Repair Basic Issues with Your Philips Hue Lighting System

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction: Philips Hue: Repair Basic Issues

This guide will walk you through fixing many of the problems you may encounter with your Philips Hue lighting system.

2. Philips Hue: Power Check

Your Philips Hue lights require power to be left on for them to work.

Make sure any switches connected to your Hue lights are turned on.

If you've just turned the light back on, it will light to its default color and temperature. Give it 10 seconds to re-sync with your Hue Hub.

3. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

4. Philips Hue: Restart

1. Turn off the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of your Hue Hub.
3. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Plug in the power cable to your Hue Hub.
5. Turn on the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
6. Wait 2 minutes while your Hue system starts back up.

5. Philips Hue: Update Devices

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the Settings gear, then Software update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. The Hue system will instantly check for updates. This can take a little while, as it's communicating with each of your bulbs.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure it says "No updates available". If any updates are offered, it will offer them here. Choose Automatic update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn on Automatic update. Pick a time when you won't be home, or won't be bothered if your lights flash on and off for a brief moment.
   

With auto updates turned on, you will not have to worry about updating your Hue system again.

6. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

7. Go To: How to Factory Reset Your Philips Hue

Show Me HowClicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

8. Philips Hue App: Check Connection

Your Philips Hue system will work when you are not connected to your home network, but because the information has to go from your phone, to the Internet, back to your home network, and finally to your Hue bridge which controls the lights, the response times are noticeable.

If you are connected to your home Wi-Fi network, the information goes from your phone, directly to the Hue bridge, making the system respond a lot faster.

9. Mobile: Android or iOS

For the next steps, we need to determine what type of mobile device you have.

10. Android: Restart

1. Hold down the power button on your Android device.
   Depending on the manufacturer and model of Android device you have, the location of the power button will vary.
2. A prompt will appear on-screen. Select Restart.
   

If the menu does not pop up, continue to hold the power button, and your Android device will shut off.

• If you had to shut down your Android device, wait 30 seconds before turning your device back on.

11. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

12. Philips Hue: Restart

1. Turn off the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of your Hue Hub.
3. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Plug in the power cable to your Hue Hub.
5. Turn on the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
6. Wait 2 minutes while your Hue system starts back up.

13. Philips Hue: Update Devices

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the Settings gear, then Software update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. The Hue system will instantly check for updates. This can take a little while, as it's communicating with each of your bulbs.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure it says "No updates available". If any updates are offered, it will offer them here. Choose Automatic update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn on Automatic update. Pick a time when you won't be home, or won't be bothered if your lights flash on and off for a brief moment.
   

With auto updates turned on, you will not have to worry about updating your Hue system again.

14. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

15. Go To: How to Factory Reset Your Philips Hue

Show Me HowClicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

16. iOS: Restart

1. Hold down the lock/power button.
2. Slide to power off when prompted.
3. Wait until the phone is off.
4. Hold down the lock/power button until you see the Apple logo.

17. Mobile: Android or iOS

For the next steps, we need to determine what type of mobile device you have.

18. Go To: Connecting Your Android Device to Wi-Fi

Show Me HowClicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

19. Go To: Connecting Your iOS Device to Wi-Fi

Show Me HowClicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

20. Philips Hue App: Check Routines

Hue has the ability to allow those with access to setup special schedules and routines. It's possible a routine was created in error, or by another person using the system.

There are 3 separate areas to check:

• Home & Away
• Wake Up and Sleep
• Other Routines

Home & Away

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Routines at the top.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Home & Away.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn off Location aware to disable this feature.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Save at the top to save this setting.
   

This Routine is controlled by the smartphone itself. Remember to check this setting on all other smartphones and tablets you've connected to your Hue system.

Wake Up and Go To Sleep

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Routines at the top.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Wake up.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn off any alarms you see listed here. This disables them, so they will no longer run. If you'd rather delete them, continue to the next step.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Select the name of the routine.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Scroll to the bottom, and select Delete.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Delete to confirm you want to delete the routine.
   

These Routines are stored on your Hue bridge, you only need to make these changes with one device.

Other Routines

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Routines at the top.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose Other routines.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn off any routines listed here using the switch on the right.
   

These Routines are stored on your Hue bridge, you only need to make these changes with one device.

21. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

22. Philips Hue: Restart

1. Turn off the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of your Hue Hub.
3. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Plug in the power cable to your Hue Hub.
5. Turn on the power switch to the device you're having problems with.
6. Wait 2 minutes while your Hue system starts back up.

23. Philips Hue: Update Devices

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the Settings gear, then Software update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. The Hue system will instantly check for updates. This can take a little while, as it's communicating with each of your bulbs.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure it says "No updates available". If any updates are offered, it will offer them here. Choose Automatic update.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Turn on Automatic update. Pick a time when you won't be home, or won't be bothered if your lights flash on and off for a brief moment.
   

With auto updates turned on, you will not have to worry about updating your Hue system again.

24. Philips Hue: Test Device

1. Open the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure you can switch your light on and off using the switch on the right.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Choose the settings gear at the top, then Light setup.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Make sure none of your lights show errors.
   

25. Go To: How to Factory Reset Your Philips Hue

Show Me HowClicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.