How to Control IKEA Tradfri Lights

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

You can control IKEA Tradfri smart lights by using:

• "Steering devices" such as the remote control, motion sensor or wireless dimmer,
• The IKEA Home Smart app on a phone or tablet,
• Your voice by speaking to Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant.

This guide will show you how to control your smart lighting using all of these methods.

What You'll Need:

• Tool.

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Before You Begin:

Your must have the IKEA Tradfri system already set up

• How to Set Up IKEA Tradfri Gateway
• How to Add an IKEA Tradfri Gateway to Alexa
• How to Add an IKEA Tradfri Gateway to Google Home
• How to Add an IKEA Tradfri Gateway to Apple HomeKit

2. Control Lights with Steering Devices

You can control up to 10 lights at the same time with one steering device. The steering device has to be within 33 feet of the closest light.

Remote Control

Motion Sensor

Wireless Dimmer (Old)

This steering device appears to have been discontinued and replaced by the Wireless On/Off Switch.

Wireless Dimmer (New)

You may see this steering device also called a Wireless On/Off Switch on some packaging, in certain documentation, or within the IKEA Home Smart app, prior to being renamed a Wireless Dimmer.

Select the type of steering device you wish to control your lights with:

Remote Control

1. Press the Power to turn on/off the lights.
2. Press the Suns to brighten or dim the lights.
3. Press the Arrows to change the light color.
4. Shades of white: cool white (4000 K), warm white (2700 K), warm glow (2200 K), candlelight (1780 K).
5. Colors: warm amber, dark peach, saturated pink, light purple, light blue.

Motion Sensor

• Walk in front of the sensor up to 16.5 feet away and within a 120 degree field of detection to turn on the lights.

Wireless Dimmer (Old)

• Turn the dimmer clockwise or counterclockwise to brighten or dim the lights.

Wireless Dimmer (New)

1. Press the I button to turn lights on. Press and hold to dim the lights up.
2. Press the O button to turn lights off. Press and hold to dim the lights down.

3. Control Lights with the App

The main advantage of using the IKEA Home Smart app is that you can control your lights individually and not only in groups like with the steering devices.

Select the method you'd like to learn about:

Control Lights Individually

1. Open the IKEA Home Smart app on your phone or tablet.
   

1. Below the group name, tap one of the lights that you want to control individually.
   

1. From here you can:
   

1. 
   
2. Turn the light on or off by tapping the power symbol (1)
3. Brighten or dim the light by sliding the percent indicator (2) up or down
4. Change the light color by tapping the three circles (3) in the top right corner. From here select the color you prefer then tap the checkmark in the top right corner.
   

Control Lights in Groups

1. Open the IKEA Home Smart app on your phone or tablet.
   

1. Use the slider to brighten or dim the lights, or tap the suns on each side of the slider to turn the lights on or off.
   

1. Tap the circular swatch above the group name to access the mood selection. The mood is a combination of brightness and color settings you can set for a group of lights.
   

1. From here you can select a predefined mood for that group of lights.
   

1. You can also create a new mood.
   

1. When creating a new mood type in the new moods name, then select each light bulb listed in this group to set the brightness and color individually. Tap Save when done.
   

4. Control Lights with my Voice

You must speak to your Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant-enabled device to control your IKEA lights. To start speaking to your virtual assistant, either press and hold the voice control button on your device or say the wake word or phrase "Alexa", "Hey Siri" or "Hey Google".

When addressing your lights, you can say “lights”, the name of the room / group your lights are in, or the name you assigned your lights. You can choose alternate words for the same voice command: set / turn / make / switch / change / activate / deactivate.

Turn the Lights On or Off

• "Lights on / off."
• "Turn lights on / off."
• "Turn <light name> on / off."
• "Turn <group name> on / off."

Brighten or Dim the Lights

• "Make lights brighter / dimmer."
• "Brighten / dim lights."
• "Brighten / dim lights by <0% - 100%>."
• "Bbrighten / dim lights to <0% - 100%>."
• "Turn up / down lights to <0% - 100%>."
• "Set lights to <0% - 100%>."
• "Increase / decrease lights."

Set Light Color or Shade of White

• "Make lights cooler / warmer."
• "Change lights to <color temperature value> Kelvin.
• "Set lights to <shade of white>."Shades of white: cold sky (6000 K), cool daylight (5000 K), cool white (4000 K), sunrise (3000 K), warm white (2700 K), warm glow (2200 K), candlelight (1780 K).
• "Set lights to <color>."Colors: warm amber, peach, dark peach, saturated red, pink, light pink, saturated pink, light purple, saturated purple, blue, light blue, lime, yellow.

Switch Moods

• "Activate <mood name>."
• "Set lights to <mood name>."
• "Turn on <mood name> in <group name>."