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If you want to add a new bulb without a Hue Bridge, install the bulb and switch it on, then bring the Dimmer Switch close to it and press and hold the On button. Philips Hue bulbs work with a regular light switch too, of course - even if you don't buy the Dimmer Switch or the Hue Bridge or any other accessory, you can turn the bulb on and off using the standard light switch on the wall.Įach Hue Dimmer Switch can support up to 10 bulbs. You can't control the colour at all (one of the reasons you might consider buying a Hue Bridge), but it does give you some functionality. Straight away, you'll be able to use the Dimmer Switch to control the Hue bulb: turning it on and off, and adjusting the brightness. All you need to do is screw the bulb into a vacant socket, turn the light switch on, and then put the battery in the Dimmer Switch. If you buy a Hue Dimmer Switch bundled with a Hue bulb, they're already linked when you get them out of the box.
PHILIPS HUE BULBS BLUETOOTH
You can also use Google's new Seamless Setup feature to add Hue Bluetooth bulbs to a Google Assistant smart home, without using a Hue Bridge. Alexa and Google Assistant play nice though. You also can't group Bluetooth Hue bulbs into different rooms, although you can technically create groups in rooms, so you could do a "bathroom" and a "kitchen", but creating an upstairs group might be a stretch considering you need to be in Bluetooth range (hence the rooms limitation). This does come with limitations though: you can only connect up to 10 bulbs, there's no remote control once you leave the house, and third-party app integrations aren't supported. Still, the added versatility should make Hue more appealing to anyone not ready to go "all in" by bringing the entry price down. It does, however, mean using a new standalone Hue BT app. Instead you can simply screw the bulb in and connect it directly with your phone. Thanks to Bluetooth, one of those options is to not use a hub at all. In 2019, Signify discovered this miraculous standard called Bluetooth, and going forward all Hue bulbs will offer Bluetooth and Zigbee, giving you options when it comes to setup. If you want to do it differently though, read on. It's worth pointing out that installing the Hue Bridge is the best way to go - it gives you the best, most reliable control over your Hue smart lights, and access to all the functionality of the Hue apps.