Question 1

My Philips Hue app shows my camera as unreachable. What do I do?

Accepted Answer

Your Philips Hue Secure camera may go offline due to various reasons:

- Network issues
- Loss of power
- Old versions of the Philips Hue app
- Camera is too hot or too cold

Network issues refer to problems with your network itself. There are several reasons your network may lose connectivity, such as a power surge, power loss, a loose wire in your router setup, or a change to your Wi-Fi network password.

Most of these issues are temporary — once they are resolved, your camera should automatically come back online. In rare cases, the device may remain disconnected. In this case, we recommend troubleshooting.

Ensure that all wires are plugged in and that the lights on the front of the router are green. Check if other Wi-Fi devices are experiencing connectivity issues. Additionally, unplug your router for 30 seconds and then plug it back in to see if your camera automatically reconnects. If there are no network issues, you’ll need to investigate further.

1. Loss of power

If your camera is not connected to power — which may be a result of a power surge or loose cable — it will go offline. To check if your camera is connected to power, follow these steps:

a. If your camera is connected to a light switch, ensure the switch is in the “on” position.
b. Press the setup button on back of the camera. If it has power, you should hear a voice saying, "Entering setup mode," and the light on the camera will flash.
c. Trigger the camera’s motion sensor. If the lights turn on, your camera has power.
d. Check your breaker box to see if a fuse has blown. If necessary, flip the breaker back to its correct position.
e. Once you have confirmed that the camera is receiving power, let it run. The light at the bottom should stop flashing and glow steadily, indicating that it has automatically reconnected to your network.

2. Older versions of the Philips Hue app

Make sure you have the latest version of the Philips Hue app. You can update your app from the App Store or Play Store.

Question 2

What permissions do I need in order to add a Secure camera?

Accepted Answer

You'll need to be an administrator in your Home. You can see your current permissions in the Philips Hue app by tapping Settings > Account > Home. To become an admin, you can request admin permissions from another admin in the same Home.

Question 3

I got the message "Sorry, you don't have access to this home's Philips Hue Secure settings." What do I do?

Accepted Answer

Check your permissions in your Philips Hue Home. Only administrators and members with Security: advanced permissions can access your security settings. If you need permission, please ask your Home's administrator.

You can check your current permissions in the Philips Hue app in Settings > Account. Select your Home, and then select My permissions.

Question 4

What do I do if I'm not  receiving any notifications?

Accepted Answer

In the Philips Hue app, go to Settings > Notifications to check if your notifications are enabled. If you're still not receiving notifications, open your phone settings to check if you have enabled notifications for the Philips Hue app. If it is disabled or notifications are being sent silently, enable them. You can test your notifications by purposely triggering one: walk by a motion sensor, open a door with a contact sensor, or wave in front of your camera, for example.

Question 5

I see my lights turn on when a device detects activity, but I don't receive a push notification when my home is armed. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

This may happen because the camera can't connect to the internet. Make sure your Wi-Fi and internet connection is functioning normally. If the problem persists, contact Customer support.

Question 6

I armed my system and received a push notification to confirm, but my lights don't turn on according to my settings. Why is that?

Accepted Answer

Make sure your Bridge is powered on and that all your lights are connected to power. If the problem persists, contact Customer support.

Question 7

I've lost administrator rights to my Philips Hue Home. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Every Philips Hue Home requires at least one admin, meaning that there is at least one other admin in the Home. Ask the current admin to reinstate your admin permissions.

You can see who the admins are in the Philips Hue app by going to Settings > Hue Account. Select the Home, and then tap Manage members.

Question 8

Can I change the order of my Secure cameras in the app?

Accepted Answer

The cameras are shown in the order in which they were linked to your Philips Hue Home. Changing the order is currently not supported.

Question 9

Which frame of a recorded video clip does the Philips Hue app show in the Secure dashboard?

Accepted Answer

The Philips Hue app will show the first frame of the most recently recorded video clip. These frames are also encrypted, and they are also visible to users of your system with whom you have shared your encryption passphrase.

Question 10

How do I use Philips Hue Secure features with my motion sensors?

Accepted Answer

If you have motion sensors and want to use Philips Hue Secure features with them, go to Settings > Security. Follow the instruction to enable Philips Hue Secure.

Question 11

How do I set up a Blackout zone?

Accepted Answer

Set up a Blackout zones in the Philips Hue app. Go to Settings > Camera and select the camera you want to set up a Blackout zone for, and then go to Audio & video > Blackout zones.

Question 12

Who can delete video clips recorded on a Secure camera?

Accepted Answer

Administrators and members with Security: Advanced permissions can delete recorded video clips.

Question 13

Can I choose which advanced alerts I receive?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In the Philips Hue app, go to Settings > Camera and select your camera. Tap Detect motion in... and adjust the alerts settings in the What sends alerts section.

Question 14

What is a light alarm and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

When you trigger a light alarm, your Philips Hue lights will turn on to the settings you chose (flashing bright white or red). You can select which Philips Hue lights become light alarms by Rooms or a Zone.

Question 15

How do I stop a light alarm?

Accepted Answer

Light alarms stop automatically after 5 minutes. To stop them manually, tap on the Take action button in the Philips Hue app. Then tap the "Stop" button.

Question 16

Which Philips Hue lights can I use for light alarms?

Accepted Answer

All Philips Hue lights that support effects (such as Fireplace or Candle) can use light alarms. Check the list of compatible lights here.

If you want to use red as your light alarm, you'll need to have White and color ambiance lights. All compatible lights are able to flash white, no matter what color family they are.

Question 17

Why can't I set up a sound alarm for my Secure system?

Accepted Answer

A sound alarm can only be set up with a Secure camera. If you don't have one, the feature won't be available in the app.

Question 18

Can I use accessories or automations to arm my Secure system?

Accepted Answer

This is currently not supported. You can only arm your Secure system with the Philips Hue app.

Question 19

If I call the emergency services through the Philips Hue app, will I be connected to those closest to my home or my current location?

Accepted Answer

You will be connected to the emergency services of the area you're currently in, which may not be the one in your home's area.

The call emergency services option in the Philips Hue app uses your mobile device's call function. Your phone is calling the services, not the Philips Hue app.

Question 20

What does arming and disarming mean?

Accepted Answer

Arming means that your system will detect events — in other words, motion detected from your Secure cameras or sensors — and record them in your timeline. If you have them enabled, you will also receive notifications.

There are two states you can use when arming your system. "Armed: Away" can be used while you are out of the house. "Armed: Home" can be used while you're at home, but still want to receive notifications or record events. Depending on your settings, you can receive notifications on your mobile device when motion is detected. From the Philips Hue app, you can then view video clips, look at the camera's live view, trigger light and sound alarms, or call a trusted contact or the authorities.

Disarming your security system will completely turn off all notifications and video recording.

Question 21

Is there an entry or exit delay when arming the system?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can set your preferred entry and exit delay in the Philips Hue app. Go to Settings > Security > Alarm Timing to adjust entry and exit delays.

Question 22

Can I create an automation that will arm and disarm my Secure system automatically?

Accepted Answer

This is currently not supported. To arm and disarm your system, tap the button in the Philips Hue app. This helps to ensure your home is not accidentally left unprotected and reduces the chance of a false alarms.

Question 23

Who can deactivate a Secure alarm?

Accepted Answer

An active alarm can only be deactivated in the Philips Hue app by an admin or member with Security: Advanced permissions.

Question 24

Can I arm and disarm my Secure system only for specific devices, Rooms, or a Zone?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can choose which devices will participate in both of the available armed modes, Armed: home and Armed: away. For example, you can arm only your outdoor camera while you're home, but arm all your devices when you leave. Arming is done per device, not by Rooms or a Zone.

Question 25

Can I receive alerts from my Secure device when my system is not armed?

Accepted Answer

Secure devices only send motion alerts when they're in an armed state.

Question 26

When will I receive push notifications from my Secure devices?

Accepted Answer

If your Secure camera, Secure contact sensor, or motion sensor is armed, you will receive a push notification as soon as they detect motion.

Question 27

Do I need a Bridge to receive push notifications for my Philips Hue Secure device?

Accepted Answer

Secure cameras do not require a Bridge to send notifications or to receive advanced notifications that tell you what was detected. However, a Bridge is required to receive notifications from a contact or motion sensor.

Question 28

If I'm a member of multiple Philips Hue Homes, will I receive notifications from the Security Center for all of them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can set up push notifications for every Home where you have been granted security permissions. Adjust your notifications in Settings > Security > Notifications.

Question 29

Can I choose the types of notifications I receive from my Philips Hue Secure devices?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In the Philips Hue app, go to Settings > Security > Notifications.

There are different types of notifications you can receive:

1. General: This includes motion, system status, and warnings.
2. Camera: With a subscription, you can change notifications for person, vehicle, animal, and other motion detection.
3. Create Activity or Package zones. An Activity zone limits the motion alerts you receive to specific part(s) of the screen and you can set per activity zone which motion alerts you want to receive. A Package zone can detect packages in a specific area of the video feed.

Question 30

Where can I configure notifications for my Secure system?

Accepted Answer

Configure notifications in the Philips Hue app. In the Settings tab, go to Security > Notifications.

Question 31

Can different users set up different notification settings?

Accepted Answer

The notification settings are applied to the entire system, meaning every user will receive the same alerts. However, you can disable notifications for the app in your mobile device's notifications settings.

Question 32

Will I receive notifications about security alerts if my mobile device is set to Do Not Disturb?

Accepted Answer

To make sure you always receive notifications about security alerts, set your notifications on your mobile device to Always allow for the Philips Hue app, regardless of your mobile device's mode. You can change this under your mobile device's settings.

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