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: You need to add the devices to a specific room in order for them to be grouped together. Amazon sells its own smart plug for £24.99 / $24.99, and there are lots of others, some of which are cheaper. 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. There are many brands of smart light bulbs, and as a result, setup procedures may differ from brand to brand. 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. 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. Do this by tapping on the device in the list, then tapping on the cog icon (top right) and then tapping Edit Name. âAlexa, lights on.â âMake the light cooler/warmer. 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. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. To do so, you'll need a specific hub designed to work with entertainment devices. Before you can turn a light on, you must install and set up your light bulb, plug or switch. No More Rings. 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. Tap Routines and then the + icon (shown below, second left). But she isnât. Many bulbs will work on dimmers, but older dimmers canât handle the current requirements of LED lamps. Whichever method you use, the way to control compatible lights, plugs and switches with Alexa is the same. These are the best smart plugs to buy. You can also set Alexa to turn the light on or off on a schedule. How to turn off Alexa Echo light ring. "Set the light to soft white." The app should show a screen that indicates itâs connecting with the bulb via Bluetooth. © Copyright 2021 IDG Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved. At the top of the Devices screen, there are some buttons. You ⦠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. The microphone has been turned off and Alexa is not actively listening for your commands. If you have an older Hue bulb, you might need to install the hardware bridge that probably came with the bulb. Alexa works with many smart bulbs including Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs. This is done by just a voice command, and it may involve colors, light scenes or recipes. I picked a Philips Hue bulb because theyâre easily available, quick to set up, and well supported. 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. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. Tap âDone.â. For more information, see our ethics policy. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. We're big fans of these because they're high quality, reliable and offer lots of features. 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. Turning on and off your lights, brightening and dimming, and other basic light controls can be executed in a variety of ways. Select Do Not Disturb and enable it. 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. Tap on the plus symbol at the top right of the screen. 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. It is possible that youâll have to download another app and go through an installation process at this point; follow those instructions closely. They come in white and colour versions, with the latter costing more, but still able to produce good whites as well as bright colours. Hereâs some ideas to get you started. Step 1, Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. What is needed to control lights with Alexa? Continuous Spinning White Light â Alexa Guard is on in the âAway Settingâ. Note that you'll need a compatible smart light, smart switch or a smart plug ($25 at Amazon) for this to work. Alexa glowing white? What is Context Aware Lighting with Alexa? Once Alexa knows which devices are in which room it's easier to control them. 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]. You can also set lights (or anything else) to switch off at sunrise. Turn your lights on and off with Alexa and Routines. Yes she can. Same goes for turning them off, just switch out âonâ for âoffâ in your command. 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. 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 it, because it means that Alexaâs installed your light all by itself. Open the Alexa app on your phone, turn on the light, and wait a few seconds. If the process fails, just try it again. 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. To get rid of it, just listen ⦠These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. Again, this is applicable if you have already added your devices to your Alexa app. Here's how to do it. ; Create a lighting group: Tap Devices > plus sign > Add Group.Name the group and choose the devices to include. 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 ⦠This means, that in order to use the utterance, âAlexa, turn on all the lights,â you should have an Alexa enabled group. Tap on Add Group at the bottom of the screen. The best part is that it costs only €11 from Shelly's website, and will control all ceiling lights attached to that switch. 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. Shelly makes tiny Wi-Fi switches which should fit into the back boxes of a wall switch (or even a ceiling rose). My favorite Alexa routine turns my lights on every morning at 6:35am to help me wake up. Tap Select next to 'At Time' and pick when you want the light(s) to turn on. 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. 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. 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. 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. NEW: You can now easily set smart lights to gradually brighten or dim over a desired time ramp as part of a routine! For example, you can tell Alexa to turn off all the lights in the bedroom since that is one group/room. Tap the appropriate icon to get to the setup screen. Tap the âDevicesâ tab at the lower right corner of your screen. If yours isnât among them, tap âLight,â and then tap on the brand of light youâre trying to install. If youâre just starting out, it might be a good idea to keep it simple for your first step into creating a smart home. How do I control groups of lights with Alexa? "Alexa, lights on." If someone has left you a text message using Alexa from a phone or another Echo, your device may also have a yellow ring. It is available on Android, iOS and Amazon Fire tablets. A general fix for all the light rings would be activating do not disturb mode on your Amazon Echo. As always, what you say out loud needs to correspond exactly with what is in the Alexa app. âSet the light to Red.â Tap on the name of the light, and youâll get a screen that lets you adjust the brightness using a slider. When my alarm goes off at 6 a.m. each day, my living room lights also turn on. He also covers electric bikes, dash cams and smart home tech. Connect a bulb or switch: In the Alexa app, tap Devices > All Devices.Tap the bulb or switch you want to connect. 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. Oh, and just on the off-chance that you need to, here's how to update your Echo's software. If you are in the bedroom, then Alexa turns on your bedroom lamps. "Alexa, dim main lights to 50%." 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. 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 How does Alexa Guard work? 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⦠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. Alexa can turn on the exact lights you want just by saying âturn on the lightsâ. Here we've chosen to control the Dining Room group, and the only option available (below, middle) is power. Once youâre sure your software is up to date, turn your Hue light off and then on again. For example, you can now walk into your bedroom and tell Alexa to âturn the lights onâ. Sheâll know which lights you mean, without you having to say âturn the bedroom lights onâ. Tap the Devices label in the lower right corner of the screen. Once that new Routine is saved, your lights will turn on and off at the times you have set. With the right additional hardware, you can get Alexa to turn individual bulbs or whole groups of lights on and off. "Make the light warmer/cooler." The slider is already set to 'On' which is what we want, so just tap Next. That is, unless if youâve got an Echo Plus, Echo Show, or. Open the Alexa app on your phone, turn on the light, and wait a few seconds. The Shelly 1 is about the size of a couple of Oreos. Then press the âDiscover Devicesâ button at the bottom of the setup screen. Tap the plus sign at the upper right of the Devices screen, then tap âAdd Deviceâ on the menu that pops up. Learn more. Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. 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. Follow the steps steps below to turn on / adjust your lights (or any Alexa smart home device like an Alexa plug, thermostat, etc.). Then tap Next at the top. Alexa's new features can control devices when the sun rises or setsAmazon. Say âAlexa, turn on GROUP NAMEâ to turn on a specific light. This is in either the upper left corner of your screen or lower right ⦠You can also get Alexa-compatible wall switches from third-party manufacturers including Lightwave RF and Energenie MiHome. You will want to rename it with a friendly name that's both easy to remember and simple enough that Alexa can understand. Alexaâ¦turn on the lights. Tap on Settings, followed by Device Settings. 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. However, the most common commands consist of turning on or off lights. You simply need to create a Routine to make that work. Or, you're on an active Drop In on your device. You can now skip down to the section of this article titled âFinal setup.â. If you don't have access to the phone or tablet, you can also say "Alexa, turn on Do Not Disturb." Launch the Alexa app on your iPhone or iPad. If you want this to repeat on certain days, tap Select next to Repeat and choose which days. Say you have 2 smart plugs in your living room connected to 2 lights like me. Alexa smart light colors come in 123 different shades and hues. What this means is that you need to have one of your echos/Alexas in the group with all of your lights. Ready? 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. 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. 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 can turn the lights on and off, like your front porch or living room light. You'll be taken back to the NEW ROUTINE screen where you need to tap the + next to Add action. Newer Hue bulbs, from the second half of 2019 onward, are Bluetooth enabled and have the Bluetooth logo on the bulb and the box. When it finally works, youâll see a screen that tells you that a lightâs been discovered. Push the microphone button to turn it back on. At the upper right corner, thereâs a gear icon that opens a screen offering information about the bulb and lets you rename the device. 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. Deploying smart home technology is one of the more appealing promises of voice control systems like Alexa. At this point, I was asked if the bulb is Bluetooth enabled. Connect a smart hub: In the Alexa app tap More > Skills & Games.Find your device's skill and tap Enable. A pulsing green light means that a call is coming in on your device. Plus, by using Routines you can make them turn on and off automatically at set times. Hereâs how to set it up. 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. 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. Wall-mounting was the only option. 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 In some cases you'll need to install the manufacturer's app, create an account and set up the device there first. 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. "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. 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. Can Alexa turn lights on and off on a schedule? Choose your Amazon Echo from the list of devices. If youâre not that lucky, you have a little setup to do. Once this is done, you can say, "Alexa, turn on Dining Room" and all devices in that group will be switched on. To get started, you need the Alexa app. There are buttons for some popular device brands and protocols along the top. Finally, tap Save at the top and your Routine will be stored and run at the specified time. So the first job was to start dotting the Dots about the place so she practically is. Tap the âDevicesâ tab at the lower right corner of your screen. The bulb may flash. Now, when you tap on that âLightsâ button, youâll see a list of all smart bulbs youâve set up to work with Alexa. 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