If you take an Amazon Repeat, you tin apply Alexa for a lot more than merely asking what the weather'south going to be like, setting timers and listening to music.

With the right additional hardware, yous can get Alexa to plow individual bulbs or whole groups of lights on and off. Plus, by using Routines you tin can brand them turn on and off automatically at set times.

Hither we'll explain what you demand in terms of required hardware as well as how to get in work with Alexa and how to ready upwardly routines via the Alexa app for iOS and Android.

What is needed to control lights with Alexa?

  • Smart plug, or
  • Smart light seedling, or
  • Smart wall switch
  • A device with Alexa born or the Alexa app

Yous need at least i piece of hardware from this list that is compatible with Alexa earlier you tin control a light, along with the latest version of the Alexa app and/or an Amazon Echo or another device that has Alexa built-in.

Alexa works with many smart bulbs including Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs. We're big fans of these because they're high quality, reliable and offer lots of features. They come in white and colour versions, with the latter costing more than, but withal able to produce skillful whites as well as bright colours.

How to control lights with your Amazon Echo

However, even the cheapest Wi-Fi bulbs can be expensive, so if you don't want to splash out on new lights, you can instead buy smart switches that are uniform with Alexa.

Amazon sells its ain smart plug for £24.99 / $24.99, and there are lots of others, some of which are cheaper. These are the all-time smart plugs to buy.

Control lights with Alexa - Smart Plug

Y'all can too get Alexa-uniform wall switches from third-party manufacturers including Lightwave RF and Energenie MiHome. Note that - similar Philips Hue - these both require a 'hub' which plugs into your router: they don't talk directly to it using Wi-Fi. If you lot don't desire to mess effectually with a hub for a single smart plug, we'd recommend the budget-friendly, Alexa-compatible TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug.

Obviously this is no adept for ceiling lights every bit it will only turn on and off lamps which plug into a mains socket, but there's a solution to that, as well. Shelly makes tiny Wi-Fi switches which should fit into the back boxes of a wall switch (or even a ceiling rose).

The Shelly 1 is almost the size of a couple of Oreos. The all-time role is that information technology costs only €11 from Shelly's website, and will control all ceiling lights fastened to that switch.

Shelly 1 wi-fi switch

Whichever method you use, the way to command compatible lights, plugs and switches with Alexa is the same. Here's how to practise it.

How practise yous turn lights on with Alexa?

To go started, y'all need the Alexa app. It is available on Android, iOS and Amazon Fire tablets. Yous'll probably have the app already if you accept an Amazon Echo.

Before y'all tin can turn a low-cal on, you must install and gear up your light seedling, plug or switch. In some cases you'll demand to install the manufacturer's app, create an account and set up up the device at that place start.

Once that's done, open the Alexa app and follow these steps:

  1. Tap onDevices at the bottom
  2. Now tap on the + icon at the meridian right
  3. Tap 'Add together Device'
  4. Select the type of device you lot are setting upwards (Low-cal, Plug or Switch)
  5. Choose the brand from the list
  6. Follow the instructions on screen

Yous volition have to link the business relationship for the device (such as a Philips or TP-Link account) with your Amazon account and authorise the Alexa app to use that business relationship.

How to control lights with Alexa

Once your plug, switch or light is gear up you should be able to run across information technology when y'all tap on Lights, Plugs or Switches on the Devices screen in the Alexa app.

You will want to rename information technology with a friendly name that's both piece of cake to remember and unproblematic enough that Alexa can understand. Practice this by tapping on the device in the list, then tapping on the cog icon (top right) and so tapping Edit Name. Only similar this:

How to control lights with Alexa

It's best to utilise short, single-give-and-take names, only you can experiment and alter the name if it isn't understood by Alexa.

To turn on a calorie-free with Alexa, the simplest command is:

  • "Alexa, turn on [name of light]"

If your lite or switch supports dimming or changing colours, you tin can as well say:

  • "Alexa, make the front calorie-free majestic"
  • "Alexa, dim the living room"
  • "Alexa, brand the kitchen brighter"

Y'all can also control lights and other smart gadgets from a Fire tablet.

How practise I control groups of lights with Alexa?

  1. Get to Devices in the Alexa app
  2. Tap the + icon, elevation right
  3. Tap Create a room or device group
  4. Tap Next
  5. Pick from the pre-defined room names or add a customised proper name for the group
  6. Tap on the devices y'all desire to be in the group
  7. Tap Side by side
  8. Add together any Alexa devices or skip the pace
  9. Save your room

Once Alexa knows which devices are in which room information technology's easier to control them. Calculation an Amazon Echo to the group is very useful if you accept more than than one Echo as it let you to - for example - walk into the living room and say "Alexa, turn on the lights" and she will sympathise what you mean because you have grouped the Echo in that room with the smart bulbs in that same room.

Once this is done,  y'all tin can say, "Alexa, plow on Dining Room" and all devices in that group will be switched on.

Can Alexa turn lights on and off on a schedule?

Yep she can. You merely need to create a Routine to brand that work. You can create as many Routines every bit you desire, and they can control individual lights, or groups of lights.

To make a new Routine, tap the 3 lines at the top-left of the app, or swipe in from the left to open the master carte.

Tap Routines and and so the + icon (shown below, 2d left). Now tap the + to the correct of 'When this happens' and choose Schedule from the five triggers.

How to control lights with Amazon Echo

Tap Select next to 'At Fourth dimension' and selection when you want the lite(southward) to turn on. If you want this to repeat on sure days, tap Select adjacent to Repeat and cull which days. And then tap Next at the peak.

How to control lights with Amazon Echo

You'll be taken back to the NEW ROUTINE screen where you demand to tap the + next to Add action. From the list, choose Smart Home, and so either pick Control device or Control group depending upon whether you want only ane light to turn on, or multiple lights at the aforementioned time.

Here nosotros've called to control the Dining Room group, and the but option available (beneath, middle) is power. The slider is already set to 'On' which is what we want, so but tap Side by side. Finally, tap Save at the acme and your Routine volition be stored and run at the specified time.

How to control lights with Amazon Echo

If you want the same lights to turn off at a later on time, create some other Routine with a schedule set to a fourth dimension that's later than the time the lights are set to turn on, but this time tap the slider to 'off' on the screen which says Power. Once that new Routine is saved, your lights volition turn on and off at the times yous take set.

Oh, and but on the off-chance that yous demand to, hither'south how to update your Echo's software.