Matter fabric tokens let hubs control devices locally without phoning the cloud every time. When tokens expire, accessories show offline in Apple Home or Google Home even though your Wi-Fi is healthy and the vendor app sometimes still works.
Typical triggers
Hub replacement without migrating fabrics. Apple ID or Google account changes. Controllers offline for weeks. Failed multi-admin share leaving half-expired credentials. Beta hub firmware with token refresh bugs.
Recovery steps
Update every hub in the home to current stable firmware. Confirm you are signed into the same home structure you used when the device was commissioned. Open the primary app that first added the device and confirm basic control works there before fixing secondary apps.
Generate a new multi-admin share code and add to secondary controllers one at a time. Delete ghost offline copies in each app — duplicates block token refresh. If share fails twice, remove the device from all fabrics, factory reset per OEM guide, and recommission once from a single primary controller.
Keep border routers on Ethernet and disable aggressive hub sleep during the first night after re-share.
Verify
Toggle the device from each controller with phone on Wi-Fi only (cellular off). It should respond within seconds. Leave it overnight; morning status should not show endless Updating.