LIFX HomeKit Compatibility
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Yes, LIFX works with HomeKit. All LIFX smart light bulbs are designed to work with HomeKit which give them a major advantage over other smart light bulbs.
What Are LIFX light Bulbs?
LIFX light bulbs are wireless smart light bulbs that can be controlled with your smartphone to turn on and off your smart light bulbs from your phone.
LIFX smart bulbs don’t require any special wiring or a smart home hub to operate. They connect directly to your wifi network and then can be controlled through the LIFX app available on iOS and android.
To install LIFX smart light bulbs all you need to do is turn off the light switch. unscrew the old light bulb and screw in the new LIFX smart light bulb. Turn the light switch back on and you can start setting up your LIFX smart light bulbs.
LIFX has a wide variety of smart light bulbs to fit a range of light fixtures and also has architectural smart lighting panels and light strips for special applications.
What is HomeKit?
HomeKit is Apple’s smart home integration system that provides direct integration with Apple iOS and allows you to control smart home devices from one app the “HomeKit” app on your iPhone , or Apple Watch using Siri voice commands. With LIFX HomeKit smart light bulbs you can control them with Homekit Siri voice commands by saying “Siri, turn on living room lights.”
LIFX HomeKit Siri Voice Commands Can Be Used On Your Apple Watch
How Does LIFX and HomeKit Work?
The LIFX smart light bulbs are unique in that they don’t require any smart home hub to work, they just connect directly to your wifi network and are ready to go.
Once you setup the LIFX smart light bulbs on the LIFX app and connect them to wifi you can then begin controlling your smart light bulbs using your phone to turn them on and off, set timers or even change the color. After the LIFX lights are set up on the app you can then connect them to Apple’s HomeKit to begin controlling them with Siri voice commands on your iPhone.
Once the HomeKit integration is complete you can use your iPhone or any Siri capable device registered to your home to turn on and off the smart light remotely using Siri voice commands.
The LIFX smart light bulbs are also compatible with Google Home and Alexa voice assistants so you can also use Alexa or Google Home voice commands to control your LIFX smart lighting if you have a smart assistant device like the Echo Show 5 or Echo Dot.
LIFX HomeKit Light Bulbs Work On Apple Watch
Best LIFX Lights That Work With HomeKit
LIFX has a full line up of light bulbs and smart lights that can be connected to your wifi network and controlled with HomeKit Siri commands. There are different size and style light bulbs for different light fixtures and custom application smart lights for lighting up a wall or providing mood lighting.
We will cover the most popular LIFX smart light bulbs below that work with HomeKit and how you can use them in your home.
Works With HomeKit LIFX + A19
The LIFX + A19 is one of the smartest smart light bulbs around. It works with HomeKit but has so many other features that make it great.
It’s a standard size light bulb that will fit in most lamps and ceiling fixtures. This LIFX smart light bulb can be controlled with your phone through the app or by using Siri voice commands for control.
You can also adjust the lighting shades from white to 14 millions different colors. It has 0-100% dimming adjustment and even includes an IR (Infrared) setting that is invisible to the naked eye but can be used to enhance the night vision of your wifi smart cameras you might have positioned around your home.
This is the most versatile smart light bulb in the lineup and can be positioned anywhere and grouped into rooms so that you can control multiple smart light bulbs all at once.
These stand alone light bulbs don’t require any smart home hub and connect directly to your home wifi system. Adding these smart light bulbs in a lamp is a great way to have an option to provide relaxing mood lighting when you want it and normal colored lighting when you don’t.
It’s the perfect light for a bedside lamp if you want to relax to a softer light at night before going to sleep or if you want to set a timer for it to turn on each morning with a soft sunshine like glow. I love the versatility of this smart light bulb and even one smart light bulb like the LIFX + can be a great addition to your home. In the winter when the days are short it adds a unique element that can brighten up the darkness of winter.
Works with HomeKit LIFX BR 30
The LIFX BR 30 smart light bulb is designed to function as a floodlight which will deliver more lighting over a wider area than the standard LIFX light bulb. It works with HomeKit and can also be controlled with your iPhone to turn on/off, adjust the dimming levels or change the colors of the lights.
This smart floodlight is designed to be weather resistant and can be used outside. It makes it great for patios, garages or flood lights around your home to provide great illumination combined with dimming and color control.
I’ve noticed that I like the dimming features when used outdoors so that I can dim down the lights to the perfect level when I’m outside rather than feel like I have a spot light on at all times. It’s also great as an outdoor light because you can schedule it to turn on at dusk and turn off at sunrise or after a predetermined time.
If you opt for the + version of the floodlight which is the LIFX BR30 + smart light bulb they have the integrated IR illumination feature that will make the lights appear like the are off the the human eye but will provide extra illumination for smart cameras that might be positioned outside. This is a great way to increase the range of smart cameras and can be helpful for identifying people or object that might come across your camera at night.
LIFX Light Strips
The LIFX X smart light strips are a great way to add accent lighting to any home. The LIFX light strips are offer a thin profile and are great for under cabinet lighting, soffit lighting or even accent lighting behind a TV.
The smart light strips can be controlled from your phone or with HomeKit Siri voice commands and are also compatible with Alexa and Google Home voice assistants.
The LIFX smart light strips come in 6.6” lengths and multiple light strips can be connected together to create one long continuous light strip or a circle or square which can be useful if you are trying to add accent lighting to a room soffit.
The LIFX light strips have full 0-100% dimming adjustment and 16 million colors to choose from and adjust right from your phone.
LIFX Tile
The LIFX Tiles are one part light and one part art installation. These smart light tiles are designed to be mounted on your wall or ceiling and each “8 x 8” tile has dozens of independently operated LED lights inside.
This allows these smart light tiles to feature not just 16 million colors like standard LIFX lights but 4 Billion colors, including multiple colors or waves of color on a single tile.
The tiles are designed to interconnect and you can connected multiple tiles together in a custom design to function as one unit.
The LIFX tiles work with HomeKit and can be controlled with your phone, or Siri commands. They are also compatible with Alexa and Google Home voice assistants.
The LIFX tiles offer the most customization in the LIFX lineup and you can create custom programing on the app for a wide variety of designs and settings. You can even draw pictures on the app and have them displayed on the tiles.
If the tiles are wall mounted you can touch them to turn them on and off when you walk by but most people prefer to use voice commands to control the tiles. They also feature full range 0-100% dimming so you can create the perfect setting with your smart lighting tiles.
LIFX Beam
The LIFX Beam offers a thinner profile and more rectangular design than the LIFX tiles but is also used as an accent light. The LIFX Beam is 300mm long and multiple LIFX beams can be paired together to create your own design.
The LIFX beam is HomeKit compatible, and allows both phone control or Siri voice command control. It is also compatible with Alexa and Google Home.
The LIFX Beam has full range dimming and 16 million colors to choose from. The beam is a great accent light on an empty wall, under a TV or on top of a shelf. It has a wide variety of settings and features but you can even set the light to scroll through colors which give the effect as if the light is moving. It’s really an eye catcher and can be quite mesmerizing.
How To Setup LIFX With HomeKit
New LIFX lights come with a HomeKit Code in the packaging that is used during setup to streamline the process. Look for the HomeKit logo similar to below which will be accompanied by a serial number for LIFX setup on HomeKit.
Click on the HomeKit Logo and App.
Click on the “+” in the upper right hand corner of the HomeKit App. to add a device to HomeKit
Click “Add Accessory”
Then used your camera to scan the HomeKit Code that came with the device typically on the instruction card or packaging.
Congratulations your LIFX light is now set up with HomeKit.
If you don’t have the HomeKit code on the packaging you can still manually enter the LIFX HomeKit code that is located on the light bulb itself typically located at the base of the smart light bulb.
Using Siri HomeKit Commands With LIFX
Once you have setup LIFX with HomeKit you can begin using Siri commands to control your smart light bulbs with voice. We’ve included some sample HomeKit commands for you to try with your a LIFX HomeKit light bulbs.
“Hey Siri, Turn on my Living Room” - Turns on light named “Living Room.”
“Hey Siri, Turn on my [Name of Light].” - Turns on designated light.
“Hey Siri, Turn off my Living Room.” - Turns off Living Room light.
“Hey Siri, dim my Living Room to 50%” - Sets dimming level to 50% .
“Hey Siri, set my Living Room to blue.” - Living Room lights will provide blue lighting.
Summary: Does LIFX With HomeKit?
LIFX smart lights work great with HomeKit and are a great addition to any home if you want to add smart lighting control with HomeKit and Siri. Beyond smart lighting control having the ability to adjust the dimming level and color of your lighting can be a great way to set the perfect mood in your home.
With standard LIFX smart light bulbs you can just remove your old light bulbs, screw in the new LIFX light bulbs and begin setting up your home for HomeKit and Siri control.
If you are more adventurous you can add LIFX accent lighting with the LIFX Beam, LIFX Tile or LIFX Strip lighting which all serve lighting niches within your home.
Regardless adding smart voice control with Siri and HomeKit to your lighting is something you won’t regret. Every night I love being able to turn on and off my lights while laying in bed using just my voice. Now when I go to a Hotel I miss being able to control my lights with HomeKit and Siri voice commands while laying in bed. You don’t realize how much you use it until you don’t have it, and once you install smart lighting in your home you’ll wonder why you waited to long to do so.
