FAQ list

How do I connect my Philips Hue lights to Google Home?

Whether you use Hue Bridge or Bluetooth with your Philips Hue lights, you can use the same method to connect your Hue lights to Google Home.

Open the Philips Hue app and go to Settings > Smart home > Google Assistant. Follow the on-screen instructions. Tap the Learn more button if you need further help.

Google Assistant doesn't understand my Philips Hue voice commands.

If you are having trouble with Google Assistant understanding you when trying to control your lights, we recommend renaming your lights to names that do not include numbers, special characters, or colors, as these can be misunderstood by Google Assistant.

Can I connect my Philips Hue Bluetooth-controlled lights to the Google Home app without a Bridge?

Yes! You'll need a Google Home or a Google Nest device to directly connect and control your Philips Hue lights with the Google Assistant.

Note: Only Google Home and Google Nest smart speakers and displays support Philips Hue Bluetooth. Third-party devices with Google Assistant built in to them do not support Philips Hue Bluetooth.

My Philips Hue lights in the Google Home app are not responding. What can I do?

If you have connected your Philips Hue lights to the Google Home app via the Bridge, make sure to check the following:

  1. Your lights are connected to power (via a wall plug or a traditional light switch set to the "on" position)
  2. Your lights are powered on
  3. Your Google speaker or display and the Philips Hue lights are set up on the same Wi-Fi network

If you have connected your Philips Hue lights to the Google Home app via Bluetooth, make sure to check the following:

  1. Your lights are connected to power (via a wall plug or a traditional light switch set to the "on" position)
  2. You've power cycled (turned on and off) your lights. Note that your lights can take up to one minute before fully power cycling and reconnecting to the Google Nest or Home device.
  3. Try the device in a different wall outlet. If you have a light, try it in a different lamp or socket.​
  4. If the above steps don’t work, you may need to factory reset your Philips Hue smart device and set up the device again.​​ For more information, please contact Customer Support.

How can I factory reset my Philips Hue Bluetooth bulb?

There are 3 ways to reset your Philips Hue Bluetooth bulb:

  1. Power cycle: Any Philips Hue Bluetooth-capable bulb, which you can see based on the Bluetooth logo being printed on the bulb, can be reset by switching the power on and off for 5 times, making sure the lamp is on between 5–10 seconds before powering off. After repeating 5 times, the bulb will blink to confirm the reset and return to its factory settings.
  2. Dimmer switch: If you have a Philips Hue dimmer switch, you can use it to reset your bulb. Power it off and on again, hold the dimmer switch in close proximity to the bulb (approx. 10 cm/4 in), and simultaneously press the on/off buttons for 10 seconds. Continue to press the buttons until the bulb stops blinking.
  3. Philips Hue App: Download the Philips Hue app and follow the steps to connect your bulb. Then, to reset the bulb in the app, open the Settings tab and go to Lights. Select your light and tap Delete at the bottom of the screen. This will delete the light from your Philips Hue System and factory reset it.

What is the go-to-sleep routine for Google Assistant and Philips Hue? How does it work?

When you say “Hey Google, sleep my lights”, your Philips Hue lights in the designated room(s) will change to warm white light and start to dim gradually from full brightness to off over 30 minutes, which can help you wind down before bed.

What is the wake-up routine for Google Assistant and Philips Hue? How does it work?

First say: “Hey Google, turn on gentle wake up.” Then, whenever you set a morning alarm via the Google Assistant (for example, by saying "Hey Google, wake me up at 6:30 am"), the Philips Hue Wake up automation starts 30 minutes prior to your alarm. Your alarm will go off at the set time.

 

Note that this functionality only works when set on a Google Nest smart speaker or display. Gentle wake up does not work when setting an alarm on your Android (or iOS) phone.