You can easily operate Philips Hue without a bridge. We'll tell you what to look out for and what advantages and disadvantages the whole thing has.

For a long time it was not possible to use the popular Philips Hue lamps without the manufacturer's bridge. However, since 2019 the manufacturer has equipped its lineup of Hue lamps with Bluetooth step by step. The Bluetooth-enabled Hue lamps can also be operated without a bridge and are controlled directly from a connected smartphone or tablet.

Buy Philips Hue bulbs with Bluetooth

If you want to use Philips Hue without a bridge, you have to look out for Hue lamps with Bluetooth in stores. You can recognize it by the blue Bluetooth symbol on the packaging. These lamps can optionally be connected to a bridge or can be linked directly to and controlled by a smartphone via the Bluetooth interface.

The Bluetooth symbol at the top right marks the Bluetooth-enabled lamps. Image: © Signify 2021

All individual lamps that Philips Hue sells are now Bluetooth-enabled. The same applies to some of the table lamps and the light strips. You can still find Hue lamps without Bluetooth in stores, but their share is gradually decreasing.

Setup with the Philips Hue Bluetooth app

The first step in setting up the Hue lamps is to screw them into a lamp socket and to turn the light switch to "on". Next you need the right app.

To control the lamps via Bluetooth, the company Signify offers its own app called Philips Hue Bluetooth for Android and iOS . This requires the establishment of a user account including the specification of an email address. The app then guides you step by step through the setup process.

The lamps are set up using the Hue Bluetooth app. Image: © Signify / Screenshot: 2021

During the setup, you can also determine whether you want to control the Philips Hue lamps via a voice assistant. The lights can be controlled via Bluetooth using either Alexa or Google Assistant. Voice control via Siri, on the other hand, is only possible via the bridge.

Disadvantages of bluetooth lamps

Compared to the Hue Bridge, the Bluetooth control does not offer as many smart functions. Although the lamps can be controlled and also automated according to schedules, in particular the connection with other smart home applications is only possible to a limited extent in this way. Thus, the Bluetooth lamps are particularly suitable for beginners in the Philips Hue system and for all those who just want smart lighting and do not value the connection with other smart home systems.

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Summary

Basically, Philips Hue can also be used without a bridge. When buying, make sure that you buy Hue lamps with Bluetooth functionality. You can connect this directly to your smartphone or tablet and control it from this device.