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Philips Hue just solved a major problem for smart lighting users
- The Philips Hue app has introduced multi-bridge support, allowing users to link multiple Hue Bridges into a single home system.
- This means you can manage all your Hue lights, regardless of which Bridge they’re connected to, from a single “Home” within the app.
- Previously, users had to manage each Bridge separately, making it cumbersome for homes with multiple hubs.
Philips Hue, a leading name in smart lighting known for its wide compatibility with various smart home platforms, has just made a significant upgrade to its system. While many Hue products offer Bluetooth connectivity for standalone use, they shine brightest when paired with the Philips Hue Smart Hub (commonly called the Hue Bridge). For those with extensive Hue setups spanning larger areas or multiple floors, relying on two or more Hue Bridges has been a common solution.
However, managing these separate bridges often meant juggling between different “Homes” within the Philips Hue app. That’s all changing with the latest update to the Philips Hue app. As of version 5.31, users can now link multiple Hue Bridges within a single home setup in the app, enabling unified control over all connected lights. (h/t: Hue Blog)
The multi-bridge functionality wasn’t heavily advertised. Instead, it quietly rolled out with the app update, with no specific mention in the App Store release notes. To take advantage of this new functionality, start by updating your Philips Hue app to version 5.31 or later. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Navigate to the settings menu in the Hue app.
- Under the “Living areas” section, you’ll see a message reading: “Do several Homes actually form a single Home? You can now place the Bridges together in one Home, which makes control much easier.” Tap on this prompt to begin the setup.
- The app will guide you through an automated migration process. Select the Bridge you want to add to your main “Home.”
The migration will leave the secondary Bridge operational but remove its previous “Home” designation, consolidating everything under one unified home system. Once this is done, you can then arrange the rooms and zones from both Bridges to suit your preferences.
It’s worth noting that if the Bridge you’re migrating is linked to a Hue Secure system, you’ll need to temporarily disconnect the Secure cameras and re-add them later.
While the multi-bridge support is a significant step forward, it does have some limitations as of now. Full integration with Amazon Alexa for homes with multiple bridges is not yet available, and controlling lights on one Bridge using switches and sensors from another bridge is also not currently supported.
Nevertheless, the report mentions that some advanced features already work seamlessly with this multi-Bridge support. For instance, triggering a light alarm via the Hue app or a Secure accessory can activate lights across all connected Bridges, ensuring house-wide coverage for security alerts.
We can expect Philips to address the current limitations in future updates, further enhancing the multi-Bridge experience. For now, users with extensive Hue setups can rejoice in the newfound convenience of controlling all their lights more seamlessly.