This guide is for anyone whose Hue Bridge won’t show up in the Philips Hue app, or has lost its connection. Steps 1 to 5 follow Hue’s guide for the Hue Bridge, in Hue’s order. That guide doesn’t mention the Hue Bridge Pro. Step 7 is for the Bridge Pro.

What This Problem Means

On the Hue Bridge, the left light shows it has power, the middle light shows it is on your network through a router or modem, and the right light shows it is connected to the Hue internet services. If the Philips Hue app can’t find the Bridge, Hue’s guide has you search for it by its IP address. Hue says the third light “will not turn on if the Bridge is not running the latest software version.”

Common Symptoms

• The Philips Hue app can’t find the Bridge when you tap Search
• The first or second light on the Bridge doesn’t come on
• The third light on the Bridge stays off
• Hue services, including the Hue cloud, aren’t working for you

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Check power and the router connection

Hue’s first check: “Make sure the Bridge is connected to both power and to your router.” Then wait until the first and second lights on the Bridge come on before you go any further.

2. Search for the Bridge in the Philips Hue app

Open the Philips Hue app. When it asks whether you want to add a Bridge, tap Yes, then on the next screen tap Search.

3. Search by IP address if the app can’t find it

Hue says: “If the app can’t find the Bridge, you can search by IP.” In the Philips Hue app, tap I need help, then More options.

To find the IP address, you first need the Bridge’s MAC address. You can find this on the back of the Bridge.

4. Find the Bridge’s IP address

Hue gives three ways to do this:

Option 1: download a network scanner app, such as Fing, and look for “Philips Hue” or the Bridge’s MAC address.

Option 2: in your router’s settings portal, use the MAC address from your Bridge to find its associated IP address.

Option 3: on a Windows computer, open File Explorer and go to Network. Right-click the Bridge’s entry and open its settings to view the Bridge’s IP address.

Then use that IP address to search for the Bridge in the Philips Hue app.

5. Update the Bridge if the third light is off

In the Philips Hue app, go to Settings > Software update and follow the app’s instructions to update the Bridge’s software. “You may have to repeat this step.” Once the Bridge has been updated, the third light should turn on. Hue’s guide to the third light has the full steps.

6. Check Hue’s service status page

Hue’s service status page shows the status of Hue services, including the Hue cloud. When everything is working, it says “All Philips Hue services are up and running”.

7. On a Hue Bridge Pro, use the Ethernet cable

The Hue Bridge Pro can connect to your router over Wi-Fi or with the Ethernet cable provided. Hue recommends the Ethernet cable “for the most reliable connection”.

What the Hue Bridge lights mean

These meanings come from Hue’s guide to the Bridge lights, which describes three lights and a ring around the button. It doesn’t mention the Hue Bridge Pro, so don’t use this table for the Bridge Pro.

When To Contact Support

If none of these steps fix it, contact Philips Hue through Hue’s UK support site.