Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about We Love Lights. If your question isn't answered here, check the troubleshooting guide or report an issue.

We Love Lights is a premium macOS application for controlling Philips Hue and Zigbee smart lighting. It provides both a convenient menu bar app for quick access and a powerful Studio window for advanced management and automation.

What makes We Love Lights different from the Hue app?

Native macOS Experience: Built specifically for Mac with SwiftUI, following Apple's design guidelines.

Dual Interface: Choose between menu bar for quick control or Studio for advanced features.

Advanced Features:

Multi-bridge support
Powerful rules engine
Extensive customization
Keyboard shortcuts
macOS Shortcuts integration

Professional Tools: Drag-and-drop organization, advanced color pickers, comprehensive automation.

Do I need a Philips Hue Bridge?

Yes, you need a compatible bridge:

Philips Hue Bridge (most common)
Phoscon deCONZ Bridge (e.g., ConBee USB stick)

We Love Lights doesn't work with Bluetooth-only Hue devices. You must have a bridge.

Can I use it with my iPhone/iPad?

No, We Love Lights is Mac-only. However, you can use:

Official Philips Hue mobile app on iPhone/iPad
Both apps work with the same bridge
Changes sync between apps

Is there a free trial?

Check the Mac App Store listing. Many apps offer a trial period or money-back guarantee through Apple's policies. Features are not limited in a trial if available.

Compatibility Questions

What macOS version do I need?

macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later is required.

Compatible with:

macOS 12 Monterey
macOS 13 Ventura
macOS 14 Sonoma
macOS 15 Sequoia
Future versions (generally)

Does it work on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)?

Yes, We Love Lights is a Universal Binary that runs natively on both:

Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4)
Intel Macs

What devices are supported?

Bridges:

Philips Hue Bridge (v1 and v2)
Phoscon deCONZ (ConBee, RaspBee)

Devices:

Philips Hue lights (all types)
Philips Hue sensors and switches
Philips Hue smart plugs
Third-party Zigbee compatible devices

See Supported Devices for comprehensive list.

Can I connect multiple bridges?

Yes! We Love Lights supports multiple bridges simultaneously. Control multiple Philips Hue bridges, deCONZ bridges, or a combination. See Multi-Bridge Setup.

Does it work with Zigbee devices from other brands?

Yes, if they're connected to your bridge. We Love Lights controls devices through the bridge, so any Zigbee device your bridge supports will work. Compatibility depends on your bridge (deCONZ supports wider range).

Feature Questions

Can I control lights remotely?

Yes, with Philips Hue Bridge v2 (square model):

Configure remote access in We Love Lights
Requires Hue account registration
Control from anywhere with internet
See Remote Access

Note: deCONZ bridges don't support remote access through We Love Lights.

Can I use voice control?

Yes, through macOS Shortcuts and Siri:

Create shortcuts for scenes and actions
Assign Siri voice phrases
"Hey Siri, activate movie mode"
See Shortcuts Integration

Does it work with HomeKit?

We Love Lights controls bridges directly, not through HomeKit. However:

Your Hue Bridge may support HomeKit separately
Changes in We Love Lights sync with bridge
HomeKit and We Love Lights can coexist

Can I create time-based automation?

Yes, multiple ways:

Motion sensor time-based rules (built-in)
macOS Shortcuts with time triggers
Complex conditional automation
See Automation Examples

Can lights gradually brighten as an alarm?

Yes, using macOS Shortcuts:

Create multi-step shortcut
Gradually increase brightness over time
Schedule for wake-up time
See Automation Examples

Does it support IFTTT or other platforms?

Not directly, but you can:

Use macOS Shortcuts as intermediary
Shortcuts can trigger We Love Lights
Other platforms can trigger Shortcuts
Complex but possible

Setup and Configuration

How do I get started?

Purchase and install from Mac App Store
Connect your bridge - automatic discovery
Authenticate - press button on bridge
Start controlling - menu bar or Studio

See Getting Started Guide.

Do I need to configure anything in the Hue app first?

No, but recommended:

Set up rooms and zones in Hue app first
We Love Lights imports automatically
Or create everything in We Love Lights
Both approaches work

Can I import my existing Hue setup?

Yes, automatically:

Devices automatically discovered
Rooms and zones imported
Existing scenes sync
No manual recreation needed

How do I add a new light?

Add to bridge first (use Hue app or We Love Lights Studio)
We Love Lights automatically detects new devices
Organize and name in We Love Lights

Usage Questions

Open Studio:

Click menu bar icon → "Open Studio"
Or click We Love Lights in Dock

Use Menu Bar:

Always accessible
Click icon for dropdown
Quick control without Studio

Can I control lights without opening the app?

Yes, multiple ways:

Menu bar dropdown (quick access)
Global keyboard shortcuts
Siri voice commands (via Shortcuts)
macOS Shortcuts automation

How do I organize many lights?

Rooms and zones: Group by location
Custom groups: Functional grouping
Favorites: Mark frequently used
Hide unused: Clean interface
See Organization Guide

Can I copy colors between lights?

Yes:

⌘ + C: Copy color from light
⌘ + V: Paste to other light(s)
Works for brightness and color
See Lights documentation

Technical Questions

Does We Love Lights need internet?

Local Control: No internet required for basic control

Bridge and Mac on same network
All control is local

Remote Access: Internet required

For controlling when away from home
Optional feature

App Updates: Internet for downloading updates

Does it work offline?

Yes, for local control:

No internet needed for same-network use
All features work offline (except remote)
Bridge must be on local network

How much network bandwidth does it use?

Very little:

Commands are small data packets
Typical usage: < 1 MB/hour
No streaming or heavy data
No bandwidth concerns

Will it slow down my network?

No:

Minimal network traffic
Zigbee mesh separate from WiFi
Bridge traffic negligible
No performance impact

Can I use it on multiple Macs?

Yes:

Install on any Mac you own
Connect each Mac to bridge
Same license, multiple devices
Check App Store terms for family sharing

Licensing and Purchase

How is We Love Lights licensed?

Purchase through Mac App Store with standard App Store licensing. Check current pricing and terms on the App Store listing.

Is there a subscription?

Check the current App Store listing for pricing model. No information about subscriptions in the PRD provided.

Can family members use it?

Family Sharing depends on how the app is configured in the App Store. Check the app's store listing for family sharing availability.

What's included in the purchase?

Full app with all features
All future updates
All current features (menu bar + Studio)
Support for unlimited bridges and devices

Troubleshooting

My bridge isn't found, what do I do?

See detailed solutions in Troubleshooting: Bridge Not Found.

Quick checks:

Same network?
Bridge powered and connected?
Try manual IP address entry

Lights don't respond to commands

See Troubleshooting: Device Not Responding.

Quick checks:

Physical switch on?
Device reachable?
Bridge connected?

App is slow or unresponsive

See Troubleshooting: Performance Issues.

Quick checks:

Too many items visible? Hide unused
Network issues?
Mac performance okay?

Motion sensor doesn't trigger

See Troubleshooting: Motion Sensor.

Quick checks:

Battery level?
Rules configured?
Within range?

Privacy and Security

What data does We Love Lights collect?

The app operates locally with your bridge. Check the app's privacy policy in the App Store or within the app for specific details about data collection and privacy practices.

Is my data secure?

Bridge credentials stored in macOS Keychain (encrypted)
Local network communication when at home
Remote access uses Philips' secure cloud
No unnecessary data transmission

Check the app's privacy policy for specific details. Generally, local control apps don't need to share data except:

Remote access uses Philips cloud (required for feature)
Crash reports (optional, helps improve app)
Analytics (if opted in)

Support

How do I report a bug?

Use the built-in bug reporter:

Go to Studio → Help → Report Bug
Include description and steps to reproduce
Attach logs automatically
See Reporting Issues

How do I request a feature?

Through the bug reporter or designated feature request channel:

Describe desired feature
Explain use case
Check if already supported

Is there email/chat support?

Check the app's support information:

Look in Studio → Help
Check developer website
Mac App Store listing may have links

Can I get help with automation setup?

Documentation:

Comprehensive guides available
Automation Examples
Step-by-step tutorials

Support:

Report issues for help
Check FAQ and troubleshooting
Community forums if available

App Store app → Updates
Or enable automatic updates
Restart We Love Lights after update

Will it support new devices?

When new Zigbee devices are released and supported by Philips Hue or deCONZ bridges, We Love Lights should work with them (devices are controlled through the bridge).

Still Have Questions?

Getting Started - Setup guide
Troubleshooting - Problem solutions
Report Issue - Get personalized help
Documentation - Comprehensive guides for all features

Can't find your answer? Report an issue and we'll help!

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