This article explains how to use Google Home to control Philips Hue-connected light bulbs and set them up by room groupings. Other smart lighting products are available, such as Kasa, LIFX, and GE. The process is generally the same with minor variations for different manufacturers.

What to Know

  • You need a Google Home smart speaker, smart light bulbs, and the Google Assistant app for iOS or Android to set up smart lights.Add your bulbs in the app by going to Explore > Compass > More > Settings > Home Control > Plus (+) > Phillips Hue.Group lights by rooms by going to Home > Rooms. Tap the pencil icon and select a room, then tap Done.

How to Connect Your Light Bulbs to Google Home

This process consists of finding and adding your bulbs to the Google Assistant app and assigning them to a room. Follow these steps:

  • Open the Google Assistant app.
  • In the Explore section, tap the compass icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  • Tap the three-dots icon in the upper-right corner.
  • Select Settings.
  • Scroll down to the Services section and choose Home Control.
  • Select the Plus icon (+) in the lower-right corner.
  • Scroll down and select Philips Hue.
  • Any other smart light bulbs you have also appear here.
  • Sign in to your Philips Hue account, and the lights you set up appear in the devices under Home Control.

How to Set Up Rooms

Once you’ve connected your lights to Google Home, group them by rooms to control them all at once.

Open the Google Assistant app.

In the Explore section, tap the compass icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Tap the three-dots icon in the upper-right corner.

Select Settings.

Scroll down to the Services section and choose Home Control.

Select the Plus icon (+) in the lower-right corner.

Scroll down and select Philips Hue.

Any other smart light bulbs you have also appear here.

Sign in to your Philips Hue account, and the lights you set up appear in the devices under Home Control.

Philips Hue bulbs need a hub, so if you don’t have any connected lights, Philips has starter kits for less than $50.

  • Under Home in the Google Assistant app, select Rooms.
  • You’re asked to assign lights to a room.
  • Choose the pencil icon next to the light, then select which room it belongs in.
  • Select Done in the upper-right corner.
  • If all went well, say, “Hey Google, turn on [or off] the [living room] light.”

Control Lights With Voice and Text

Once everything is set up, use voice commands to tell Google Home to perform various actions, such as turning lights on or off, dimming or brightening lights, setting a certain brightness level, changing the light color (supported bulbs only), and controlling all the lights in a room.

Under Home in the Google Assistant app, select Rooms.

You’re asked to assign lights to a room.

Choose the pencil icon next to the light, then select which room it belongs in.

Select Done in the upper-right corner.

If all went well, say, “Hey Google, turn on [or off] the [living room] light.”

Because Google Assistant is controlling your lights through a Google Home device, you can also control your lights using text. Instead of using the microphone through the Google Assistant app, tap the keyboard and type a command such as, “Turn on the kitchen lights.”

Now that your lights are connected to your Google Home, leave the light switch on. If you turn off the light switch, it stops providing power to the bulb. Leave the wall switch on, and ask Google to turn off the lights.

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