Hue Hardware FAQs

The Hue Play Gradient strip can produce multiple colors at the same time over the entirety of the strip, making it perfect for entertainment or ambiance use cases. Lightstrip Plus on the other hand, produces one color in a single strip, which makes it ideal for more functional and architectural purposes where light output is preferred.

The gradient lightstrip has been specifically designed for entertainment and entertainment use cases via Sync box and Sync Desktop app. We have developed a way that the gradient lightstrip, despite being able to produce multiple colors, is counted as one light point as we know the amount of lights attached to a bridge or added to an entertainment area is precious. However, being able to create multiple colors in ambiance mode, while still being counted as one light point, requires an additional system update.

We have 3 sizes lightstrips for 55”, 65” and 75” TV’s or monitors. If you have a different size tv, we recommend to purchase a Play gradient strip smaller than your TV size. Because the strip is bright, it does not matter if it does not reach the corners on the back of the TV.
TV’s or monitors smaller than 50” are recommended to use the Philips Hue Play lightbars.

We advise you strongly to open the Philips Hue main app, go to the setting where to add new lights and follow the instructions. As the lightstrip requires a specific installation we have paid extra care to explain how to install the lightstrip successfully. You can also follow the instructions in the manual and/or the How To video on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9yLBy5Wk9k&t=27s&ab_channel=PhilipsHue

If your outdoor lights are no longer responding and you suspect an issue with the power supply, unplug the power supply from the wall socket and contact Philips Hue.

Do not touch the power supply in wet conditions. If the cable or plug are wet, first cut the main power to the socket, and then unplug the power supply. Do not leave any plugs or connectors of your outdoor lights open — use the supplied plastic caps to cover them. If you don’t have the original plastic caps, you can wrap the connectors in plastic.

Note that we have launched a voluntary replacement program for some PSUs. Please check if your PSU is eligible for the voluntary replacement. >> Learn more about the program

Adding a Hue Go to the Bridge is just like adding any other Philips Hue light to your system. Open the Philips Hue app and go to Settings > Light setup. Tap the Add a light button in the top left corner and follow the on-screen instructions.

Yes. All Philips Hue light fixtures are fully compatible with the Hue ecosystem. Some can be used as standalone light fixtures, while others require a Hue Bridge in order to operate. However, all Hue products can connect to a Bridge for advanced control via the Hue app.

You can use Hue Beyond without a Bridge, but you cannot do anything more than turning the light on or off with the main switch. The color temperature is a fixed soft white. Add your Beyond to a Hue Bridge to unlock full control with the Hue app.

You can turn on the Hue Bloom by plugging it in, but you cannot change the color of the light or use any other advanced features without connecting it to a Hue Bridge.

Newer versions of Philips Hue bulbs feature “richer colors,” meaning that the bulbs have deeper greens and blues to more consistently match the colors of the Philips Hue Go and Lightstrip. You can identify all richer color bulbs by their white base, with the exception of the BR30 bulb. The older BR30 bulb features a gray rim, while the richer color version does not.

 When purchasing new products, you can identify richer color bulbs by their packaging: the packaging features a round green label in the top right corner with the text “richer colors.”

Philips Hue Lightstrips for indoor use feature an adhesive backing that makes it easy to attach to walls, floors, cabinets, and any other indoor furniture or item quickly and semi-permanently. Outdoor light strips come with clips to fasten them to the ground or outdoor structures. 

To use a Philips Hue Lightstrip, you must first plug it in to a power source. When the Lightstrip shines bright white, you can connect it to the Hue Bridge the same way you would add a light to your Hue system.

If the Hue app cannot find the light strip even when entering the serial number in place of the automatic search, the Lightstrip may be out of reach of the Hue Bridge. To fix this, you can move the light strip closer to the Hue Bridge or move other Philips Hue smart lights between the Bridge and the strip lighting; Hue smart lights conveniently extend the wireless signal of the Hue Bridge.

Certain light fixtures come with a Hue Dimmer switch to make it easier for customers without a Hue Bridge to control their lights.

A single Play power supply can power up to three Play bars at once. The Play base unit includes a power supply — the part of the lamp you plug into your wall socket. The Play extension does not include a power supply; simply plug the extension into your existing Play’s power supply to extend your setup.

No, the Hue Play can only be powered by its own power supply.

No. Both the base unit and its extension unit include all the basic accessories you need to use your Hue Play. However, you do need to connect your Play to the Hue Bridge (sold separately) to control it using the Hue app.

What’s in the box? 

• Vertical stand/TV mount: This bracket allows you to place your Play vertically on any surface using the included screws or behind your television using the included adhesive. 
• Hex key (also called Torx, Allen)
• Adhesive
• Screws

The base unit comes with a power supply that plugs into a wall socket. The extension does not come with a power supply.

A five-meter extension cable to extend the space between the power supply (plug) and your Hue Play. The extension cable can also extend the space between two Hue Play lights.

Mount the Play behind your TV using the included adhesive, place it horizontally on any surface, such as on either side of your TV, or use the included vertical stand to stand Play upright.

You can use the included bracket with the included adhesive to mount the Play behind your TV. Your instruction manual has detailed instructions on mounting your Play behind your TV.

No. The Philips Hue Play will light up when connected to power but remain the same color. You can change the color by connecting it to a Hue Bridge (sold separately) and using the Hue app.

You can change the color of your Hue Play with the Hue app, which connects to your lights via the Hue Bridge (sold separately).

All Hue products come with a manual showing you exactly how to install them.

Most Hue outdoor fixtures are low voltage, meaning that they convert the main voltage to a lower voltage, allowing you to simply plug their power supply into a power outlet. You can add a maximum of five lights or 35 meters of cable to each power supply. Control your Hue outdoor lights via your Hue app or accessory.

All Philips Hue products that are marked as "Outdoor" have been tested and rated for outdoor use.

Insert the Smart plug into a wall socket. The LED on the front of the plug will turn green, indicating that the plug is active. 

• How to set up on a Bridge-controlled Philips Hue system: 

     o Open the Hue app and navigate to Settings > Light setup > Add light and tap Search.

• How to set up on a Bluetooth-controlled Philips Hue system: 

     o Open the Hue Bluetooth app and navigate to Settings > Manage lights, then tap the + in the top right corner and tap Search.

No. The Smart plug allows you to turn off and on your light via the app or your voice, but it does not support dimming or brightening.  

We designed the Smart plug specifically to work with a non-Philips Hue light. It will show up as a light in the Philips Hue app and act as a light in timers, routines, Rooms, and Zones. If you plug in another appliance besides a light to the Smart plug, your appliance could malfunction. 

• Mainland Europe: 2300W 

• Great Britain and Ireland: 3250W 

• North America: 1800W 

• Australia and New Zealand: 2400W 

The latest version of the Hue Go now comes with Bluetooth. This will allow you to control it with the Philips Hue Bluetooth app, even outside of your home, when you are out of reach of your Philips Hue Bridge. You can still connect the latest version Hue Go to your Hue Bridge, as you are used to.
 

Next to the Bluetooth connectivity, the battery life has been improved and the plug position is improved to guarantee stability. 

Yes. Outside of your home, you can control both version of the Hue Go by the button on the back of the lamp. This button gives you access to a few settings.
 

    • Single press: Specifically designed dynamic light scenes

    • Double press and hold the second press: Select your own favorite color setting through the color loop. Let go of the button when the color is reached.

    • Long press (10 seconds): Switch off completely and save battery. 
 

Thanks to the added Bluetooth capabilities in the latest version, the Hue Go can be controlled via the Philips Hue Bluetooth app also away from home and can be used as a convenient lamp for example when on holiday. You can recognize this version by the Bluetooth logo on both the box and the Hue Go itself.

Although it is completely safe to use the product outdoor when it is dry, the Hue Go is not designed to withstand splashes of water. Please take your Hue Go inside when rain is expected and don’t leave the product outside when not in use. You should avoid using the Hue Go on damp surfaces and near water sources.

No, this is not possible. The design of Hue Go has improved to guarantee better stability. The previous version of the Hue Go also runs on 24V, while the latest version runs on 12V.

Adding an accessory can easily be done within the Hue app:

1. In the Hue app, tap Settings.
2. Tap Accessory setup. 
3. Tap the Add accessory button at the top of the screen.
4. Select the accessory you would like to add. Follow the on-screen instructions.

To reset your Hue accessory to its default settings, go to Settings > Accessory setup in the Hue app and select the accessory from the list. Tap on Reset and follow the on-screen instructions to reset the accessory.

Yes. You can select multiple Rooms in Accessory setup. You can even configure the accessory to set different scenes per Room.

Yes, you can disable the Hue Motion sensor when it is not needed (e.g. when hosting a party) from within the Hue app:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Select Accessory setup.
3. Toggle the sensor to the "off" position.

To turn it back on, simply toggle the button back on.

The Hue Motion sensor is for indoor use only. However, the Hue Outdoor sensor is weatherproof and suitable for use outside.

The Hue Motion sensor’s LED indicator is integrated into its housing just below the sensor dome. The LED flashes different colors to indicate different things: 

• Orange blinking: Sensor is ready to connect to your Hue Bridge
• Green blinking: Sensor is identified
• Short orange flash at detection*: Low battery
• Short red flash at detection*: Battery is almost empty
• Long red flash at detection*: Sensor cannot reach the Hue Bridge**

*Only shown at first detection after at least 15 seconds without motion.

**If this problem occurs often, try performing a Zigbee channel change in the Hue app by navigating to Settings > Hue bridges > Zigbee > Change channel and following the on-screen instructions.

You will find an illustrated placement guide for each type of room during the Hue Motion sensor installation walkthrough in the Hue app. In order to find the best placement, open the Hue app and navigate to Settings > Accessory setup > Select your sensor > Motion sensitivity. This will restart the sensor in Test Mode, which gives you instant feedback on the sensor’s detection capabilities in its current placement. You can exit Test Mode by exiting the Motion sensitivity screen. 

The Hue Motion sensor’s LED indicator will turn on when it detects movement and turn off after no motion has been detected for five seconds.

Yes, you can set up a Hue Dimmer switch or Tap switch to control your outdoor Hue lights. However, these accessories are only rated for indoor placement, so be sure to only use them inside.

It is possible to replace your traditional light switch with a Friends of Hue smart switch. However, Friends of Hue switches are wireless and run off of energy collected when their buttons are pushed, meaning that they do not use the live wiring required by a traditional switch. Contact your electrician before making any changes to your home’s electrical wiring.

The Friends of Hue switches do not work with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant as with those you control lamps and rooms with your voice, not accessories. The Friends of Hue switches do work with Apple Homekit, as a controller with 4 buttons, just like the Hue Tap. Dimming Hue lights this way is not supported in Homekit

Any Hue-compatible bulb or fixture will work with your Friends of Hue smart light switch. However, third-party apps need to be updated by their developer to support Friends of Hue smart switches.

No. Friends of Hue switches are wireless. Some switches collect the kinetic energy generated by pushing their buttons to power themselve, while others operate by battery power.

For the physical placement of Friends of Hue switches, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Once the switch has been placed in your desired location, you can add the switch to your Hue app by going to Settings > Accessory setup > Add accessory > Friends of Hue switch and following the on-screen instructions.

Friends of Hue smart switches are powered by the kinetic energy generated by pushing their buttons and do not require batteries.

You can control up to 50 Hue lights on a single Dimmer switch, provided that they are located in no more than two Rooms. To ensure that your Hue system responds quickly, you can only use the Dimmer switch in two Rooms simultaneously.

Your Dimmer switch was once connected to your Bridge and functioning normally but has stopped working correctly:

1. Check that all four LED indicator lights on top of the Hue Bridge are on. 
2. Check that the Dimmer switch is operational by pressing any button and ensuring that the LED indicator light on the front of the switch lights up green.
3. Check that the Dimmer switch is within range by ensuring that it is not farther away from the Bridge than your farthest light. 
4. Ensure the Dimmer switch was not mounted to a metal surface as this can affect the range of the device. 
5. Make sure that the Hue lights you want to control are functioning correctly in the Hue app. If not, this could indicate a problem with the light itself rather than the Dimmer switch. 
6. In the Hue app, go to Settings > Accessory setup and select the problematic Hue Dimmer switch. Make sure the configuration settings are correct and select Save to save your settings. 
7. Restart the Hue Dimmer switch by pressing and holding all four buttons of the switch at the same time. Let go when you see the LED indicator light on the front of the switch flash red and green. 
8. Perform a hard reset of your Dimmer switch by pressing and holding the Setup button on the back of the switch for 10 seconds. 

Your Hue Dimmer switch was never connected to a Hue Bridge and was functioning normally but has stopped working correctly:

1. Check that the Dimmer switch is operational by pressing any button and ensuring that the LED indicator light on the front of the switch lights up green.
2. Check that the Dimmer switch is within range of your Hue light. The maximum range of the Dimmer switch is about 12 meters. 
3. Check that the Hue light you want to control with your Dimmer switch is connected to electricity. Its traditional wall switch should be flipped to the "on" position. 
4. Ensure the Dimmer switch was not mounted to a metal surface as this can affect the range of the device. 
5. Restart the Hue Dimmer switch by pressing and holding all four buttons of the switch at the same time. Let go when you see the LED indicator light on the front of the switch flash red and green. 

Your Hue Dimmer switch flashes red when you press a button:

1. The Dimmer switch has lost connection and needs to be reconfigured. Reconnect the Dimmer switch to your Hue Bridge by navigating to Settings > Accessory setup in the Hue app.

The Hue Dimmer switch can be used in two ways, depending on whether you have a Hue Bridge and the Hue app.

Standalone mode:

When purchased as part of a set with a Philips Hue light fixture, the Dimmer switch functions in standalone mode. This means that it can control the lamp or light fixture with which it came, including turning on/off the light, dimming, and brightening. If the Dimmer switch was purchased with a White ambiance or White and color ambiance light fixture, you can also cycle through four preset light recipes, including Read, Relax, Energize, and Concentrate. It is not possible to control the color of the light beyond the preset light recipes.

Connected to Hue Bridge:

For more functionality, you can connect your Dimmer switch to your Hue app and Hue Bridge. When paired with your smart lighting system, the Dimmer switch can control up to 50 Hue lights in up to two Rooms. You can also assign your own preferred scenes to cycle through.

If your Hue Tap is not responding, first check to see if it is connected to your Hue Bridge by navigating to Settings > Accessory setup. If you cannot see your device, it may have been accidentally disconnected from the system. In this case, reconnect the Hue Tap by navigating to Settings > Accessory setup > Add accessory and follow the on-screen instructions. If you still cannot connect your Hue Tap, contact a customer support agent at the Meethue Support Center.

The buttons on a Hue Tap are customizable and are easily configured to turn on or off your favorite scenes, certain combinations of lights, and more in the Hue app. Navigate to Settings > Accessory setup and select the Tap you wish to configure. Select the button you want to customize on the on-screen illustration and follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

Please contact the Friends of Hue partners for more information on where they are available.

If your Smart button came with a Starter kit, be sure to set up your lights and Hue Bridge before configuring the Smart button.

After removing your Smart button from its packaging, press and hold the button for 3 seconds to activate the device. Go to Settings > Accessory setup > Add accessory to add the Smart button to your Philips Hue smart lighting system. 

Yes. To dim and brighten your lights using the Smart button, press and hold the button. The lights will first dim, then brighten. You can customize this action (long-press) in the Philips Hue app. The Smart Button is not designed to dim up and down by turning the button on the wall plate. Though it may look like one, the Smart button is not a rotary dimmer switch, so turning it on its wall plate does not control it.  

Turn the button over and locate the gray mark that indicates where you can open the battery compartment. Use a small, flat screwdriver to lift the back cover. Remove the old battery and replace it with another CR2032 (button cell) battery.