Q: Can I extend Philips Hue lightstrips?

It depends on which lightstrip you have: Flux lightstrips: Yes, up to 20-metre with 2-metre, 5-metre and 10-metre extensions. OmniGlow lightstrips: No. Essential lightstrips: no. Essential Flex lightstrips: no. Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV: no Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC: no Outdoor lightstrips are not extendable due to their weather-resistant properties.

Q: Can I cut Philips Hue lightstrips to size?

It depends on which lightstrip you have. Flux Lightstrips: Yes. OmniGlow lightstrips: yes. Essential lightstrips: Yes. Essential flex lightstrips: no. Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV : yes (only for new versions) Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro for TV : yes Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC : no Any outdoor lightstrips are not cuttable in order to maintain their weather-resistant properties. Except for the Omniglow outdoor where you can cut and reseal the striplight with the resealing kit.

Q: Which Philips Hue lightstrip should I use behind a TV or monitor?

Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV was designed specifically for TV screens. It is available in various lengths to suit standard TV sizes, ranging from 55 inches to 85 inches. The new versions of Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV are cuttable (the 65-inch and 85-inch), therefore they can fit any TV size up to 85 inches. The lightstrip also comes with dedicated mounting brackets to help you attach the lightstrip to the back of your TV. Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro for TV was designed specifically for TV screens. It includes OmniGlow technology to create ultra-smooth, uniform wall-washing gradient effects. It is available in three lengths, based on standard TV sizes: 65-inch, 85-inch and 100-inch. The Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV is cuttable, therefore they can fit any TV size up to 100 inches. The lightstrip also comes with dedicated mounting brackets to help you attach the lightstrip to the back of your TV. Philips Hue Play Gradient lightstrips for PC were designed specifically for PC screens. They come in three lengths, based on standard monitor setups: 24–27 inch, 32–34 inch or three 24–27 inch for triple-monitor set-ups. However, new versions of Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip and Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro can be used behind a monitor as well. Trim the lightstrips to size by cutting along the indicated marks.

Question 1

What is the difference between the types of Philips Hue Lightstrips?

Accepted Answer

There are different types of Philips Hue Lightstrips:

Philips Hue Flux Lightstrip is a multi-coloured lightstrip with RGBWWIC technology, designed to be concealed to give an indirect wall-washing effect. Install behind furniture, under cabinets or along wall coves. It comes in multiple lengths. The indoor version can be cut to size and extended up to 20 m with 2 m, 5 m and 10 m extensions.

Philips Hue Flux ultra-bright lightstrip with RGBWWIC technology is designed to be concealed to give an indirect wall-washing effect. It's ultra-bright lumen output not only makes it ideal for ambient lighting, but also as functional lighting to support daily tasks. Install it along wall coves, under shelves and in indoor spaces such as the dining room, kitchen or home office. It comes in multiple lengths, can be cut to size or extended up to 20 m with 2 m, 5 m and 10 m extensions.

Philips Hue OmniGlow Lightstrip with RGBWWIC OmniGlow technology delivers multi-coloured gradients with seamless uniform light and no visible LED dots, due to microLEDs enabled by CSP (chip-scale-package). Designed to be on show and not concealed, this versatile lightstrip offers a huge range of lighting options. It comes in 3 m, 5 m and 10 m lengths. It can be cut to size, but not extended.

Philips Hue Essential Lightstrip with RGBIC technology is the simple and accessible way to bring decorative lighting to any space inside your home without compromising light quality. The Essential Lightstrip creates a beautiful ambience by washing walls with gradients of colourful light. It can be cut to size, but not extended. It comes in 5 m and 10 m lengths.

Philips Hue Essential flex lightstrip with RGBIC technology lets you decorate with light playfully because of its bendable design and its neon light effect. It can be bent into any shape you can think of. It cannot be cut and extended. It comes in 5 m and 10 m lengths.

Philips Hue Neon Outdoor lightstrip with RGBICWWIC technology delivers multi-coloured light with a seamless neon effect and bright white light. Designed to be on show, it uses Chromasync colour-blending technology and is weatherproofed for outdoor use. It comes in 3 m, 5 m and 10 m lengths. It can’t be cut or extended.

Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV uses RGBWWIC technology to create colourful wall-washing effects. Designed to be mounted behind the TV, it comes in different lenghts, based on the TV size : from 55-inch to 85-inch. The new versions can be cut to size to fit any TV up to 85 inches.

Philips Hue Play Gradient Pro Lightstrip for TV uses OmniGlow technology to create ultra-smooth, uniform wall-washing gradient effects with no visible dots. Designed to be mounted behind the TV, it comes in three lengths, based on the TV size: 65-inch, 85-inch or 100-inch. It can be cut to size to fit any TV up to 100 inches.

Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC produces multiple light colours at the same time. Designed to be mounted behind a monitor, it comes in three lengths, based on monitor size: 24–27 inch, 32–34 inch or three 24–27 inch for triple-monitor set-ups.

Question 2

What is the difference between Philips Hue Essential lightstrips and other Philips Hue lightstrips?

Accepted Answer

The key difference between Philips Hue and Philips Hue Essential lies in their technology and functionality.

Essential (RGBIC) uses RGB LEDs only, while Hue (RGBWWIC) incorporates additional white LEDs, enabling Hue to produce full-spectrum whites ranging from 1000K to 20,000K, whereas Essential creates white light using RGB LEDs alone. Both technologies feature individually controllable LEDs (IC).

Hue strip lights provide premium colour quality with accurate colour matching via Chromasync technology, whereas Hue Essential offers basic light quality.

In terms of dimming capability, Hue strip lights achieve a much lower dimming level of up to 0.1%, compared to Hue Essential's 5%.

Hue is designed for superior performance and vibrant colour representation, while Hue Essential focuses on foundational lighting features.

Question 3

How do I know which lightstrip I should choose based on my needs?

Accepted Answer

You can compare the different characteristics and specifications of each model of strip light here

Question 4

Can I extend Philips Hue lightstrips?

Accepted Answer

It depends on which lightstrip you have:

Flux lightstrips: Yes, up to 20-metre with 2-metre, 5-metre and 10-metre extensions.

OmniGlow lightstrips: No.

Essential lightstrips: no.

Essential Flex lightstrips: no.

Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV: no

Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC: no

Outdoor lightstrips are not extendable due to their weather-resistant properties.

Question 5

Can I cut Philips Hue lightstrips to size?

Accepted Answer

It depends on which lightstrip you have.

Flux Lightstrips: Yes.

OmniGlow lightstrips: yes.

Essential lightstrips: Yes.

Essential flex lightstrips: no.

Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV: yes (only for new versions)

Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro for TV: yes

Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC: no

Any outdoor lightstrips are not cuttable in order to maintain their weather-resistant properties. Except for the Omniglow outdoor where you can cut and reseal the striplight with the resealing kit.

Question 6

Can I connect different Philips Hue lightstrip types to each other?

Accepted Answer

No. Due to their internal electronics, extendable Philips Hue strip lights can only be extended using extensions of the same type. For example, the Flux strip light can only be extended with the Flux extension.

Question 7

Which Philips Hue lightstrip should I use behind a TV or monitor?

Accepted Answer

Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV was designed specifically for TV screens. It is available in various lengths to suit standard TV sizes, ranging from 55 inches to 85 inches. The new versions of Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV are cuttable (the 65-inch and 85-inch), therefore they can fit any TV size up to 85 inches. The lightstrip also comes with dedicated mounting brackets to help you attach the lightstrip to the back of your TV.

Philips Hue Play Gradient LightstripPro for TV was designed specifically for TV screens. It includes OmniGlow technology to create ultra-smooth, uniform wall-washing gradient effects. It is available in three lengths, based on standard TV sizes: 65-inch, 85-inch and 100-inch. The Play Gradient Lightstrip for TV is cuttable, therefore they can fit any TV size up to 100 inches. The lightstrip also comes with dedicated mounting brackets to help you attach the lightstrip to the back of your TV.

Philips Hue Play Gradient lightstrips for PC were designed specifically for PC screens. They come in three lengths, based on standard monitor setups: 24–27 inch, 32–34 inch or three 24–27 inch for triple-monitor set-ups.

However, new versions of Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip and Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro can be used behind a monitor as well. Trim the lightstrips to size by cutting along the indicated marks.

Question 8

Do I have to use the Play Gradient Lightstrip only to sync with the screen?

Accepted Answer

The Play Gradient Lightstrip and Play Gradient Lightstrip Pro are designed to deliver an immersive lighting experience when used with a sync device, matching the colours of your on-screen content in real time.

However, you can absolutely use them without syncing. Simply control them through the Hue app to create your ideal atmosphere, whether you're watching TV, unwinding or simply setting the mood. You can choose from any available scenes or dynamic effects in the Hue app.

Question 9

How should I start when installing the Play Gradient Lightstrip?

Accepted Answer

You can find all the instructions in the Philips Hue app! First, add the light to your Philips Hue system in the app, which will give you step-by-step instructions on installation.

You can also follow the instructions in the manual or watch the how-to video for TV installation.

Question 10

How do I add a lightstrip to my existing Philips Hue system?

Accepted Answer

To add a device, including lightstrips, to your Bridge, ensure that your Hue app is updated to the latest version and follow these steps:

1. Gather the devices you want to add and find the QR codes located on them.

2. In the Home tab, tap the three-dots (…) icon.

3. Tap Add devices and follow the on-screen instructions to scan the QR codes and add the devices to your Bridge.

Question 11

Can the power supply that comes with a Philips Hue lightstrip be used with other Philips Hue lights?

Accepted Answer

No, we recommend that you only use the power supply that comes with the original light.

Question 12

Should I avoid the vents on the back of my monitor when installing the Play Gradient Lightstrip?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Try to place the Play Gradient Lightstrip's mounts around the vents as best you can. Blocking the vents could result in your monitor overheating.

Question 13

Should I buy a longer lightstrip that is long enough to cover the bottom of my TV or monitor?

Accepted Answer

The Play gradient lightstrips are designed to line the sides and top of your screen. If you want even more light behind your screen, you can add a Play Gradient light tube or Play light bar at the bottom of your screen.

Question 14

How do I mount the Hue Play gradient lightstrip when my monitor differs from the sizes listed on the lightstrip’s packaging?

Accepted Answer

If your monitor is larger than 24–27 inches or 32–34 inches, you can still use the Play Gradient lightstrip. The distance between the edge of the monitor and the outside of the mounts should ideally follow the list below, but you can adjust the placement of the mounts so that the lightstrip sits closer to the centre of your monitor:

24" monitor: 2.5 cm
27" monitor: 6.5 cm
32" monitor: 5 cm
34" monitor: 6.5 cm
Three 24" monitors: 4.5 cm
Three 27" monitors: 7 cm

Question 15

Why do I sometimes see a black screen when starting some video content?

Accepted Answer

The Hue Play gradient lightstrip isn’t compatible with protected video content (DRM), which causes the screen to go black when streaming certain content.

Question 16

Why do I sometimes see a black screen when starting some video content?

Accepted Answer

The Hue Play gradient lightstrip isn’t compatible with protected video content (DRM), which causes the screen to go black when streaming certain content.

Lightstrips

Setup guide

How to videos

Release notes

FAQ list

What is the difference between the types of Philips Hue Lightstrips?

What is the difference between Philips Hue Essential lightstrips and other Philips Hue lightstrips?

How do I know which lightstrip I should choose based on my needs?

Can I extend Philips Hue lightstrips?

Can I cut Philips Hue lightstrips to size?

Can I connect different Philips Hue lightstrip types to each other?

Which Philips Hue lightstrip should I use behind a TV or monitor?

Do I have to use the Play Gradient Lightstrip only to sync with the screen?

How should I start when installing the Play Gradient Lightstrip?

How do I add a lightstrip to my existing Philips Hue system?

Can the power supply that comes with a Philips Hue lightstrip be used with other Philips Hue lights?

Should I avoid the vents on the back of my monitor when installing the Play Gradient Lightstrip?

Should I buy a longer lightstrip that is long enough to cover the bottom of my TV or monitor?

How do I mount the Hue Play gradient lightstrip when my monitor differs from the sizes listed on the lightstrip’s packaging?

Why do I sometimes see a black screen when starting some video content?

Why do I sometimes see a black screen when starting some video content?