Light Control

We Love Lights provides sophisticated control over your Philips Hue and Zigbee lights with multiple color selection methods, precise brightness control, and advanced features for the perfect lighting experience.

Light Types

Understanding your light types helps you know what controls are available.

Color Lights (RGB/RGBW)

• Full color spectrum: Access millions of colors
• White ambiance: Full range of white temperatures
• Brightness control: 0-100% dimming
• Most flexible: All control options available

Examples: Hue Color bulbs, Lightstrip Plus, Hue Go

Color Temperature Lights (White Ambiance)

• Adjustable white: Warm to cool white spectrum
• Temperature range: Typically 2000K-6500K
• Brightness control: Full dimming capability
• No colors: Only whites available

Examples: Hue White Ambiance, Hue Lightstrip (white only)

Dimmable White Lights

• Single white color: Fixed color temperature
• Brightness only: No color or temperature adjustment
• Most affordable: Basic smart lighting

Examples: Hue White bulbs, many third-party Zigbee bulbs

On/Off Only Lights

• Binary control: Either on or off
• No dimming: Full brightness when on
• Rare in Hue: More common with older Zigbee devices

Brightness Control

Basic Brightness Adjustment

Using Sliders

Menu Bar:

1. Click We Love Lights icon
2. Find your light
3. Drag the brightness slider (0-100%)
4. Light adjusts in real-time

Studio:

1. Select light from sidebar
2. Use large brightness slider in main area
3. See exact percentage displayed
4. Fine-tune with arrow keys if supported

Quick Brightness Levels

Common brightness settings:

• 1-5%: Night light, minimal visibility
• 10-20%: Ambient lighting, evening relaxation
• 30-50%: Normal lighting, comfortable levels
• 60-80%: Task lighting, work environments
• 90-100%: Maximum brightness, detailed work

Advanced Brightness Features

Precise Control

Get exact brightness values:

1. Click on percentage number (if clickable)
2. Type exact value (e.g., "73")
3. Press Enter to apply

Or use increment buttons:

• +/- buttons: Adjust by 10% increments
• Fine adjustment: Hold Shift for 1% increments
• Keyboard arrows: Up/down for fine control

Brightness Matching

Copy brightness from one light to another:

1. Select source light
2. Copy brightness (⌘+C or right-click menu)
3. Select target light(s)
4. Paste brightness (⌘+V or right-click menu)

Color Temperature Control

For white ambiance and color lights.

Temperature Picker

The temperature picker shows a gradient from warm to cool:

Warm White (2000K-3000K)

• Orange/yellow tones
• Cozy, relaxing atmosphere
• Evening, bedroom, living areas
• Resembles candlelight or sunset

Neutral White (3500K-4500K)

• Balanced white tone
• Natural, comfortable lighting
• General use, any time of day
• Similar to daytime indoor lighting

Cool White (5000K-6500K)

• Blue-white, crisp tone
• Energizing, focus-enhancing
• Work areas, kitchens, bathrooms
• Resembles daylight or overcast sky

Using Temperature Picker

1. Select a light in Studio or menu bar
2. Choose Temperature tab in color picker
3. Drag slider from warm (left) to cool (right)
4. Or click directly on desired temperature
5. Light changes immediately

Temperature Values

• Kelvin (K): Standard temperature measurement
• Mireds: Alternative measurement used by some bridges
• Both show same color, different numbers
• We Love Lights displays both if supported

Temperature Shortcuts

Quick temperature presets:

• Relax: ~2200K warm amber
• Concentrate: ~4300K cool white
• Energize: ~6500K daylight
• Read: ~2700K soft white

Color Selection Methods

We Love Lights offers four different color pickers for maximum flexibility.

1. Hue/Saturation Picker

The classic color wheel interface.

How It Works

• Color Wheel: Choose hue (actual color)
• Center to Edge: Adjust saturation (color intensity)
  • Center: White (no saturation)
  • Edge: Pure, vivid color (full saturation)
• Brightness: Separate slider controls lightness

Best For

• Casual color selection
• Exploring color options
• Visual color browsing
• Quick color changes

Using Hue/Saturation

1. Click anywhere on the color wheel
2. Drag to different hues (around the wheel)
3. Drag toward/away from center for saturation
4. Adjust brightness separately if needed

2. RGB Picker

Direct red, green, blue value control.

RGB Components

• Red: 0-255
• Green: 0-255
• Blue: 0-255

Mix values to create any color:

• Red (255,0,0): Pure red
• Green (0,255,0): Pure green
• Blue (0,0,255): Pure blue
• White (255,255,255): Full brightness white
• Yellow (255,255,0): Red + green

Hex Color Codes

Enter colors as hex codes:

1. Click hex input field
2. Enter code: #RRGGBB (e.g., #FF5733)
3. Press Enter to apply

Best For

• Matching brand colors
• Precise color specifications
• Design work integration
• Color code references
• Web/app color matching

Using RGB Picker

1. Select RGB tab in color picker
2. Adjust sliders for red, green, blue
3. Or type values directly
4. Or paste hex code
5. Light updates in real-time

3. CIE 1931 Color Space Picker

Professional color space for accurate lighting control.

What Is CIE 1931?

• Industry standard: Used by lighting professionals
• Color gamut: Shows achievable colors for your light
• X/Y coordinates: Precise color specification
• Most accurate: Represents actual light output

Understanding the Gamut

The gamut triangle shows:

• Inside triangle: Colors your light can produce
• Outside triangle: Colors impossible for this light
• Corners: Primary colors (red, green, blue) at maximum
• Center: White point

Best For

• Professional lighting design
• Exact color matching
• Understanding light capabilities
• Technical color work
• Scene recreation

Using CIE Picker

1. Select CIE or Advanced tab
2. Click anywhere in color space
3. Selector snaps to achievable colors
4. See X/Y coordinates displayed
5. Copy coordinates for precise replication

4. Color Presets

Quick access to common colors.

Preset Categories

• Basic Colors: Red, blue, green, yellow, etc.
• Pastels: Soft, light colors
• Vibrant: Bold, saturated colors
• Nature: Earth tones, sky, ocean
• Seasonal: Holiday colors, themes

Using Presets

1. Look for Presets or Swatches section
2. Click any preset to apply immediately
3. No adjustment needed
4. Great for quick changes

Color Features

Recent Colors

We Love Lights remembers your recently used colors.

Accessing Recent Colors

1. Open color picker for any light
2. Look for Recent or History section
3. Click any recent color to reapply
4. Saves last 10-20 colors

Recent Colors Benefits

• Quick reselection: Return to previous color instantly
• Color consistency: Use same color across multiple lights
• No memorization: Don't need to remember values

Copying and Pasting Colors

Transfer colors between lights effortlessly.

Copy/Paste Steps

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Select source light (with desired color)
2. Press ⌘+C to copy color and brightness
3. Select target light(s)
4. Press ⌘+V to paste

Method 2: Context Menu

1. Right-click source light
2. Choose "Copy Color"
3. Right-click target light(s)
4. Choose "Paste Color"

Method 3: Studio Controls

1. Select source light
2. Click "Copy" button in color section
3. Select target lights
4. Click "Paste" button

What Gets Copied

Depending on settings, copy/paste may include:

• Color: Hue and saturation
• Brightness: Light intensity
• Temperature: White temperature (for white ambiance)
• Power state: On/off status (optional)

Color Sync

Keep multiple lights synchronized.

Manual Sync

1. Set one light to desired color
2. Copy that color
3. Select other lights
4. Paste to synchronize

Scene-Based Sync

1. Create scene with all lights set to same color
2. Activate scene to synchronize
3. Easier than copy/paste for many lights

Favorites System

Mark favorite colors for quick access.

Creating Color Favorites

1. Set light to desired color
2. Click star icon or "Favorite This Color"
3. Color saved to favorites
4. Appears in favorites section

Using Favorite Colors

1. Open color picker
2. Go to Favorites tab
3. Click any favorited color
4. Applies immediately

Organizing Favorites

• Name favorites: Give colors descriptive names
• Remove old favorites: Keep list manageable
• Category favorites: Organize by room or mood

Advanced Light Features

Transition Time

Control how quickly colors and brightness change.

Setting Transition Speed

Some interfaces allow setting transition time:

1. Look for "Transition" or "Speed" option
2. Set duration in seconds (0-10+)
3. Applies to next change

Common Transitions

• Instant (0s): Immediate change
• Quick (0.4s): Fast but smooth
• Normal (1s): Default smooth transition
• Slow (3-5s): Gradual fade

Light Effects

Special effects and animations.

Identify/Blink

Flash a light to locate it:

1. Select light
2. Choose "Identify" or "Blink"
3. Light flashes briefly
4. Useful for finding specific bulbs

Color Loop

Cycle through colors automatically:

1. Select light(s)
2. Choose "Color Loop" effect
3. Light cycles through spectrum
4. Stop to return to normal

Alert Effects

Available through some interfaces:

• Single Flash: One quick flash
• Multiple Flashes: Series of flashes
• Breathe: Slow pulsing effect

Power-On Behavior

Configure what happens when power is restored.

Default Behavior Options

• Last State: Return to settings before power loss
• On: Always turn on at specific brightness/color
• Off: Remain off until manually turned on
• Custom: Specific brightness/color when powered on

Configuration depends on bridge and light model.

Light Organization

Naming Lights

Give lights meaningful names for easy identification.

Best Practices

• Location-based: "Kitchen Counter Left"
• Function-based: "Reading Lamp"
• Combined: "Bedroom - Nightstand Right"
• Avoid generic: Not "Color Bulb 1", "Light 12"

Renaming Lights

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

Light Information

View detailed light information in Studio.

Available Information

• Model: Manufacturer and model number
• Type: Color, white ambiance, dimmable, etc.
• Firmware: Current firmware version
• Capabilities: What the light supports
• ID: Unique identifier
• Reachable: Current connection status
• Last Seen: When last communication occurred

Viewing Light Info

1. Select light in Studio
2. Look for "Info" or "Details" section
3. Expand to see all information

Tips for Perfect Lighting

Color Selection Tips

1. Start with temperature: Try whites before full color
2. Use CIE for accuracy: Most precise color representation
3. Consider bulb limits: Not all colors possible on all bulbs
4. Test in environment: Colors look different in different rooms
5. Save as scenes: Don't repeatedly adjust manually

Brightness Tips

1. Lower than you think: 50% often looks like 100%
2. Time of day matters: Adjust for natural light levels
3. Task-specific: Reading needs more than relaxing
4. Multiple levels: Don't just use on/off
5. Gradual changes: Slow transitions are less jarring

Performance Tips

1. Batch changes: Adjust multiple lights at once
2. Use groups: Faster than individual control
3. Scenes over manual: Pre-configure common settings
4. Transition time: Shorter = slightly more responsive
5. Local connection: Faster than remote

Creative Lighting Ideas

1. Accent colors: Use color lights for ambient accents
2. Temperature by time: Warm evening, cool daytime
3. Match content: Sync with movies, music, games
4. Seasonal themes: Change colors by season or holiday
5. Activity-based: Different settings for different activities

Troubleshooting

Color Doesn't Look Right

Problem: Color appears different than expected

Solutions:

• Different bulb models have different gamuts
• Use CIE picker to see light's capabilities
• Check bulb actually supports color (not just white)
• Try different color picker method
• Consider room lighting and wall colors

Brightness Won't Go Low Enough

Problem: Light too bright even at 1%

Solutions:

• This is a bulb limitation (different minimum per model)
• Use scenes with multiple lights for lower ambient
• Cover lamp partially if needed
• Consider using fewer lights

Changes Are Slow

Problem: Color/brightness changes take too long

Solutions:

• Check network connection quality
• Reduce number of lights changed simultaneously
• Use local connection instead of remote
• Check bridge isn't overloaded with commands

Can't Select Specific Color

Problem: Can't get exact color desired

Solutions:

• Color may be outside bulb's gamut (use CIE picker to see limits)
• Try different color picker (RGB for exact values)
• Some colors impossible for any light (very pure colors)
• Check bulb supports full color (not just white ambiance)

Next Steps

Master light control? Explore these advanced topics:

1. Scenes - Save your perfect lighting setups
2. Groups & Zones - Control multiple lights together
3. Automation Examples - Automate your lighting
4. Organization - Organize lights efficiently

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Need help? Check the FAQ or troubleshooting guide.