Aqara · Curtains and blinds
Aqara Curtain Driver E1 Installation in London
Updated
The Aqara Curtain Driver E1 is a battery-powered unit that travels along your existing curtain track or pole and draws the curtains open and shut, so there is no new motorised track to install. It comes in a track version and a rod version, and each works only on certain rails, gliders and poles. A vetted JACK pro in London checks your window against Aqara's limits, fits and pairs the driver, and, where the hardware will not take it, agrees a replacement pole or track with you before booking, all for a fixed price in the JACK app.
In short
Yes. A vetted JACK pro in London fits the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 on your existing curtain hardware, provided it matches the version you bought: the track version needs a U-rail with wheeled gliders or an I-rail, and the rod version needs a fixed pole 25–32 mm across with close-fitting end caps. It runs on a rechargeable battery with no wiring, and as a Zigbee 3.0 device it is paired to a compatible Aqara Zigbee 3.0 hub, which is also Aqara's route to Matter.
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Curtain Driver E1: key facts
- Model and updates
- CM-M01; Aqara's UK statement sets its defined support period to 31 December 2026 (checked 1 November 2026) Source: Aqara: global security and compliance statements (UK PSTI list)
- Track version: rails
- U-rails with a bottom slot of 8 mm or less, and I-rails at least 10 mm wide at the bottom Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, track version
- Track version: gliders
- 'U-rail gliders without wheels are not supported' Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, track version
- Rod version: poles
- 25–32 mm diameter; 'Extendable rods are not supported', and the pole ends need close-fitting decorative caps Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, rod version
- Curtain weight
- Up to 12 kg Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, track version
- Battery
- 6000 mAh, up to a year per charge; charges over USB-C or runs on constant power Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, track version
- Electrical
- Non-replaceable lithium battery, 5 V input, IP20, so it suits indoor curtains Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, rod version specifications
- Smart home
- Matter support comes through a compatible Aqara Zigbee 3.0 hub Source: Aqara (EU): Curtain Driver E1, track version
Device facts come from Aqara's product pages, its UK and EU store, the Aqara UK Shop and Aqara's own Amazon UK listings, linked beside each fact. Aqara often sells one product under two codes and uses EU models in the UK, so check the name and code on your box or order and send it with your request. Last checked 1 November 2026.
How the Curtain Driver E1 is powered and mounted
The E1 works with the curtain hardware you already have rather than replacing it. The driver runs along the existing track or pole and pulls the curtain with it, which is why every limit Aqara sets is about that hardware: the rail profile and its gliders for the track version, and the pole's diameter, its end caps and whether it slides apart for the rod version. The two versions are separate products, so the first check is that the one you bought matches what is at your window.
Common curtain hardware can fail one of those tests. Telescopic poles made to fit a range of widths are extendable, which the rod version does not support, and some U-shaped tracks run on plain sliders with no wheels, which the track version cannot move. The answer is often a fixed pole of the right diameter, or a compatible track, fitted on the same visit; any new pole or track is your purchase, or agreed with you at cost before booking, because JACK does not sell Aqara devices or hardware.
There is no wiring to do. The battery is built in and charges over USB-C, and where there is a socket near the window the driver can stay on constant power from a USB supply instead, with the cable dressed down the wall. Aqara rates it IP20, so it belongs on indoor curtains away from water. It talks Zigbee 3.0, so the pro pairs it to a compatible Aqara Zigbee 3.0 hub, the route Aqara gives for Matter and so for Apple Home, Google Home or Alexa.
What the pro checks first
- Which version you have, track or rod, against what is actually fitted at the window
- On a track: the rail profile, the width of its slot and whether every glider has wheels
- On a pole: its diameter, whether it is extendable, and whether the end caps fit closely
- Roughly how heavy the curtains are, against Aqara's 12 kg limit
- Whether the track or pole is fixed firmly enough to take the driver's pull
- Where your Aqara hub is, and whether a socket near the window could power the driver
What the pro does on the Curtain Driver E1
- Track or pole brackets tightened or re-fixed where they move, with plugs that suit the wall
- Driver fitted to the rail or pole following Aqara's guide for that version
- Curtain run checked for snags at the overlap, the returns and the end stops
- Open and closed positions set so the driver stops where each curtain should
- Driver paired to your Aqara hub, and added to Matter apps where you use them
- Schedules or scenes set up with you, such as closing the curtains at dusk
How the Curtain Driver E1 installation goes
- 1Photos of the track or pole and its ends reviewed, so any replacement is agreed before the visit
- 2Driver charged and added to the Aqara Home app
- 3Existing hardware checked, and any new pole or track fitted level
- 4Driver mounted on the rail or pole
- 5Travel limits set and the curtains opened and closed from the app
- 6Automations and voice control tried with you
Before you book: what to send
- A photo of the whole window with the curtains closed, and a close photo of the track or pole end
- Whether you have the rod or the track version, and how many drivers
- The curtain heading, such as pinch pleat, eyelet or tab top
- Which Aqara hub you use, if any
What if your track or pole will not take the E1?
Aqara's limits rule out some common curtain hardware. The usual ways round it:
- An extendable pole replaced with a fixed one of 25–32 mm with close-fitting finials, which the rod version needs
- A U-track with plain sliders fitted with wheeled gliders where its maker offers them, or replaced with a compatible track
- Heavy interlined curtains weighed against the 12 kg limit before anything is fitted
- Brackets that have worked loose in old plaster re-fixed into sound masonry before the driver adds its pull
- Any new pole, track or glider set is bought by you or added at cost, agreed before you book
Track version or rod version: which E1 do you need?
The version has to match the hardware at the window, not the other way round.
| Track version | Rod version | |
|---|---|---|
| Fits | U-rails with a slot of 8 mm or less, and I-rails at least 10 mm wide | Fixed poles 25–32 mm across |
| Rules it out | U-rail gliders without wheels | Extendable poles, and end caps that are not close-fitting |
| Power | Built-in battery, USB-C charging or constant power | Built-in battery, USB-C charging or constant power |
From Aqara's EU product pages for each version, checked 1 November 2026.
How is Aqara installation priced in London?
A vetted pro prices your Aqara job from the models and your photos, and the JACK app shows that fixed price before you book.
Full pricing guide for Aqara installationFrequently asked questions
Does the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 work on a curtain pole?
Yes, if you have the rod version and the pole is fixed, 25–32 mm across, with close-fitting decorative end caps. Aqara says extendable rods are not supported. The track version is a different product and does not go on a pole.
Can the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 work without a hub?
Plan on a hub. Aqara lists the E1 as a Zigbee 3.0 device and brings its Matter support, and so Apple Home, Google Home or Alexa, through a compatible Aqara Zigbee 3.0 hub; its EU product pages do not describe using it without one. JACK pros set it up on an Aqara hub you already own or have bought.
Can the Curtain Driver E1 stay plugged in instead of being recharged?
Yes. Aqara says it can charge over USB-C or run on constant power, so with a socket near the window a USB supply and a neat cable save taking it down to charge. Without one, the 6000 mAh battery lasts up to a year by Aqara's figure.
How much does Aqara Curtain Driver E1 installation cost in London?
It is a fixed price for your Curtain Driver E1, worked out by a vetted pro from the model, a photo of where it is going and what power is there now, and shown in the JACK app before you book. Other devices can go on the same booking for one price.
Often booked together
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Presence Sensor FP2 installation
Aqara's mmWave radar presence sensor (PS-S02): Wi-Fi, no hub, constant USB-C power, on a wall for room zones or on the ceiling for fall detection.
Hub M3 installation
Aqara's flagship hub: a Zigbee hub, Thread border router and Matter controller on USB-C or PoE, with a wall bracket in the box.
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Sources
The device facts and rules on this page come from these pages, checked on 1 November 2026.
Jack All Trades (JACK) is an independent London service. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by Aqara or Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd., which makes Aqara products. Aqara product names are used only to describe the devices JACK pros fit and set up; prices are set by JACK pros, not by Aqara, and JACK does not sell Aqara devices.
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