Why does the Bridge need to be plugged into my router?

By connecting it to the router, the Bridge becomes part of your home’s local area network (LAN). This allows you to control your system even when the internet is down.

Will Hue lights slow down my Wi-Fi?

Zigbee and Wi-Fi use the same frequency band (2.4 GHz), but Zigbee does not use any Wi-Fi bandwidth to control the lights. So it doesn't matter if you have 1, 10, or 50 lights and accessories — you’re not using additional Wi-Fi bandwidth. This is especially important if you have lots of lights or if you want to sync your lights to your TV, gaming setup, or music. Wi-Fi lights may lag; Zigbee lights won’t.

Will my lights still work when my internet is down?

Yes! This is one of the greatest advantages of Zigbee vs. Wi-Fi lights. Your lights will still run automations, and you can control them with any switches you have in your home. The app and away-from-home control won’t work.

If I start with Bluetooth, can I add a Bridge later?

Yes! Because all our lights are Zigbee-capable, you can add a Bridge to your setup any time. All you need to do is plug a Bridge into your router and add it to your setup. Boom – you'll instantly unlock all the advanced features of a Hue smart home.

How do I know which Hue lights are Bluetooth capable?

If a Hue light is Bluetooth capable, it will have the Bluetooth symbol on the packaging, as well as on the light itself. Outdoor lights and some older lights aren’t compatible with Bluetooth.

How Philips Hue works

Philips Hue is built to enrich what you love and how you want to live with smart light — and how it does it is unique. So just how do smart bulbs work? There’s much more to Philips Hue than smart bulbs, so let’s start from the beginning.

The basics

Smart lights talk

Anything “smart” needs to be able to receive instructions. Hue smart lights use Zigbee or Bluetooth to communicate, depending on whether you have a Bridge.

With Bridge

Zigbee

The Bridge and Bridge Pro are a smart hubs that connect to your router to establish a Zigbee network. Once you install your lights, they can communicate with the Bridge and each other.

Each light is a repeater of the signal, meaning that you can extend the network by adding lights. This is called a mesh network.

See all features

Without Bridge

Bluetooth

If you don’t want a smart hub, you can use Bluetooth. This way, you use your mobile device to communicate directly with the lights.

As you (and your device) move, the network moves with you. This is why there’s a limit as to how far away you can be from your lights.

Compare Bridge and Bluetooth

Bluetooth vs. Bridge and Bridge Pro

Compare Hue systems

Here’s what you get with each type of system: Bluetooth vs. Bridge vs. Bridge Pro.

Communication protocol: How our devices “talk” to each other

Bluetooth communication

Zigbee mesh network

Range: Connectivity distance

In-room

Full-home

Max number of supported lights

10

50

150+

Max number of supported accessories

10

12

50+

Chip: Built for ultra-fast responses

Hue Engine: ARM M class wireless SOC

Hue Chip: MiPs 24kc based processor

Hue Chip Pro: Quad A35

GPU: Built to run complex algorithms and support AI applications

ARM Mali-G31 MP2

Control with 1 app: iOS and Android

Works with: Seamlessly integrate your lights into your smart home

Alexa, Google Home

Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Matter

Voice control: Are the lights compatible with voice control partnerships

Limited

Control from anywhere: With an internet connection

Create automations: Schedule your lights to your routines

Limited

Hue Sync: Sync lights to TV, music, games, and Hue Secure

Hue MotionAware™: Use lights as motion sensors

Zigbee Security System protection

AES 128-bit encryption

Enhanced AES-128 bit encryption using Zigbee Trust Center

Philips Hue app to control yoiur smart led lights

App control

Smart home control

The Hue app is your command center. Guided setup gets your system ready: tap to instantly control your lights, create automations, and more.

Explore app

Automations

Create recurring settings for your lights and security system.

Sync

Sync your lights to TV, games, and music.

Security Center

Get an overview of your security system.

Accounts

Manage user permissions, third-party access, and more.

The technology

Our LED lighting

Beauty and brains. All of our bulbs, lamps, and lighting effects are researched and designed at our headquarters in the Netherlands.

Chromasync™

Professional-grade lighting for your home with precision color matching across all your smart lights. Get deep saturated colors, soft pastels, and shades of white light without any color variation across bulbs, lamps, and luminaires.

White

Color temperature: 2700 K

A soft white light that’s easy on the eyes.

A bedside lamp glowing in a warm orange tone of smart light.

White ambiance

Color temperature: 2200-6500 K

All shades of white light, from warm orange to cool blue.

A bedside lamp glowing in gentle pink tone of color smart light.

White and color ambiance

Color temperature: 2200–6500 K
+16 million colors

All shades of white light plus full color.

Gradient

Color temperature: 2200–6500 K  +16 million colors

Considered RGBWWIC, meaning they can display multiple colors of light simultaneously.

How is Hue different? Hue gradient lights are controlled with groups of LEDs rather than individually, so you always get an even, gradual blend of color.

A bedroom wall washed in a subtle blend of blue and pink tones of smart light.

ColorCast™

Our innovative design of precisely arranged LEDs projects color like no other light.

A Hue smart bulb glowing in warm white tunable light.

Full-spectrum daylight

Bring daylight inside with full-spectrum tunable white light. Enjoy the widest range of white tones, from the warmest candle flame hues of amber to the coolest crisp whites of natural blue sky.

A Hue Twilight bedside lamp glowing with ultra-low dimmed warm white smart light.

Ultra-low dimming

Get the gentlest nightlight with ultra-low dimming. Dim your lights down to just 0.2% of their total brightness.

Explore Hue

Get started

See what lights and accessories you need, based on what you want to do.

A home office room with 2 signe gradient lamps

Features

Here are all the things you can do with Hue.