for the actual commissioning exchange.


Joint Fabric lets multiple user-authorized controllers co-administer a single Matter network. Instead of each smart home platform maintaining a separate fabric, devices added to a Joint Fabric become accessible to all participating controllers without requiring separate enrollment in each ecosystem. The CSA says Joint Fabric counts as a single fabric toward a device's limit, leaving room for it to also join traditional ecosystem fabrics at the same time.

Thermostat Suggestions change how smart home platforms interact with heating and cooling devices. Controllers send time-bound suggestions tied to supported presets rather than direct temperature or mode commands. The thermostat checks user-defined preferences, recent manual adjustments, and current conditions before acting. A thermostat that was just manually adjusted can recognize an incoming suggestion from another source and defer it to avoid unwanted changes. When a suggestion is ignored, the thermostat returns a standardized explanation, giving users and ecosystems clearer visibility into why the device behaved the way it did.

Several other enhancements round out the update. Devices can now communicate their capabilities and operational limits in a standardized way. Security sensors gain interoperable event history. Smoke and CO alarms can indicate an unmounted state to alert users that the device is not properly installed. Certificate revocation lists are split into smaller chunks, making security infrastructure more scalable as the number of certified devices grows.

Alongside Matter 1.6, the CSA introduced Product Security 1.1. This version broadens the scope of its security certification program from individual devices to complete IoT systems, including devices, apps, remote processes, and gateways. The program offers two assurance levels: a supplier self-assessment reviewed by an authorized test laboratory (Level 1), and independent assessment with functional testing (Level 2). The updated standard also covers the cybersecurity requirements of the EU Radio Equipment Directive and the Singapore Cyber Security Labeling Scheme.


Matter 1.6 follows last year's Matter 1.5 release, which added support for smart cameras and energy management. Rather than introducing new device categories, the 1.6 update focuses on improving setup, multi-ecosystem interoperability, and device intelligence. The specification and SDK are available now for device makers and platform developers. As with previous releases, support for the new features will depend on adoption by device makers and smart home ecosystems. Device makers and smart home ecosystems, including Apple Home, will implement the new capabilities according to their own timelines. The CSA has published full details in its official announcement.