Device Control

We Love Lights gives you complete control over all your Philips Hue and Zigbee devices. This guide covers the basics of controlling lights, smart plugs, and other devices from both the menu bar and Studio window.

Types of Devices

We Love Lights supports various device types:

Lights

• Color Lights: Full RGB color control
• Color Temperature Lights: Adjustable white (warm to cool)
• Dimmable Lights: Brightness only (no color)
• On/Off Lights: Simple on/off switching

Other Devices

• Smart Plugs: Control connected appliances
• Motion Sensors: Detect movement and trigger automation
• Smart Switches: Physical buttons for scene control
• Status Sensors: Temperature, light level, etc.

Basic Light Control

Turning Lights On and Off

From Menu Bar

1. Click the We Love Lights icon
2. Find your light or room
3. Click the power icon to toggle

From Studio

1. Open Studio window
2. Select a light from the sidebar
3. Click the power toggle in the main area
4. Or press Space bar with light selected

Quick On/Off Tips

• Double-click a room to toggle all lights in it
• Use "All Off" action for emergency shutoff
• Create scenes for commonly used on/off patterns

Brightness Control

Adjust light intensity from 0% (off) to 100% (full brightness).

Using Brightness Slider

Menu Bar

1. Open menu and find your light/room
2. Click to expand if needed
3. Drag the brightness slider
4. Changes apply immediately

Studio

1. Select light in sidebar
2. Use the large brightness slider in main area
3. Drag left (dimmer) or right (brighter)
4. See exact percentage displayed

Brightness Shortcuts

• Click slider track: Jump to specific brightness
• Arrow keys: Fine-tune brightness up/down (in Studio)
• Keyboard shortcuts: Set up global hotkeys for brightness control

Brightness Tips

• 0% = Off: Setting brightness to zero turns light off
• 1% = Night Mode: Useful for very dim night lighting
• 100% = Maximum: Some lights may not appear much brighter above 80-90%
• Smooth Transitions: Lights transition smoothly, not instantly

Color Control

Control the color of your color-capable lights using multiple picker types.

Color Picker Types

We Love Lights offers several color pickers for different use cases:

Temperature Picker

Perfect for white/ambiance lights:

• Adjusts color temperature from warm (2000K) to cool (6500K)
• Warm: Orange/yellow tones, cozy feeling
• Cool: Blue/white tones, energizing feeling
• Drag slider or click temperature value

Hue/Saturation Picker

Classic color wheel:

• Hue: Choose color around the wheel (red, green, blue, etc.)
• Saturation: How vivid the color is (center=white, edge=pure color)
• Click anywhere on the wheel to select color
• Great for picking specific colors

RGB Picker

Direct RGB value entry:

• Enter specific Red, Green, Blue values (0-255)
• Useful for matching exact colors
• Supports hex color codes (#RRGGBB)
• Perfect for brand colors or precise matching

CIE 1931 Color Space Picker

Advanced color picker:

• Professional color space used by lighting industry
• Shows full gamut of light's color capability
• Most accurate color representation
• Best for technical users

Selecting Colors

From Menu Bar

1. Click on your light/room
2. Click the color indicator (colored circle)
3. Choose a picker type from tabs
4. Select your desired color
5. Click to apply

From Studio

1. Select light in sidebar
2. Color pickers appear in main area
3. Choose picker type (tabs at top)
4. Adjust color using selected picker
5. See live preview on actual light

Recent Colors

Both menu bar and Studio remember recently used colors:

• Quick access: Click recent color to reapply
• Color history: Last 10-20 colors saved
• Per-session: Clears when app restarts

Copying and Pasting Colors

Copy colors between lights:

1. Copy: Select a light, right-click, choose "Copy Color"
2. Paste: Select another light, right-click, choose "Paste Color"
3. Color and brightness transfer to new light

Or use keyboard shortcuts:

• ⌘ + C: Copy selected light's color
• ⌘ + V: Paste color to selected light

Controlling Groups and Rooms

Groups control multiple lights simultaneously.

Group Types

• Rooms: Physical rooms (e.g., "Living Room")
• Zones: Sections of rooms (e.g., "Kitchen Island")
• Custom Groups: Groups you create

Group Controls

When you control a group:

• Power: Turns all lights in group on/off together
• Brightness: Sets all lights to same brightness level
• Color: Applies same color to all color-capable lights

Individual Control Within Groups

Studio shows individual lights when you select a room:

1. Select room in sidebar
2. Main area shows all lights in the room
3. Control each light individually
4. Or use group controls at top for all at once

Multi-Selection

Control multiple devices simultaneously in Studio.

Selecting Multiple Devices

Method 1: Command-Click

1. Click first device
2. Hold ⌘ (Command)
3. Click additional devices
4. All selected devices highlight

Method 2: Shift-Click (Range)

1. Click first device in range
2. Hold Shift
3. Click last device in range
4. All devices in between are selected

Method 3: Select All

• ⌘ + A: Select all in current view

Multi-Selection Actions

With multiple devices selected:

• Toggle Power: Turn all on/off together
• Set Brightness: Apply same brightness to all
• Apply Color: Set all to same color
• Create Group: Make a new group from selection
• Create Scene: Save current state as scene

Multi-Selection Tips

• Works with lights only (not mixed device types)
• Actions apply to all selected simultaneously
• Individual device types may have limitations

Smart Plug Control

Control devices connected to smart plugs.

Turning Plugs On and Off

Smart plugs have simple on/off control:

Menu Bar

1. Find your smart plug in the menu
2. Click to toggle on/off
3. Status shows current state

Studio

1. Navigate to Plugs section in sidebar
2. Select your smart plug
3. Click the power toggle

Smart Plug Use Cases

• Lamps: Control non-smart lamps
• Fans: Turn ceiling fans on/off
• Coffee Makers: Automate morning coffee
• Seasonal Decorations: Control holiday lights
• Chargers: Save energy by turning off when not needed

Smart Plug Limitations

• Only on/off control (no dimming)
• No color or brightness settings
• Binary state: either on or completely off
• Can be used in scenes and automation

Device Status and Information

View detailed information about your devices.

Device Status Indicators

• On/Off: Current power state
• Brightness: Current brightness level
• Color: Current color setting
• Reachable: Whether device is responding
• Battery: Battery level for battery-powered devices

Viewing Device Details

In Studio:

1. Select any device
2. Look for "Device Info" or "Details" section
3. See complete information:
   • Model number
   • Firmware version
   • Unique ID
   • Bridge assignment
   • Last seen/updated time

Unreachable Devices

If a device shows as "unreachable":

• Device may be unplugged or out of range
• Try power cycling the device
• Check if device is too far from bridge
• See troubleshooting guide

Advanced Device Control

Transition Time

Control how quickly lights change:

• Instant: Immediate change (0 seconds)
• Quick: Fast transition (0.2-0.5 seconds)
• Smooth: Default transition (1-2 seconds)
• Slow: Gradual fade (3-5 seconds)

Some interfaces let you set transition time:

1. Look for transition or speed setting
2. Adjust seconds or select preset
3. Applies to next command

Alert/Blink Effect

Make a light flash to identify it:

1. Select the light
2. Right-click (or Control+click)
3. Choose "Identify" or "Blink"
4. Light flashes briefly

Useful for:

• Finding which physical light corresponds to device
• Testing if light is responding
• Getting attention in room

Power-On Behavior

Some lights remember their state:

• Last State: Returns to previous settings when powered on
• Default: Goes to specific brightness/color
• Off: Stays off until manually turned on

Configure in device settings (if supported by your bridge).

Device Organization

Keep your devices organized for easier control.

Renaming Devices

Give devices clear, meaningful names:

1. Select device in Studio
2. Click the name field
3. Type new name
4. Press Enter to save

Good naming examples:

• "Reading Lamp" instead of "Hue Color Lamp 1"
• "Kitchen Counter" instead of "Lightstrip Plus 3"
• "Bedroom Main" instead of "Color Bulb A19"

Assigning to Rooms

Put devices in appropriate rooms:

1. Select device in Studio
2. Look for "Room" or "Group" setting
3. Choose room from dropdown
4. Save changes

Devices can be in multiple zones but typically one primary room.

Hiding Devices

Hide devices you rarely use:

1. Right-click device
2. Select "Hide"
3. Device disappears from lists

Unhide later from Settings → Hidden Items.

Favorites

Mark frequently used devices:

1. Select or hover over device
2. Click star icon to favorite
3. Favorites appear at top of lists

Tips for Effective Device Control

Speed Tips

1. Use scenes: Faster than adjusting multiple devices
2. Favorite frequently used: Quick access to common lights
3. Keyboard shortcuts: Skip the mouse entirely
4. Menu bar for quick tasks: Faster than opening Studio
5. Group similar lights: Control multiple as one

Organization Tips

1. Clear naming: Know what you're controlling instantly
2. Logical grouping: Group by function or location
3. Hide unused: Reduce clutter in interface
4. Consistent naming: Use same conventions throughout

Workflow Tips

1. Create scenes for moods: Morning, evening, movie, work
2. Use groups for areas: Control whole spaces at once
3. Automate with sensors: Lights turn on/off automatically
4. Remote access: Control when away from home

Troubleshooting Device Control

Device Not Responding

Problem: Commands don't affect the device

Solutions:

• Check device is powered on
• Verify device is in range of bridge
• Try power cycling the device
• Check bridge connection
• Use "Identify" to see if device responds at all

Color Not Accurate

Problem: Colors don't look as expected

Solutions:

• Remember: different bulb models have different color gamuts
• Try different color picker (CIE 1931 most accurate)
• Check bulb supports full color (not just white)
• Some colors are impossible for lights to produce exactly

Delayed Response

Problem: Lights respond slowly to commands

Solutions:

• Check network connection quality
• Reduce distance between bridge and lights
• Avoid sending too many commands too quickly
• Use local connection instead of remote when possible

Brightness Won't Change

Problem: Slider moves but brightness stays same

Solutions:

• Check light is actually on first
• Try turning off and on again
• Verify light supports dimming (not just on/off)
• Check if light is at minimum/maximum already

Next Steps

Master device control? Continue learning:

1. Groups & Zones - Organize devices into groups
2. Lights - Deep dive into light control
3. Scenes - Create lighting scenes
4. Smart Plugs - Advanced plug management
5. Automation - Automate device control

---

Questions? Visit the FAQ or troubleshooting guide.