Signify updated the Philips Hue iOS app to version 3.11.0 this week, introducing the ability for users to select a customized bulb status after a power outage (via Reddit). Previously for Philips Hue owners, when the power would go out and then come back on, all of their connected Hue bulbs and fixtures would immediately turn back on, even if they were off before the power outage.

hue power outage update
Now, thanks to the "Power-on behavior" setting, users can go into each Hue bulb and choose from a default light (warm white, full brightness) or a power loss recovery mode that allows the bulb to return to the last used color and brightness following a loss of power. With this setting, if your bulbs were off while you were sleeping during a power outage, they'll revert to that off state when the power returns, meaning you won't be disturbed during sleep with bright lights coming back on.

On Reddit, confirmed by our own testing, users noted that some Hue bulbs display a "not supported" message under the new power-on behavior setting. This appears to be an issue affecting certain types of Hue bulbs, including Hue White Ambiance lights, but the new update appears to be rolling out in stages, so wider support for the full Philips Hue lineup is expected soon. At this time, there is also no toggle to choose one power-on behavior for all of your Hue lights at once, so you'll have to go into each individual light to pick a setting.

Signify also warns users that the Philips Hue color lamps of early generations might still give a flash of white light before returning to the selected setting, even if it is the new power loss recovery setting. "This is expected behavior," the company explains. Those interested can update to version 3.11.0 of the Philips Hue app today on the iOS App Store [Direct Link]. The Android app has received a similar update as well.

Top Rated Comments

ozthegweat Avatar
56 months ago
Confirmation that older bulbs will be receiving an update as well in the next 2.5 weeks:
https://twitter.com/tweethue/status/1073229188159692802?s=21
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
56 months ago
About flipping time!!! Great news!!! :D
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrentD Avatar
56 months ago
The new feature only works with one power off. Lol the second time you remove power to the lights and switch them back on, it falls back to full brightness warm white.
Likely a safety precaution for first responders. Your typical knee-jerk response when you flip a switch and a light doesn't come on is to flip it a couple more times. So when they enter a home and flip the switch and the lights go back to their previous 'off' state, they can flip it again and get them back on. Just a thought anyway.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AtheistP3ace Avatar
56 months ago
The new feature only works with one power off. Lol the second time you remove power to the lights and switch them back on, it falls back to full brightness warm white.
Wow just tested this myself and it does work the first time and second time goes back to warm white, Darn.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chabig Avatar
56 months ago
So “off” isn’t an option for power loss recovery? Just the previous setting or white / 100%? So if you lose power in the evening when all your lights are on and power isn’t restored until sometime in the middle of the night they’re still all going to come back on in the middle of the night... unless you turn them all of at the physical switches before going to bed. That would mostly work... except in the case of 3-way switch where you may not know which position of the 2 switches = off.
You’re angry because they will behave like a regular light bulb?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Explorz Avatar
56 months ago
Except LW (white) bulbs which haven't seen a Hue update since November of 2017. All of those bulbs will show up as not supporting this long overdue feature. So, a pretty weak offering by Philips.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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