How to control your lights with Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo 3rd Gen
Amazon Echo 3rd Gen (Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon Echo 3rd Gen

Amazon Echo 3rd Gen (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Amazon's Echo line of smart speakers can be used to control a plethora of different supported lights. If you have an Echo and supported smart lights (with the smart hub for those that need it), it's easy to get set up.

Products used in this guide

The guide

If you don't already have smart lighting that supports Alexa integration, Amazon has a full list of lighting options, but we're working with LIFX smart lights for this guide.

Once your smart lights are connected to your home wi-fi (follow the manufacturer's instructions), you're ready to connect your lights with your Echo so that you can ask Alexa to control them. Here's how.

  1. Launch the Alexa app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the menu icon in the top left corner of the screen. It looks like three lines.
  3. Tap Add Device.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app lights step 1 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app lights step 2 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)
  1. Tap on Light under All Devices, or tap on the device brand at the top of the screen.
  2. Once you locate your device or brand, tap on it.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app lights step 3 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app lights step 4 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)
  1. You may be prompted to download the light's app, and/or to enable the Alexa Skill for that light.
  2. Log in to your app.
  3. Enable the Alexa Skill.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app lights step 5 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app lights step 6 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

How to group lights

  1. Launch the Alexa app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the Devices label in the lower right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap on the plus symbol at the top right of the screen
  4. Tap on Add Group at the bottom of the screen.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app light group step 1 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app light group step 2 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)
  1. Select a group name for your lights, or create one in the Custom Name field.
  2. Tap on Next at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Define the group by selecting which lights (and/or smart plugs) you want as part of this new light grouping.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app light group step 3 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app light group step 7 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)
  1. Tap Save.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

Alexa app light group step 4 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Alexa app light group step 5 (Image credit: Jeramy Johnson / iMore)

Now your new light group will be available as a tile directly from the Devices tab of the Alexa app, and you can ask Alexa to "turn on the lounge" or whatever you decided to name your new group.

Our top equipment picks

The perfect pairing for your Smart home lighting setup using Alexa is an Echo speaker and LIFX smart lights.

Echo is the perfect smart home speaker for anyone hoping to get into the smart home market without spending too much money. Alexa is the widest supported virtual assistant for smart products across the board, and the Echo is the best speaker at a reasonable price. It's more expensive than the Dot but sounds much better.

LIFX bulbs work great with Amazon's Alexa smart voice assistant, and these particular lights support multiple dimming settings as well as 16 million color combinations. They don't require any sort of smart hub, so you can just plug them in, set them up in the app as we've show above, and you're ready to rock. Create the perfect mood lighting for any occassion. Oh, these also work with HomeKit too!

Additional equipment

The most feature-rich and future-proof combo for Alexa supported smart light integration is an Echo and LIFX, but there are less-expensive alternatives that work great with limited features.

Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen official render

Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen official render (Image credit: Amazon)

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) ($35 at Amazon)

The least expensive Echo speaker that still works great as a smart home assistant.

TanTan smart plugs

TanTan smart plugs (Image credit: Amazon)

TanTan smart plugs ($15 at Amazon)

Use your dumb lights with Alexa, no hub required. You can turn anything into a smart home appliance with a smart plug.

Lory Gil

Lory is a renaissance woman, writing news, reviews, and how-to guides for iMore. She also fancies herself a bit of a rock star in her town and spends too much time reading comic books.  If she's not typing away at her keyboard, you can probably find her at Disneyland or watching Star Wars (or both).