A Philips Hue light is programmed to turn on in a warm white color by default. This can be a problem in some cases; for instance, if your power goes out in the middle of the night, the last thing you need is for all of your lights to turn on when the power comes back on.
To overcome this problem, Philips initiated power-on behavior in 2018.
Each smart light bulb can be customized in color, temperature, and output. When the light bulbs are turned on for the first time, their power-on behavior is described. You can also set the bulb to ‘power loss recovery,’ which will reset it to its original settings.
Instead of connecting to the Hue Bridge, the power-on behavior is saved on the bulb itself, allowing it to restart the same settings right away.
I’ll describe how to configure power-on behavior for your smart lights with the various parameters and address some inquiries in this post.
Why Should You Use “Power-On Behaviour”?
There are two basic scenarios in which the power-on behavior will be beneficial;
Turning off the electricity by accident using a standard light switch
It’s harder to recall not using the old light switches; it’s a personal trait. You’ll probably turn them on/off now and then if you haven’t tried to cover or remove them, which cuts electricity to the bulb. This won’t affect power-on behavior because you can turn the switch back on before using a voice command or Philips Hue switch.
Power outage
When power is restored after a power outage, power-on behavior ensures that the bulbs revert to their previous state.
How to Set Up Power-On Behaviour
Because it would not function with a V1 bridge, power-on behavior can only perform with Philips Hue bulbs paired to a Hue Bridge V2.
Here’s how to change the way your Philips bulbs turn on;
- Head to Philips hue app
- Select SETTINGS and then click “power-on behavior.”
- Pick the light you intend to fix.
- Choose from ‘default’, ‘power loss recovery’, or ‘custom’.
Your Philips Hue lights will default when you initially set them up. The following are the definitions for each of these features;
- Default: This is warm white on maximum brightness
- Power loss recovery setting: When there is a power loss, the light returns to brightness and color before the power interruption.
- Custom: When power is restored, select brightness and color to return to.
When Does Power-On Behaviour Become Active?
When the power to the bulbs is interrupted and then restored, the power-on behavior is engaged.
On the other hand, the bulbs are designed to turn to full brightness if there are numerous power losses in a short time (i.e., power is cut twice inside a 12-second timeframe).
This allows you to utilize your Hue bulbs as conventional light bulbs with a light switch if other hardware (such as Wi-Fi or the Hue Bridge) fails during a power outage.
You can simulate this to test how your bulbs react by fast switching the light on and off at the switch.
Third-Party Bulbs and Power-On Behavior
Other third-party smart bulbs (e.g., Ikea Tradfri) attached to your Hue app will not operate with power-on behavior.
When you try to configure these in the settings menu, it simply says that the equipment is not authorized.
Debugging Hue Power On the behavior
Here are some possible reasons why your Hue bulbs’ power loss behavior isn’t working;
When a bulb is in power loss recovery mode, it takes 7 seconds to store the latest light level. Allow this interval before powering off the switch if you’re trying out power loss recovery at home.
Philips Hue bulbs are the only ones that have power-on behavior. If you have third-party bulbs, even if they’re linked to a Hue Bridge, it won’t work.
If you have older bulbs, make sure they have the newest software and run the app’s most recent version.
The bulbs are intended to turn to 100% brightness if power is activated repeatedly, utilizing them as dumb lights. Power resumption surges, even if only for a short millisecond, could induce power-on behavior to change. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can be done about it.
If the power-on behavior doesn’t work, try the following fixes;
Try deleting the bulb from the Hue app and then re-adding it. Go to the menu bar and click ‘light set-up,’ then the bulb you want to change. To uninstall it, tap ‘delete’ and repeat the set-up procedures.
If the Hue Bridge’s power-on behavior persists, the final option is to factory reset it. Deactivate your Philips Hue bridge from the internet and tap and hold the reset button on the base for 5 seconds with a needle or pin. Take note that you’ll have to reconnect and establish the complete Philips Hue network if you do this.
Related Questions
Is it possible to choose a custom color for my whole room or home?
No, you can change the color of each light separately. It will be saved as soon as you assign this hue to a lamp. You could use color schemes on the top left of the screen to choose the very same color on several lights if you want them to be the same color when they’re turned on.
What happens if the electricity is reinstated at midnight following a power cut?
The lamps will turn on because that was their previous state. Individual lamps have no concept of time, and it is presently not feasible to set distinct power on behaviors for specific periods.
Will schedules like “Go to sleep” and “Wake up” work?
No. When the light is turned off, the light effect stops. If you switch the lights back on, the light effect will restore to its final condition. This signifies that it will go to full brightness for a “Wake up.” It will go to the lowest brightness level for “Go to sleep.”
What are the requirements for using this feature?
This function can be found on every official Hue lamp that has ever been launched. This feature is accessible via a free software update for your Hue bridge and Hue lamps. Ensure your bridge and Hue bulbs are both up to date.
Is the luminaires’ recovery mode available?
The luminaires also include a recovery mode; however, it may be tough to activate. For most of these luminaires, technical restrictions make it extremely difficult to determine when the power to the luminaire has been removed due to energy that stays in the internal circuitry. As a result, it may take up to 10 seconds for the luminaire to lose powerfully.
How long must there be between power interruptions before recovery mode is triggered?
The identification of the recovery mode has been improved after thorough testing. If the light is turned off and on twice in 15 seconds, the recovery mode will be activated. The recovery mode may only be activated in highly unusual circumstances.
When and how should I utilize which installation setting?
The ‘power on behavior’ feature allows you to customize your Hue lights to your specific needs. If you’re unsure how to utilize Philips Hue, stick with the Philips Hue default settings because they provide the most consistent and predictable results.
If your power source has recurrent power dips, we suggest setting the Hue lights to “Power fail robustness.” This will restore the condition of your Hue lights before the power outage. This can also be a beneficial setting if you’re going to be away from home for an extended time.
Is it possible to select one option for a power loss and another for the wall switch?
Your house’s light points can be adjusted to two “power on behaviors”: Power loss recovery or Philips Hue default. You can configure it per lamp for simplicity and customize the overall system to your preferences.
When I configure it to ‘Power loss recovery’ when there is a power dip, my light flickers. What options do I have?
It is observed on a small set of devices in a few cases. The light will turn off as quickly as possible. However, this will result in a brief flash. We can only advise you not to utilize ‘Power loss recovery’ for that device if this problem happens.
I have set my lights to ‘power loss recovery’ and turned them off using a wall switch, but they return to their default settings.
If the light is on the same color set-up for 7 seconds, the light will store its current color set-up. After modifying color set-ups using the app, you must wait 7 seconds to save the light status. After that, you can power cycle the light to restore it to its previous state.
I have a ‘Living Whites’ product that says there is a software update, but none when I access the software update.
Unfortunately, no software upgrades will be available because the Living White products are not essentially part of the Philips Hue line. As a result, the Power-on behavior will be unavailable for these devices.
Default startup of beyond/phoenix/living color has changed
There were a few light varieties with specific power-on behaviors. When the upgrade to support power-on behavior is sent out, all bulbs and lamps have the same settings. If you’ve modified the settings and want to go back to the factory defaults, factory reset the light and integrate it into your Hue system again. Don’t make any changes to how those bulbs and lamps turn on.
I am John Kouchek, the founder of Own The Smart Home. I am passionate about making homes smarter and more efficient. I have a degree in Robotics and Automation (MSc) and have worked in the home automation industry for over 10 years. Learn More!