SwitchBot Curtain Track 4 brings Apple Home control to U-rail curtains

What SwitchBot launched

SwitchBot has released the Curtain Track 4, a retrofit motor that motorises curtains hanging on a U-rail track. According to 9to5 Mac, the accessory went on sale on 11 November 2026 through Amazon and SwitchBot's own store.

The main problem it aims to fix is charging. With most smart curtain motors, topping up the battery means unhooking the whole motor from the track or stretching a long USB cable across the room. The new design lets the battery part come away on its own, so the motor stays where it is.

Installation and battery options

Setting it up means clipping the unit onto the track between the curtain hooks and running a one-tap calibration in the SwitchBot app. SwitchBot says the process takes about 30 seconds and needs no drilling, rewiring or magnet positioning, which earlier SwitchBot curtain motors required.

There is one important check before buying: this model works only with U-rail tracks, not curtain rods.

The Battery+ version combines a small built-in cell with a removable 5,000mAh pack, giving 6,400mAh in total. SwitchBot rates it at up to 12 months per charge, though that depends on how heavy the curtains are and how often they move. When charging is needed, the pack comes off, charges over USB-C and clips back on. A Solar version adds a small panel that tops up the battery if the window gets enough sunlight.

How it works in Apple Home

The motor talks to SwitchBot's app over Bluetooth, so Apple Home support needs a compatible SwitchBot Hub. The hub brings the curtains into the Home app via Matter, the smart home standard that lets accessories from different brands work together.

Once connected, the curtains behave like any other window covering in Apple Home. They can join scenes, respond to Siri commands and be grouped with other windows in a single automation. Timing curtains to open at dawn or close at dusk is a natural fit.

QuietDrift and everyday use

SwitchBot has included a QuietDrift mode that opens curtains slowly in the morning, at roughly half a centimetre per second, so daylight fills the room gradually. The company says the motor runs at about 25 dB in that mode, which is around the level of a whisper.

A gentle manual tug on the curtain also makes the motor take over, which helps when nobody has a phone to hand or a guest is not part of the household's Apple Home. SwitchBot also says the motor corrects drift over time, so recalibration should not be needed if the curtains fall out of position.

Why it matters

For anyone with U-rail curtains, the Curtain Track 4 offers a way to add Apple Home control without replacing the curtains or the track. The detachable battery is the standout feature, because it removes the most awkward part of owning a battery-powered curtain motor.

Buyers should confirm their curtains run on a U-rail track and that they own, or plan to buy, a compatible SwitchBot Hub before ordering.