Question 1

My Philips Hue app is having trouble connecting with my lights, how to resolve?

Accepted Answer

If your app is having trouble reaching the Philips Hue lights that you’ve already added to your system, you can try the following:

Ensure they are connected to power (i.e., the traditional wall switch is in the “on” position).
Turn the light on and off with the wall switch, and then search for lights in the Philips Hue app in Settings > Lights > Add lights.
If you still cannot find your light, try to add the light using the serial number.

If your lights are still unreachable, contact Philips Hue Support.

Question 2

What is the oldest operating system for iOS and Android that still supports the Philips Hue app?

Accepted Answer

The Philips Hue app is supported by the two latest major versions for iOS and the latest three major versions for Android. For more information, go to your app store and open the Philips Hue app to see the details.

Question 3

How close do I need to be to my Bridge to control my lights?

Accepted Answer

That's the beauty of the Bridge — if you have an internet connection, you don't need to be close to it at all! Simply sign in to your Philips Hue account to control your lights from anywhere.

Question 4

How do I add or remove lights from a Room or Zone?

Accepted Answer

Add, remove, and rearrange lights in a Room or Zone in the Philips Hue app:

Select the Room you want to edit on the Home tab.
Select the three dots (…) and select Edit Room.
The Lights section shows the existing lights in the Room.
Tap the minus icon (-) to remove a light.
Tap the plus icon (+) to add a new light or import a light from another Room.

Question 5

How do I control my Philips Hue lights while I'm away from home?

Accepted Answer

To control your lights while away from home, just sign in to your Philips Hue account in Settings > Account!

Question 6

How do I set all the lights in a Room or Zone to the same color?

Accepted Answer

Open the Philips Hue app.
Select the Room/Zone in which you would like to set all the lights to the same color.
Tap on one of the lights to bring up the color wheel.
Drag the light icons on top of each other. A number will appear in the icon showing that all lights are the same color.
Tap the three dots (…) and select Save as new scene to save this as a light scene.

Question 7

How do I set one light in a Room or Zone to a specific color and/or brightness?

Accepted Answer

To change the color or brightness of a single light in a Room or Zone, tap on the Room in which the light is located in the Home tab. Tap on any light in the Room to open the color wheel. Tap the individual light for which you want to change the color or brightness.

To change the brightness:

Make sure the light is on by moving the toggle on its icon to the on position. Drag the brightness slider to the desired brightness.

To change the color:

Tap the individual light to open the color wheel.
Tap and drag the light icon to the color you'd like.
Tap the X in the top right corner of the screen.

Note that you cannot change the color of Philips Hue White lights.

Question 8

How do I create a light scene using a photo from my phone?

Accepted Answer

You can create a customized light scene based on a photo uploaded from your phone in the Philips Hue app:

Select the Room or Zone in which you would like to create the scene.
Tap the plus icon (+) and select Use a photo.
Choose the photo you’d like to use for your scene. The app will automatically choose colors from the photo.
Tap Done.
Name your scene and tap Done.
Tap Save.

Question 9

What is a Zigbee channel change in the Philips Hue app?

Accepted Answer

Zigbee is a wireless technology that allows your smart home devices to talk to each other. If you are having connectivity issues between your Philips Hue lights and Bridge, a Zigbee channel change may solve the problem.

In the app, go to the Settings tab.
Tap Bridge settings.
Tap Zigbee channel.
Select Change channel and follow the on-screen instructions.

Question 10

Can I assign one light to multiple Rooms?

Accepted Answer

An individual light can only be assigned to one Room — but you can put it in as many Zones as you like!

Question 11

Can I control my Philips Hue lights from multiple devices?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Download the Philips Hue app on each device and connect it to the Bridge that you want to control. Each Philips Hue system can be controlled by up to 10 devices.

Question 12

Can I control multiple Hue Bridges with the Philips Hue app?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but you can only control one Bridge at a time. To switch between two Bridges, go to Settings > Hue Bridges and select the Bridge you want to control.

Question 13

Can I control the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box when I’m away from home in the Hue app, just like my other lights?

Accepted Answer

Unlike your smart lights, the Hue sync box doesn’t communicate with the cloud but instead requires a local Wi-Fi connection with your router, meaning you can only control it when you're at home.

Philips Hue app

Scenes & effects

Automations

Entertainment

Notifications

Arm & disarm

Alarms

App store

Release notes iOS

Play store

Release notes Android

FAQ list