How To Add Philips Hue To Homekit? – Complete Guide

How to add Philips Hue to Homekit? If you have those two types of systems in your home, connecting them and making them work together is easy.

However, you will need a bridge device to make that work!

There are two different major methods to connect Philips Hue and Homekit. First, both of them require a Hue Bridge. Since the Philips Hue lights are not natively recognizable by the Homekit system, the Bridge makes the network possible.

The two major connecting methods are the Apple Home app and the Hue app.

With the Apple Home, you can activate the connection from any iOS or macOS device. You truly must not worry if you are not familiar with the possibility of linking different systems.

We will help you with all the necessary steps to make your house a dream come true.

How To Add Philips Hue To Homekit? – All Methods & Steps

Are you tired of manually controlling your Philips Hue lights? Want to take your smart home setup to the next level?

Look no further! Adding Philips Hue to Homekit allows you to easily control and automate your lights with just a few taps on your iOS device. 

Moreover, with the power of Siri, you can even control your lights hands-free using voice commands.

Imagine turning off all the lights in your home with a simple “Hey Siri, turn off all the lights.”

Sounds like a dream, right? Well, that dream is about to come true.

Below we will teach all the most convenient methods to include the Philips Hue in your house’s Homekit. That way, your house’s automation will feel more complete.

Step #1: Identify Your Hue Bridge Compatibility

How to add a Philips Hue Bridge to Homekit?

First, it is necessary to spell this out: you must have a Philips Hue Bridge to connect your Philips Hue lights with your Apple Home/HomeKit. 

If you already have one, you must identify that it is compatible. If you don’t have one, the connection process requires you to buy one as soon as possible.

Until then, your house won’t be fully connected.

Identifying the compatibility or lack of it is easy.
Here is how to do it:

Check the Packaging

If you have the packaging for the Bridge, it should indicate whether the Bridge is Homekit-compatible.

Look for the Homekit logo or the phrase “Works with Homekit” on the packaging.

Check the Device Itself

If you have the Bridge in front of you, look for the Homekit logo or the phrase “Works with Homekit” on the device.

Check the Manufacturer’s Website

Visit the Philips Hue website and look for information about the Bridge you have.

The product page for the Bridge should indicate whether it is Homekit-compatible.

Unfortunately, the Bridge is absolutely necessary to connect Philips Hue and Homekit.

So if you don’t have a compatible Philips Hue Bridge, it is time to hit your favorite retailer and get one.

Step #2: Determine What Sort Of Connection You Want

After you’ve confirmed that your Philips Hue Bridge is compatible with Homekit, it is time you choose what you will do next.

There are a few different methods to connect Hue and Homekit. It all depends on what sounds more convenient for you or the available tools.

You can link via the Apple Home app or the Hue app. Each one presents different advantages and advantages.

Are you wondering what you will do? Let’s check a quick comparison.

Info To Know Before Deciding On A Connection Method

Here is what you must consider about connecting using the Home app:

1. The app allows you to control all your HomeKit-enabled devices in one place, so you don’t have to switch between different apps to control your lights, thermostat, and other devices.
2. Using voice commands, you can use Siri to control your Philips Hue lights and other HomeKit-enabled devices.
3. Home allows you to set up automation and scenes and control multiple devices with a single command.
4. The app may not offer as many features and customization options as the Philips Hue app.
5. If you have many Philips Hue lights, the Home app may not be as efficient as the Philips Hue app at organizing and controlling your lights.

And here is what you must consider if you want to connect using the Hue app:

1. The Philips Hue app is specifically designed for controlling Philips Hue lights, so it may offer more features and customization options than the Home app.
2. Hue allows you to create and save custom light scenes, which can be accessed quickly later.
3. The app has a “Hue Labs” feature that allows you to experiment with different lighting effects and settings.
4. A “Hue Sync” feature allows you to synchronize your lights with music, movies, and games.
5. You can only control your Philips Hue lights using the Philips Hue app, so you will need to switch between apps to control other HomeKit-enabled devices.

The Main Takeaway Before Proceeding

So you have two primary methods of integrating Apple Home and Philips Hue. The first one will connect the Philips Hue Bridge to your Apple devices.

On the other hand, you can use an Apple device and allow Siri to control the Philips Hue app.

While the Philips Hue app has more options for each lamp or switch, it might be a nuisance if you want to use a single app to control the whole house.

A doubt some readers might have is the following: what happens if you want to add a new Philips Hue product to the house?

In that case, you will keep using the Philips Hue app. 

You must add new bulbs or switches to the Hue app as you’ve always done. It will communicate with the Bridge, and the Bridge will allow Apple Home to control the new devices.

Suppose all you truly want out of your Apple device is voice commands. In that case, skip to Method #3, where you will learn how to do that!

Method #1: Connect Using Your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch/Apple Watch

iPad and iPhone have very similar user interfaces, meaning what you do on one device is usually easy to replicate on the other.

The iPod Touch and Apple Watch have a few neat functions too, and they are included here because they work the same when you want to connect Philips Hue to Homekit.

Once you have one of those devices in hand, follow the steps:

1. Open the Home app 
2. Tap “Add Accessory”
3. Scan the code on the Bridge’s back
4. Follow the new instructions

Now the Philips Hue Bridge is connected to your Apple Home. So you can add any Philips Hue device and control it from your Apple devices.

Note: Adding hue lights to Homekit is done once you've synced Hue Bridge with Homekit. All the lights connected to the Hue Bridge will already appear in the Apple Home app. 

Method #2: Connect Using Your MacBook

Using your MacBook is a less common method. You can imagine it is because smartphones are much more convenient for connecting smart hubs.

Well, that is correct. However, you can still grab your MacBook and do the procedure.

First, ensure you have the Apple Home installed on your MacBook. After that, simply follow these steps:

1. Open the Home app
2. Click the “+” button
3. Click “Add Accessory.”
4. Type the eight-digit code on the back of your Philips Hue Bridge
5. Follow the instructions displayed

Method #3: Connect Using The Hue App

Alternatively, you might connect using the Hue App. Functionalities for each connected device might differ, but the end result is similar. 

1. Open the Philips Hue app 
2. Navigate to Settings 
3. Click on HomeKit & Siri.
4. Tap Pair Bridge.
5. Name your home 
6. Tap Create home.
7. Scan your Hue Bridge ID. 

The Home app will automatically assign a room for your lights to appear in. However, it is best to group lights according to the actual rooms in your house.

What We Learned

How To Add Philips Hue To Homekit? Unfortunately, you can’t add Philips Hue to your Apple Home environment unless you possess a Hue Bridge.

The Bridge makes it possible to cut the distance between the two systems. Once you have it, you can connect using the Apple or the Philips Hue app.