How To Reset A Philips Hue Smart Bulb - Android Police

Philips Hue products are among the best smart bulbs on the market, thanks to their reliability and ease of use. However, like any smart home product, they can run into issues, and resetting them might do the trick. In addition, you might want to reset them to pair them with another hub, as this is the process you'll follow to reconnect them. There isn't a real pairing mode with Hue lights, and your best bet is to remove them from the hub they're connected to.

In addition, you might run into issues when using Philips Hue products with Alexa and Google Assistant, so read on to see how to handle these.

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How to reset your Philips Hue smart lights using the Hue app

If you have a Hue Bridge handy, using it to reset your smart bulbs is the easiest option. The reset process means removing the light from the hub and reconnecting it, but it's not a factory reset, meaning you won't lose your settings. These steps work for Android devices as well as iPhones.

This is the process you'll follow to pair your bulb or light with another hub since there isn't another way to put Hue lights into pairing mode.

How to delete a Philips Hue light or bulb in the Hue app

Before you begin, download the Hue app and set up your smart home. Then, open the app to start the process.

  1. Open the Hue app.
  2. Go to the Settings tab at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Select Lights to show your available bulbs.
  4. Pickwhich light you'd like to reset.
  5. Scroll down to the bottom of that screen and tap Delete. Screenshot shows the main page of the Hue app where all the connected lights are listed.Screenshot shows the settings page for a specific light in the Hue app.Close
  6. Confirmthat you want to delete the light. Screenshot shows the 'Delete light' confirmation option in the settings for a specific light in the Hue app.Close

After you've completed these steps, you're ready for the second phase. All that's left is reconnecting the Philips Hue light or bulb to the bridge. The above steps automatically put the light or bulb in pairing mode, meaning it's ready to connect to another Zigbee hub, such as an Amazon Echo speaker, for example.

How to reconnect a Philips Hue light or bulb to a Hue bridge.

Now that your light is reset and disconnected from your system, you can reconnect it at your leisure. Follow these steps to do so:

  1. Open the Hue app.
  2. Go to the Settings tab at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Select Lights to show your available bulbs.
  4. Tap the blue + icon in the upper-right corner.
  5. Select Search to connect your bulb. If you can't find it, select Use serial number to add the bulb. The serial number is printed on the bulb's base, under the light, or at the back of the light. Screenshot shows the main page of the Hue app where all the connected lights are listed.Screenshot shows the 'Add lights' page in the Hue app. There are options for 'Use serial number' and 'Search'.Close
  6. Wait for the app to connect with the unassigned bulb.
  7. Select Start configuration when your light is found. Screenshot shows the 'Searching for lights...' buffering page in the Hue app. It shows the number of lights found and has a 'Start configuration' option.Screenshot shows the configuration page for a new light being added in the Hue app. It says 'Configure your light' with a few configuration options.Close

Completing both sets of steps means you've successfully reset your Philips Hue smart lights. There's a good chance this will solve the issue.

How to reset your Philips Hue lights with Alexa or Google Assistant

In most cases, users pair virtual assistants with smart bulbs so that they can say, "Turn on the living room" or "Let there be light." If you use Alexa or Google Assistant to control your smart lights, resetting your Philips Hue bulbs and lights looks slightly different.

How to reset your Philips Hue lights using Alexa

The process for Alexa users is similar to that of the Hue app.

  1. Open the Alexa app.
  2. Go to the Devices tab.
  3. Selectthe light or bulb you want to reset.
  4. Click the trash can icon in the upper-right corner. Screenshot shows the settings page for a specific light in the Alexa app.Screenshot shows the remote control page for a specific light in the Alexa app. There are options to turn on/off, adjust brightness, adjust color, and create a routine.Close
  5. Confirmthat you want to delete the light from your system. Screenshot shows the option to remove a specific light in its settings page in the Alexa app. The confirmation pop up shows options to 'Delete' or 'Cancel'.Close

After following these steps, you can reconnect your light or bulb as you initially did. You can either connect it to a Hue Bridge, as shown above, or link it to Alexa, as most Echo devices feature a built-in Zigbee hub,

How to reset your Philips Hue lights using Google Assistant

If you use your Hue bulbs and lights with Google Assistant, they're probably linked through a third-party service and connected to a Zigbee hub or a Hue Bridge. Before removing them from Google Assistant, make sure they work properly using the Hue app or your Zigbee bridge app. If they are, removing them from Google Assistant might help. There isn't a way to reset a single light. Instead, unlink Philips Hue from your Google account, which allows you to reconnect your whole setup if you want to start over. Here's how:

  1. Access the Google Home app.
  2. Log in to the correct Google account, which you can confirm by looking at the profile icon in the upper-right corner.
  3. Confirm you are in the correct home, which displays at the top of the app.
  4. Selectthe light or bulb you'd like to reset (you may need to scroll down, given the larger icons).
  5. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner. Screenshot shows the settings page for smart lights in the Google home app.Screenshot shows the remote control page for a specific light in the Google home app.Close
  6. Select Unlink Philips Hue from the menu that pops up.
  7. Confirm Unlink to complete the process. Screenshot shows the 'Device settings' page for a specific light in the Google home app.Screenshot shows the unlink option in the device settings page for a specific light in the Google home app. A pop-up says 'Unlink Phillips Hue?' with options to 'unlink' or 'cancel'.Close
  8. Select Philips Hue from the list of apps. Screenshot shows the list of apps that can be linked in the Google home 'Home control' page.Close
  9. Confirm that you want to unlink the account.

After you unlink your smart lights from your Google account, reconnect them using the same method you used to connect them.

Try the Matter smart home standard

Smart home hardware can be helpful for day-to-day life. It can also be fragmented and confusing. The Matter smart home standard is the industry's response to this problem. Project Chip developed this smart home standard, which the Connectivity Standards Alliance now maintains. If you often struggle with your smart home ecosystem, try Matter. It represents the first universal connectivity standard for smart homes. Many of the best new smart home devices are made with Matter compatibility in mind. Don't hesitate to use this tool and reduce the logistical headaches that can come with smart home hardware.

Light up your home with a smart lighting system

Philips Hue lights and bulbs are intuitive and high quality and can be paired with many other devices, including third-party Zigbee hubs and Echo speakers. With the above steps, you now know how to solve potential problems and pair your bulbs and lights with other hubs, saving you the hassle of using several at home.

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