The whole point of getting smart lights is so they can activate on their own without you needing to step in. Every smart light comes with its own native application that includes basic automations, like setting a schedule, or turning them off when you leave the house. We’re going to run through some of the ways you can activate these automations with the most popular smart light platforms available.
Philips Hue is one of the most popular smart lights available, and it has an entire menu within its app for automations. The easiest way to get started with them is to use one of the prebuilt automations (aka recipes). These include recipes for common use cases like waking up with light, going to sleep, and coming home. Here’s how to build an entirely customized schedule.
The Philips Labs has a wide selection of fancier automations that are worth digging into if you want to do something more complicated.
LIFX has a similar menu within its app. Here’s how to use it:
You can review the entire schedule by tapping the calendar icon in the top-right corner of the app. LIFX and most other smart bulbs plug into If This Then That (IFTTT), which can connect otherwise independent smart home systems. Be sure to dig into what’s possible with IFTTT to set up more advanced triggers and actions.
Wyze is a little trickier to set up since its app also houses functions for a wide range of products.
This larger ecosystem can interact seamlessly with one another, so, for example, a light can turn on when the security camera senses motion. Wyze also has a clever “Vacation” mode which turns on random lights while you’re away to give the impression that someone’s home. If you’re looking for more light recipe ideas, these are some of our favorites.
Setting your home lights to a schedule is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what you can do. Here are a few other ways in which you can automate your lights in surprising ways.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.
Quick Recap: Life with twins and a pile of bottles