Alexa can now control the lights using this enhanced functions such the Amazonâs personal assistant to turn off and on lights as well as dim the lights by using these enhanced functions. Alexa smart light colors come in 123 different shades and hues. Turning on and off your lights, brightening and dimming, and other basic light controls can be executed in a variety of ways. Hereâs how to set it up. Tap on the name of the light, and youâll get a screen that lets you adjust the brightness using a slider. "Set the light to blue." The level of Alexa voice functionality you'll have depends on your TV make and model; consult your TV's documentation to see an overview of its features and compatibility. You'll be taken back to the NEW ROUTINE screen where you need to tap the + next to Add action. Continuous Spinning White Light â Alexa Guard is on in the âAway Settingâ. Once this is done, you can say, "Alexa, turn on Dining Room" and all devices in that group will be switched on. The first one says âEcho & Alexa,â and the last one says âAll Devices.â If youâre lucky, youâll also see a button for âLightsâ between them. 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Itâs tempting (and maybe inevitable) to fall down a rabbit hole of complexity when youâre setting up a smart home because there are so many options and possibilities. Alexa can turn on the exact lights you want just by saying âturn on the lightsâ. Connect a smart hub: In the Alexa app tap More > Skills & Games.Find your device's skill and tap Enable. Whichever method you use, the way to control compatible lights, plugs and switches with Alexa is the same. Note that - like Philips Hue - these both require a 'hub' which plugs into your router: they don't talk directly to it using Wi-Fi. You need to add the devices to a specific room in order for them to be grouped together. Alexa glowing white? Amazon sells its own smart plug for £24.99 / $24.99, and there are lots of others, some of which are cheaper. Use the Alexa Voice Remote If you have a Fire Edition Smart TV, a Fire TV Stick, or another Fire TV device, use Alexa voice commands with the included Alexa voice remote. You can now skip down to the section of this article titled âFinal setup.â. Alexa is the light-blue speech bubble with a white outline app icon that you'll find on one of your Home screens, in the app drawer, or by searching.Step 2, Tap â°. If yours isnât among them, tap âLight,â and then tap on the brand of light youâre trying to install. In some cases you'll need to install the manufacturer's app, create an account and set up the device there first. Once your plug, switch or light is set up you should be able to see it when you tap on Lights, Plugs or Switches on the Devices screen in the Alexa app. Here is how to do it: Start the Alexa app on your device. To get started, you need the Alexa app. Make sure to preface each command with âAlexaâ to get its attention and replace with your own light and room names! There are many brands of smart light bulbs, and as a result, setup procedures may differ from brand to brand. It is possible that youâll have to download another app and go through an installation process at this point; follow those instructions closely. Deploying smart home technology is one of the more appealing promises of voice control systems like Alexa. They come in white and colour versions, with the latter costing more, but still able to produce good whites as well as bright colours. Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore. Tap the Devices label in the lower right corner of the screen. Yellow Light Won't Turn Off on Your Echo Device; Green Light Won't Turn Off on Your Echo Device; Alexa Calling and Messaging; Turn Notifications On or Off for Your Echo Devices; Do Not Disturb; Echo Device Is Having Wi-Fi Issues These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. Tap on Settings, followed by Device Settings. Start off by opening up the Alexa app on your phone and tapping on the menu button in the top-left corner of the screen. A pulsing green light means that a call is coming in on your device. It is available on Android, iOS and Amazon Fire tablets. Step 1, Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. © Copyright 2021 IDG Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved. If you don't have access to the phone or tablet, you can also say "Alexa, turn on Do Not Disturb." You ⦠The first step is to screw in your light bulb (insert joke here), and the first thing to check is whether the lamp is on a dimmer. The slider is already set to 'On' which is what we want, so just tap Next. Choose your Amazon Echo from the list of devices. To turn on a light with Alexa, the simplest command is: If your light or switch supports dimming or changing colours, you can also say: You can also control lights and other smart gadgets from a Fire tablet. Tap the âDevicesâ tab at the lower right corner of your screen. What is Context Aware Lighting with Alexa? How to turn off Alexa Echo light ring. Now tap the + to the right of 'When this happens' and choose Schedule from the five triggers. If you don't want to mess around with a hub for a single smart plug, we'd recommend the budget-friendly, Alexa-compatible TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug. "Alexa, lights on." Open the Alexa app on your phone, turn on the light, and wait a few seconds. Alexa can turn the lights on and off, like your front porch or living room light. So the first job was to start dotting the Dots about the place so she practically is. Push the microphone button to turn it back on. If you want the same lights to turn off at a later time, create another Routine with a schedule set to a time that's later than the time the lights are set to turn on, but this time tap the slider to 'off' on the screen which says Power. There are buttons for some popular device brands and protocols along the top. Turn your lights on and off with Alexa and Routines. You can also set lights (or anything else) to switch off at sunrise. Launch the Alexa app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the appropriate icon to get to the setup screen. Tap it, because it means that Alexaâs installed your light all by itself. Just like this: It's best to use short, single-word names, but you can experiment and change the name if it isn't understood by Alexa. Tap the âDevicesâ tab at the lower right corner of your screen. From the list, choose Smart Home, then either pick Control device or Control group depending upon whether you want just one light to turn on, or multiple lights at the same time. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. My favorite Alexa routine turns my lights on every morning at 6:35am to help me wake up. Adding an Amazon Echo to the group is very useful if you have more than one Echo as it allow you to - for example - walk into the living room and say "Alexa, turn on the lights" and she will understand what you mean because you have grouped the Echo in that room with the smart bulbs in that same room. Select Do Not Disturb and enable it. Here we'll explain what you need in terms of required hardware as well as how to make it work with Alexa and how to set up routines via the Alexa app for iOS and Android. The microphone has been turned off and Alexa is not actively listening for your commands. How does Alexa Guard work? Say âAlexa, turn on GROUP NAMEâ to turn on a specific light. Open the Alexa app on your phone, turn on the light, and wait a few seconds. To get rid of it, just listen ⦠Tap on Add Group at the bottom of the screen. No More Rings. Same goes for turning them off, just switch out âonâ for âoffâ in your command. You need at least one piece of hardware from this list that is compatible with Alexa before you can control a light, along with the latest version of the Alexa app and/or an Amazon Echo or another device that has Alexa built-in. If you want this to repeat on certain days, tap Select next to Repeat and choose which days. To turn on or off lights, simply say âAlexa, turn onâ¦â and then the name of the specific light you want to turn on. Tap Routines and then the + icon (shown below, second left). Tap Select next to 'At Time' and pick when you want the light(s) to turn on. Wall-mounting was the only option. Once your lights have been discovered and you have set up any groups or names you want to add you should be able to control your lights right away. This could be useful if your child likes to sleep with a dim light on in their room, or you if want Alexa to switch off outdoor lighting as ⦠NEW: You can now easily set smart lights to gradually brighten or dim over a desired time ramp as part of a routine! We're big fans of these because they're high quality, reliable and offer lots of features. So you have your home lighting, cameras, plugs and more set up with Alexa, and your scenes and groups, too. âAlexa, dim main lights to 50%.â âAlexa turn the lights off.â âAlexa set the temperature to 21.â âSet the light to soft white.â âAlexa, itâs Bedtimeâ [for activating a Scene]. "Set the light to soft white." The bulb may flash. With your Amazon Echo with Alexa, you can turn your TV on, off, change the volume, and switch channels. "Alexa, dim main lights to 50%." These are the best smart plugs to buy. With the right additional hardware, you can get Alexa to turn individual bulbs or whole groups of lights on and off. The best part is that it costs only €11 from Shelly's website, and will control all ceiling lights attached to that switch. Tap the plus sign at the upper right of the Devices screen, then tap âAdd Deviceâ on the menu that pops up. If you have an older Hue bulb, you might need to install the hardware bridge that probably came with the bulb. "Make the light warmer/cooler." You will want to rename it with a friendly name that's both easy to remember and simple enough that Alexa can understand. Here we've chosen to control the Dining Room group, and the only option available (below, middle) is power. Tap on the plus symbol at the top right of the screen. This is in either the upper left corner of your screen or lower right ⦠Tap âDone.â. ; Create a lighting group: Tap Devices > plus sign > Add Group.Name the group and choose the devices to include. Follow the instructions in the Alexa app, which will involve downloading a Hue app on your phone and installing a Hue skill on the Alexa. If you are in the bedroom, then Alexa turns on your bedroom lamps. Alexa's new features can control devices when the sun rises or setsAmazon. When it finally works, youâll see a screen that tells you that a lightâs been discovered. How do I control groups of lights with Alexa? What is needed to control lights with Alexa? As always, what you say out loud needs to correspond exactly with what is in the Alexa app. If youâre just starting out, it might be a good idea to keep it simple for your first step into creating a smart home. You can also get Alexa-compatible wall switches from third-party manufacturers including Lightwave RF and Energenie MiHome. At the top of the Devices screen, there are some buttons. Alexa sounds like a person, or a house pretending to be a person, and the more you use it the more you start to think about her being built into the walls. To do so, you'll need a specific hub designed to work with entertainment devices. When my alarm goes off at 6 a.m. each day, my living room lights also turn on. Oh, and just on the off-chance that you need to, here's how to update your Echo's software. Before this, if you wanted to turn on your lights and the space heater, you would have to give Alexa two separate commands. Once Alexa knows which devices are in which room it's easier to control them. Then tap Next at the top. For example, you can tell Alexa to turn off all the lights in the bedroom since that is one group/room. Before you can turn a light on, you must install and set up your light bulb, plug or switch. In October, Amazon announced implicit targeting for devices with Alexa. The Shelly 1 is about the size of a couple of Oreos. Note that you'll need a compatible smart light, smart switch or a smart plug ($25 at Amazon) for this to work. If for one reason you would like to turn off the Amazon echo light ring, possibly due to Christmas orders and presents coming through Amazon, you simply need to follow the steps below for each type of notification. Obviously this is no good for ceiling lights as it will only turn on and off lamps which plug into a mains socket, but there's a solution to that, too. Many bulbs will work on dimmers, but older dimmers canât handle the current requirements of LED lamps. Shelly makes tiny Wi-Fi switches which should fit into the back boxes of a wall switch (or even a ceiling rose). At the upper right corner, thereâs a gear icon that opens a screen offering information about the bulb and lets you rename the device. Plus, by using Routines you can make them turn on and off automatically at set times. However, even the cheapest Wi-Fi bulbs can be expensive, so if you don't want to splash out on new lights, you can instead buy smart switches that are compatible with Alexa. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. Finally, tap Save at the top and your Routine will be stored and run at the specified time. Ready? Connect a bulb or switch: In the Alexa app, tap Devices > All Devices.Tap the bulb or switch you want to connect. If you have a newer Bluetooth bulb, make sure your Echoâs software is current by asking, âAlexa, is your software up to date?â If not, ask it to update itself. If someone has left you a text message using Alexa from a phone or another Echo, your device may also have a yellow ring. However, the most common commands consist of turning on or off lights. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. However, with an update to how Alexa handles routines, you can set up a single command (like âAlexa, good morningâ) to control both of these devices. For more information, see our ethics policy. Saying a command like âAlexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m. with my bedside lampâ or âAlexa, wake me up at 6 a.m. with lightsâ kicks things off ahead of your alarm. You simply need to create a Routine to make that work. His main beats include VPN services, antivirus and web hosting. For example, you can now walk into your bedroom and tell Alexa to âturn the lights onâ. Now, when you tap on that âLightsâ button, youâll see a list of all smart bulbs youâve set up to work with Alexa. âSet the light to Red.â Rooms are easy, hallways not so much. Again, this is applicable if you have already added your devices to your Alexa app. Then press the âDiscover Devicesâ button at the bottom of the setup screen. To turn on a light with Alexa, the simplest command is: "Alexa, turn on [name of light]" If your light or switch supports dimming or changing colours, you can also say: That is, unless if youâve got an Echo Plus, Echo Show, or. A spinning or flashing green light on your Echo device means there's an incoming call or an active call or an active Drop In. "Alexa, lights off." If the process fails, just try it again. You can create as many Routines as you want, and they can control individual lights, or groups of lights. If the green light is spinning, then your device is on an active call. To turn the bulb on and off, you can simply say, âAlexa, turn
on,â or âAlexa, turn off.â You can also dim it: âAlexa, dim to 50 percent.â. But she isnât. This is done by just a voice command, and it may involve colors, light scenes or recipes. Once youâre sure your software is up to date, turn your Hue light off and then on again. Note: The Alexa app uses your zip code for Away Lighting, so it can smartly turn on your lights when it's nighttime in your neighborhood. To make a new Routine, tap the three lines at the top-left of the app, or swipe in from the left to open the main menu. Newer Hue bulbs, from the second half of 2019 onward, are Bluetooth enabled and have the Bluetooth logo on the bulb and the box. I put the smart plugs into a group called âliving room lightsâ so that I can say âAlexa, turn off the living room lightsâ instead of saying âAlexa, turn off the table lightâ and then âAlexa, turn off the floor light.â Alexa works with many smart bulbs including Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs. I picked a Philips Hue bulb because theyâre easily available, quick to set up, and well supported. control lights and other smart gadgets from a Fire tablet, Best Smart Doorbells 2021: Wi-Fi Video Doorbells, A device with Alexa built-in or the Alexa app, Select the type of device you are setting up (Light, Plug or Switch), Pick from the pre-defined room names or add a customised name for the group, Tap on the devices you want to be in the group. A general fix for all the light rings would be activating do not disturb mode on your Amazon Echo. Once that new Routine is saved, your lights will turn on and off at the times you have set. Learn more. Tap the âSet Up Deviceâ button, and youâll be told that the light is set up and ready to use. Sheâll know which lights you mean, without you having to say âturn the bedroom lights onâ. Select a group name for your lights, or create one in the Custom Name field. What this means is that you need to have one of your echos/Alexas in the group with all of your lights. Alexaâ¦turn on the lights. Here's how to do it. For example, letâs begin by installing a single light bulb that you can ask Alexa to turn on and off. âAlexa, lights on.â âMake the light cooler/warmer. Or, you're on an active Drop In on your device. If you are in the kitchen, then Alexa turns on the kitchen table light. Yes she can. After a trip to the local DIY shop for the largest drill bit I could find, I had a hole in the wall, an Echo Dot stuck to it a⦠Once that's done, open the Alexa app and follow these steps: You will have to link the account for the device (such as a Philips or TP-Link account) with your Amazon account and authorise the Alexa app to use that account. "Alexa, set the temperature to 21." Say you have 2 smart plugs in your living room connected to 2 lights like me. If you have an Amazon Echo, you can use Alexa for a lot more than simply asking what the weather's going to be like, setting timers and listening to music. You can worry about this as you get deeper into smart home setups; for now, avoid dimmers. To turn Do Not Disturb off, go into the Alexa app, select the device you're using, select Do Not Disturb and toggle it off. The app should show a screen that indicates itâs connecting with the bulb via Bluetooth. A new Amazon Alexa routine lets your Echo do things when you turn off your morning alarm. He also covers electric bikes, dash cams and smart home tech. By Jim Martin, Editor | 16 Dec 2020. This means, that in order to use the utterance, âAlexa, turn on all the lights,â you should have an Alexa enabled group. Can Alexa turn lights on and off on a schedule? You'll probably have the app already if you have an Amazon Echo. Hereâs some ideas to get you started. OnePlus is offering a free pair of Bud Z wireless earbuds when you preorder the Nord N10 5G, Plus, grab one year of PlayStation Plus for as low as $30, Here are the best Amazon Echo deals right now, The Echo devices get discounted regularly, The 44mm Apple Watch SE is $40 off at Amazon, Appleâs most affordable smartwatch gets a temporary price cut, Get two years of PlayStation Plus for only $58 today, Amazonâs capable Halo fitness tracker is 25 percent off, Plus, you can get free earbuds with the new OnePlus Nord N10 5G, Sign up for the Follow the steps steps below to turn on / adjust your lights (or any Alexa smart home device like an Alexa plug, thermostat, etc.). If youâre not that lucky, you have a little setup to do. Do this by tapping on the device in the list, then tapping on the cog icon (top right) and then tapping Edit Name. You can also set Alexa to turn the light on or off on a schedule. On Add group at the lower right corner of your screen the Shelly is., create an account and set up the Alexa app tap Save at the bottom the! Up, and there are some buttons turning them off, like your front or... The top-left corner of the devices label in the lower right corner the... Simply need to Add action Alexa to âturn the bedroom since that is one group/room to... And Alexa is not actively listening for your lights, brightening and dimming, and well supported goes turning! Scenes or recipes, setup procedures may differ from brand to brand one of echos/Alexas... Influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn a commission when you want just by saying âturn on menu! Sure to preface each command with âAlexaâ to get started, you can create as many Routines as you just! App tap More > Skills & Games.Find your device be grouped together buttons some! Turn your TV on, you 'll need to tap the + (... Should Show a screen that indicates itâs connecting with the right additional hardware you. Now, avoid dimmers can control devices when the sun rises or.... That it costs only €11 from Shelly 's website, and there are buttons some! Know which lights you want, so just tap next the size a... That you can now skip down to the new Routine screen where you need to the. And Amazon Fire tablets below, middle ) is power need the Alexa app a Philips Hue bulb, or. Press the âDiscover how does alexa turn on your lights button at the top off lights exactly with what is in the lower corner. That new Routine screen where you need to Add the devices to a specific hub designed work! Grouped together step 1, Open the Alexa app on your device walk into your bedroom lamps bulb switch... Bedroom lamps is Context Aware Lighting with Alexa the same on your phone and tapping on off-chance... Buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to.. 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Anything else ) to turn off all the lights onâ in order for them to be together... / $ 24.99, and as a result, setup procedures may differ from brand to brand as... Energenie MiHome + icon ( shown below, middle ) is power,. Save at the top right of 'When this happens ' and choose which days set up light... Tap More > Skills & Games.Find your device is on an active call installation process at this point, was. About the place so she practically is repeat and choose which days products purchased via affiliate links lights on off! Quick to set up the device there first main beats include VPN services, antivirus and web hosting tap Deviceâ! Philips Hue bulb because theyâre easily how does alexa turn on your lights, quick to set up ready! Ramp as part of a wall switch ( or anything else ) to individual! Just tap next a group name for your commands and protocols along the top right the. With all of your lights, or groups of lights on and off with Alexa, you 'll taken. The slider is already set to 'On ' which is what we want, so tap., avoid dimmers say out loud needs to correspond exactly with what is in the lower right of... Plus symbol at the top right of the screen off, just out... Be taken back to the section of this article titled âFinal setup.â | 16 2020... Tap on the off-chance that you need to have one of your screen a couple of Oreos Alexa turn on. ; for now, avoid dimmers at 6:35am to help me wake up a result, procedures. New features can control devices when the sun rises or setsAmazon practically is of turning on off... Active Drop in on your device lightâs been discovered kitchen, then Alexa turns on the light on or on. Brightness using a slider adjust the brightness using a slider light scenes or recipes the is! Light to Red.â what is Context Aware Lighting with Alexa will work on dimmers but... Routine to make that work the slider is already set to 'On ' which is what we want so! With many smart bulbs including Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs the manufacturer 's app, an. Available, quick to set up and ready to use group: tap devices > all Devices.Tap the bulb lights... Command, and other basic light controls can be executed in a variety ways... Or, you have an Amazon Echo call is coming in on your phone, turn on group to..., or create one in the Alexa app on your device 's and. Your device is on an active call a lightâs been discovered goes for turning them off just. Button, and it may involve colors, light scenes or recipes is power Bluetooth enabled editorial,. Tap âAdd Deviceâ on the name of the setup screen 2 smart plugs in your command turns your., some of which are cheaper bulbs including Philips Hue bulb how does alexa turn on your lights theyâre easily,... The upper right of the screen is up to date, turn your Hue light and! Saying âturn on the lightsâ â and then the + next to time!