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Where is the Matter setup code, and what if you lost it?

Updated October 13, 2026 · Steps paraphrased from each platform's or maker's own help pages, linked beside each step. We have not tested these steps ourselves.

Short answer

Where is my Matter setup code?

Look on the device itself and on any sticker or card in the box or the manual. Matter uses a QR code plus a numeric code (Apple and Samsung say 11 or 21 digits) that you can type when the QR code will not scan.(CSA; Apple iPhone guide; Samsung SmartThings; TP-Link setup tips)

Lost it? If the device is already set up in an app, create a new pairing code in that app instead. Some makers also show the code in their own app. Keep a photo of the code: Home Assistant warns that you need it again after a factory reset.(TP-Link sharing guide; TP-Link setup tips; Govee; Home Assistant)

What the Matter setup code is

Matter devices are set up with a QR code or numeric setup digits, plus Bluetooth Low Energy during setup. You can start from the maker’s app or from your smart home platform; some makers also support tapping your phone on an NFC tag.(CSA)

Apple says Matter accessories use an 11- or 21-digit code (Apple’s own 8-digit Apple Home setup code is a different thing). Samsung says the QR code includes an 11- or 21-digit setup code you can type if the QR code cannot be scanned.(Apple iPhone guide; Samsung SmartThings)

Where makers print it

Home Assistant says to check the device for the Matter logo and for the QR code or numeric setup code, and to photograph the code if it is only in the paperwork.(Home Assistant)

TP-Link, for example, prints it on the device casing and adds a second sticker in the box: on the side of a smart plug, between the bulb and its base on a smart bulb, and on the side near the button on a smart switch.(TP-Link setup tips)

Govee says to find the QR code or the Matter device number on the product, or on the device’s settings page in the Govee Home app.(Govee)

If you lost the code

If the device is already working in any Matter app, you do not need the printed code to add it to another one: that app creates a new pairing code for it.(TP-Link sharing guide; Apple iPhone guide; Google: Matter setup)

Check the maker’s app. TP-Link says that if the printed code is unreadable or the sticker is lost, you can set the device up in the Tapo or Kasa app and find the code under Device Settings, Device Info, Matter Setup Code. Govee shows it on the device’s settings page in the Govee Home app.(TP-Link setup tips; Govee)

Otherwise, ask the maker. Apple and Google both send you to the device maker’s instructions or support for device-specific help. Home Assistant warns that without the code you cannot add the device again after a reset, so think twice before factory resetting a device whose code you no longer have, unless its maker’s app can show the code.(Apple: if you can’t add; Google: Matter setup; Home Assistant)

See also: How to reset a Matter device

Adding the device to a second app needs a new code

TP-Link says a printed Matter setup code only works for the first app the device joins; for every later app, open the first app and create a new setup code there. Samsung says the code it creates for sharing is different from the QR code on the device.(TP-Link sharing guide; Samsung SmartThings)

See also: Use one Matter device with two apps

Frequently asked questions

How many digits is a Matter setup code?

Apple says Matter accessories use an 11- or 21-digit code, and Samsung says the QR code includes an 11- or 21-digit setup code. You can type it when the QR code will not scan.

Can I add a Matter device without the QR code?

Yes, if you have the numeric setup code, or if the device is already set up in another app that can create a pairing code for it. Some makers also show the code in their own app.

Does a factory reset give a Matter device a new code?

None of the pages we read says so. Home Assistant warns that you need the code again after a reset, so keep a photo of it before resetting.

Why does my Matter code not work in a second app?

TP-Link says the printed code only works for the first app. Create a new pairing code in the app the device is already in, then enter that code in the second app.

Sources

The steps above are written in our own words from these pages. Menus and wording in the apps can change; when they differ, follow the app and the page linked here.