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How to Connect Philips Hue Lights to Amazon Echo

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If you have an Amazon Alexa device in your home then you can set this up to control your Hue lights, allowing you to tell Alexa to turn on your lights, change colors or set a scene.

Using Amazon Alexa you can tell it to turn your lights on and off without lifting a finger, if you have an Alexa set up in your home then this is how to connect it to your Philips Hue lights system.

How to Set up Philips Hue with Alexa

Setting up

Follow these steps to connect your hue to Alexa.

  1. First off open the Amazon Alexa app on your phone or tablet device, if you don’t have it installed already you can download it here – iTunes / Android.
  2. Once installed and set up go into the app and got to the menu and select ‘skills’
  3. From here search for the Hue, when found select it and then press enable, you are then taken to a login screen where you can login to your Philips Hue online account.
  4. When logged in you can then search for devices to connect too, click discover to begin this search, it can take up to 20 seconds but once complete it will show all your bulbs.
  5. From here you can name them allowing you to then say things such as, ‘Alexa, turn on the kitchen light’.

With this set up you can now turn lights or scenes on and off by just speaking to Alexa, however you cannot tell Alexa to change lights to a specific colour.

Read: View a full range of commands for Alexa and Hue here.

You can create various groups to control lights in different parts of your house like in the living room, kitchen, study room or bedroom. You can also dim or brighten your lights now using Alexa.

Users of Alexa are able to turn on and off their various lighting system in the house using this system, whether it is in the living room, bedroom or kitchen. If you just make sure that the right system is in place then you will be able to switch off lights of specific rooms without hassles or tussles. This app is able to wake someone up more gently than an alarm clock.

Alexa can also help you remember something for a weekend party in case you forgot; this can be done by just turning on the Alexa turn on party in the living room.

Recently, the Amazon Alexa Skill was improved upon on its Philips Hue bulbs for its users. Alexa can now control the lights using this enhanced functions such the Amazon’s personal assistant to turn off and on lights as well as dim the lights by using these enhanced functions. This is done by just a voice command, and it may involve colors, light scenes or recipes.

Echo (2nd Generation) - Smart speaker with Alexa and Dolby processing - Charcoal Fabric

    Using Philips Hue Bluetooth Bulbs

    If you are new to Hue, you can buy and use the Philips Hue Bluetooth bulbs to connect with Alexa. These can be controlled via your phone using the Hue Bluetooth app, or voice using Alexa. There is no need for a bridge or hub to use these bulbs and can be set up and controlled via Alexa.

    Using your Hue Motion Sensor with Alexa

    Amazon Alexa now supports the use of your Hue motion sensor, both the indoor and outdoor motion sensors will be picked up and can be added. This is great for creating routines where things can happen when the motion sensor is activated.

    For example you can set a routine that when the motion sensor in the hall activated when you come back from work the lights and heating turn on, you could use it as a security measure so that lights flash and your shutters come down if it is activated while you are away.

    How Alexa works with the Philips Hue lights

    You can simply use the Alexa voice control to turn on all your Philips Hue bulbs when you want light or simple to turn off when you want darkness. You will also be able to dim your light at your own convenience. If you want to watch a movie you can dim at the comfort of your couch, or can set the right amount of light in case you want to read. You simply ask Alexa to ‘’dim the light in bedroom or living room’’.

    If you want to make you living room dazzle with your favorite scenes and colors, then just ask Alexa to turn on the scenes that you prefer.

    All you require to make sure that this sytem is working is an Amazon Echo, the Amazon Echo Tap or Amazon Echo Dot and a Philips Hue starter kit. Your Philips starter kit includes a bridge and your light bulbs. You just screw your Hue bulbs into you existing light sockets, then power up the bridge and connect it via the Alexa app.

    Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 60W Equivalent LED Smart Bulb Starter Kit (4 A19 Bulbs and 1 Hub Compatible with Amazon Alexa Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant)

      This Alexa app can still do some other great jobs for you apart from controlling your Hue lighting system such as emailing you what’s on your shopping list; it can also help you get your phone in case you have misplaced it by simply asking it to find your phone then the ringtone that you have set will ring.

      FAQ

      Do I need a Hue bridge to use my Hue lights with Alexa?

      No you don’t, however by using a Hue bridge it gives you a lot more function and feature with how you can use your Hue bulbs.

      What Alexa voice commands are there for Hue?

      There are lots of voice commands that you can use and as Philips Hue are partners with Alexa then the systems work very well together. You can view all of the commands for Alexa and Hue here.

      My Amazon Echo Alexa is not Discovering my Hue bulbs – How do I Fix it?

      Firstly ensure all your Hue bulbs are turned on and have power going to them, reboot your Alexa device and once started say ‘Alexa, discover devices’.


      Founder & Editor

      Mike is the founder of Hue Home Lighting, a huge Hue fan with far too many lights, covering home and garden. A smart home gadget addict and also enjoys the odd bit of DIY

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      9 Comments

      1. Joyce Hamilton

        I have tried to follow the instructions several times and it fails to “link”

        Reply
        • James

          You need to press the button on top of the hue hub to alow Alexa to fined them (only works with the gen 2 hub (square one)

          Reply
      2. David Burns

        Every time the power goes out on the outlet the Hue hub is on, it no longer works with Amazon Alexa until I go through the entire set up process again. (it still works with a phone app, but that’s not what we want to use.) This thing is a complete pain, and it’s sad my son spent good money on the kit of 4 lights / hub as a gift for us. Wish I could return the whole thing and just buy four regular Philips LED bulbs.

        Reply
      3. Greg Sullwold

        I have a LOT of hue bulbs and have been using them successfully for months. I came home this weekend and none of the bulbs will respond to my Echo Plus. I have never had a hue bridge. I’ve power cycled the bulbs and echo plus. I’ve deleted the bulbs and tried to add them back, which did not work at all. I’ve reset the Echo Plus. Any ideas?

        Reply
        • India

          I have the exact same problem. Have the bulbs been updated to require a bridge so that we now have to make an additional purchase?

          Reply
      4. Tobias

        I have a couple of bulbs and the Square hub. It works fine with Siri from my apple Products. But alexa can’t find them. Even if I try it from the alexa app on the Iphone that is already connected to the echo hub. I have enabled the skill, logged in on my hue account. Tried restarting everything. Disabled the skill and re-enabled it. Pressed the button on top of the hub. “No new devices found” everytime… Please help? It found my sonos-system immediatly… but not the hue. What am I doing wrong?

        Reply
      5. Justin Thompson

        Can’t get pass the login screen. Takes forever to load than tells me the Alexa App can’t be verified.

        Reply
      6. Elizabeth R Mebane

        I am so frustrated. I setup the Hue bridge and 2 white light bulbs and 2 color light bulbs. Everything work for about 2 weeks. Now the Hue bridge is connected after an hour of working with it but even the Hue app can’t control the lights. The Alexa app doesn’t see the hue bridge or the hue lights and, yes, the hue skill has been enable on Alexa. I am about ready to send everything back and request a return of my money. I don’t have 3 – 4 hours every two weeks to try and make these lights work.

        Reply
      7. Matthew

        I have to press the button on the bridge every 5 minutes, otherwise it doesn’t work.

        Is that normal???

        Reply

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