Smart home

How to Set Up Philips Hue Without Bridge

By The IFTTT Team

January 23, 2023

  • Philips Hue Bulbs are special light bulbs that you can control with your phone. To use them, you usually need something called a "Hue Bridge". But if you only have one or two Philips Hue Bulbs, then you do not need the Hue bridge. You can just directly connect those bulbs to your home's wifi network instead.

    A Philips Hue Bridge is a device that allows users to control their Philips Hue lights from a single central hub. It connects to an Internet-connected router and acts as the ‘brain’ of the system, enabling users to access and configure their lights from anywhere in the world. The Hue bridge also provides access to advanced features such as scheduling. You don't necessarily need a Philips Hue bridge to automate and connect multiple Hue lights together. You can use IFTTT as the central hub tieing your Hue lights with all of your other smart home devices. Haven't signed up for IFTTT? It's quick, easy and free. Join today!

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    Table of Contents

    • How to set up Philips Hue light bulbs using the Philips Hue Bluetooth app
    • How to set up Philips Hue light bulbs using Amazon Alexa
    • How to find Philips Hue lights automations and integration using IFTTT

    How to set up Philips Hue bulbs using the Hue Bluetooth app

    __1. Make sure your Philip Hue bulbs have Bluetooth capabilities __

    To use the Philips Hue app, you need to have Philips Hue light bulbs with Bluetooth capabilities. This will let you use the app to control your bulbs. You should see the Bluetooth icon on your box or device.

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    2. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the device

    If you're on an iPhone, go to settings > Bluetooth > Toggle On

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    If you're on an Android device, swipe down from thetop of the screen, then touch and hold the Bluetooth icon.

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    1. Install Your Philips Hue bulbs and make sure they are turned on

    To install the Philips Hue bulbs, first ensure the desired lights are turned off and then unscrew the lightbulb that is currently in place. After that, carefully screw in the new Philips Hue bulb and make sure it is securely fastened - use a cloth to avoid any fingerprints from getting on the bulb. Once the bulbous securely fastened flip the light switch on.

    1. Download Philips Hue Bluetooth app

    To download the Philips Hue Bluetooth app, users should ensure that their device has an updated operating system and then search for the app in their respective app store. For iPhone users, this can be done by going to the App Store, searching for "Philips Hue" and downloading the correct application (pictured below).

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    To download the Philips Hue app on an Android device, users should first ensure their device is running an up-to-date version of the operating system. Then, search for the app in the Google Play Store by typing in 'Philips Hue' and selecting the appropriate app (pictured below). Next, tap the install button.

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    How to find Philips Hue automations and integration using IFTTT

    Philips Hue lights integrate with the hundreds of services on IFTTT to make your home more inviting, more comfortable, and more you.

    Philips Hue lights and Hue bulbs can connect to lots of services on IFTTT. This means you can make your home more comfortable and personal with custom Philips Hue Applets. You need to create an IFTTT account first. Then you can use it to do things like turn the lights on when you arrive home, turn them off when you leave, change the color of the lights for special occasions, or even dim them for movie nights. It's really fun!

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    Click here to learn all of the Philips Hue automations you can do with IFTTT. You don't need a Hue bridge if you download the IFTTT app and connect your Philips Hue smart bulbs to all of your other smart home devices.

    Use IFTTT to make the most of your Philips Hue bulbs

    For those who don't want to connect their Philips Hue bluetooth bulbs to the Hue Bridge, the Bluetooth App offer great alternatives. With a Bluetooth-enabled device, users can control up to 10 bulbs within a 30-foot radius.

    Philips Hue bluetooth bulbs are highly customizable and can be integrated with a variety of apps and services to make your home even smarter. Using IFTTT, you can easily connect your Philips Hue bulbs with SMS and many other apps to create exciting automations and behaviors.

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