This guide is for anyone whose Hue bulbs, lightstrips or other Hue lights show as unreachable in the Philips Hue app. The steps come from Hue’s own pages: its app release notes, its guide to the Bridge lights, its product FAQs and its UK reset guide.

What This Problem Means

Unreachable is Hue’s own word for this: the app’s release notes talk about a light that “has become unreachable”. With a Hue Bridge, the Bridge produces a Zigbee signal, and Hue says “Each light is a repeater of the signal, meaning that you can extend the network by adding lights.” Hue also says “at least one bulb needs to be within 10 metres (32 feet) of the Hue Bridge”. Without a Bridge, you control lights over Bluetooth, which Hue says reaches “about nine metres (30 feet)”.

Common Symptoms

• The Philips Hue app shows a light as unreachable
• A light is more than 10 metres from the Hue Bridge, with no other Hue light in between
• You control your lights over Bluetooth and you’re more than about nine metres away
• The left or middle light on the Hue Bridge is off

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Open the light’s settings screen in the app

Hue’s release notes for version 5.47.0 of the Philips Hue app for Android say: “If a light has become unreachable, you can now tap on its settings screen to find instructions on how to reconnect it”. Tap the unreachable light, open its settings screen and follow Hue’s instructions there.

2. Check the Bridge has power and a router connection

If you use a Hue Bridge, Hue’s first check is: “Make sure the Bridge is connected to both power and to your router.” On the Bridge, the left light shows it is connected to power and the middle light shows it is connected to the network, through a router or modem.

3. Check Hue’s service status

The right light on the Bridge shows it is connected to the Hue internet services. Hue’s service status page shows the status of Philips Hue services, including the Hue cloud. When everything is working, it says “All Philips Hue services are up and running”.

4. Keep a light within 10 metres of the Bridge

Hue says “at least one bulb needs to be within 10 metres (32 feet) of the Hue Bridge”. Each Hue light repeats the signal, and Hue says “you can extend the network by adding lights”, so a light a long way from the Bridge can be reached by adding Hue lights in between.

5. Without a Bridge, stay within Bluetooth range

If you control your lights over Bluetooth, you need to be within Bluetooth range, which Hue gives as “about nine metres (30 feet)”. Hue’s how-it-works page describes the range with a Hue Bridge as “Full-home”.

Hue’s US FAQ adds: “You can pair up to 10 lights per Bluetooth control device (e.g., one phone or tablet).”

6. Update the Bridge software

In the Philips Hue app, go to Settings > Software update and follow the app’s instructions to update the Bridge’s software. Hue’s US Bridge release notes include a 2019 fix for an issue where “some specific Hue Luminaires became unreachable”.

7. Last resort: reset the light and add it again

If the light still can’t be reached, factory reset it and add it to the Philips Hue app again. Hue’s advice is to “first try troubleshooting before factory resetting”, because “Factory resetting your Philips Hue lights will erase all personal settings and data.” Hue’s UK reset guide gives five methods, including resetting the light with its serial number in the Philips Hue app.

Hue Bridge lights to check

These meanings come from Hue’s guide to the Bridge lights. 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.