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Switch Button Configuration with Multi-Press Feature

Updated

What is the Switch Multi-Press feature?

The Multi-Press feature allows each physical button on your LIFX Switch to perform up to three actions:

  • Single Press
  • Double Press
  • Long Press

You can configure each press type independently.

You can also set a button action to None if you do not want that press type to trigger anything.

What are the different press types?

Single Press

A quick tap of the Switch button.

Double Press

Two quick taps of the Switch button.

Long Press

Press and hold the Switch button for approximately one to two seconds.

Configure buttons on an existing LIFX Switch

If your Switch is already connected to the LIFX app:

  1. Open the LIFX app.
  2. Tap the Settings cog in the bottom menu.
  3. Select Switch under Accessories.
  4. Select the Switch you want to configure.
  5. Open the Buttons section.
  6. Select the physical button you want to configure.
  7. Select Single Press, Double Press or Long Press.
  8. Choose the device, group, scene, location or wired terminal you want the action to control.
  9. Save the configuration.

Repeat these steps for any additional press types or buttons you want to configure.

To remove an action, open the relevant press type and set its target to None.

What can a Switch button control?

Depending on your Switch model and configuration, a button can control:

  • A LIFX device
  • A group
  • A location
  • A scene
  • A physical terminal wired to a LIFX Switch

The Buttons section controls what happens when you physically press a button.

The Wiring section tells the LIFX app what is physically connected to each terminal.

Setting up a new LIFX Switch

If you are setting up a LIFX Switch for the first time, configure the wiring before assigning button actions.

Configure the wiring

  1. Open the LIFX app.
  2. Tap the Settings cog in the bottom menu.
  3. Select Switch under Accessories.
  4. Select the Switch you want to configure.
  5. Open the Wiring section.
  6. Configure each terminal according to what is physically connected.

Terminals are the physical relays connected to electrical circuits.

Buttons are the controls you press on the front of the Switch.

Once the terminals are configured, open the Buttons section and assign the required action to each button and press type.

Multi-Press examples

You could configure a button so that:

  • A single press turns a room on or off.
  • A double press activates a bright lighting scene.
  • A long press activates a dim, warm evening scene.

Each press type can be assigned independently.

How do I find my Switch settings?

  1. Open the LIFX app.
  2. Tap the Settings cog in the bottom menu.
  3. Find Switch under Accessories.

If you have one Switch, selecting Switch may open its settings directly.

If you have multiple Switches, select the Switch you want to configure from the list.

How do I reboot or factory reset my LIFX Switch?

Do not use a single universal reset process for every LIFX Switch.

The reboot and factory-reset process depends on whether the Switch is running Matter firmware 4.100 or later, or legacy non-Matter firmware.

Check the firmware version shown in the LIFX app before proceeding.

For Matter-enabled Switches, see Troubleshooting LIFX Switch: Matter Firmware 4.100 and Later.

For a full overview covering different LIFX products and firmware versions, see Hardware Resetting Your LIFX Device.

What do the status LED colours mean?

Status LED behaviour can differ between Matter firmware and legacy non-Matter firmware.

Matter firmware 4.100 and later

During a hardware recovery action:

  • Blue at approximately 5 seconds: Release all buttons to reboot.
  • Flashing red at approximately 10 seconds: Release all buttons to factory reset.
  • LED turns off after continuing to hold: The reset has been cancelled.

During normal operation, a red flashing LED can indicate loss of local Wi-Fi connectivity.

Legacy non-Matter firmware

  • Fast flashing green: The Switch has been factory reset and is ready to onboard in Setup Mode.
  • Solid green: Successful connection to the LIFX Cloud.
  • Flashing blue: The Switch is rebooting or its firmware is being updated.
  • Flashing orange: Loss of connection to the LIFX Cloud.
  • Flashing red: Loss of local Wi-Fi connectivity.

For more detailed LED guidance, see Switch Basics.

How do I configure 2-way control of a non-LIFX device?

To control a wired non-LIFX device from another LIFX Switch:

  1. On the Switch physically connected to the device, open the Wiring section.
  2. Configure the relevant terminal as a wired Non-LIFX device.
  3. Open the settings for the second LIFX Switch.
  4. Open the Buttons section.
  5. Select the button and press type you want to use.
  6. Choose Non-LIFX device from the available targets.
  7. Select the terminal configured on the first Switch.

The selected button can now trigger the wired terminal on the other LIFX Switch.

Why do LIFX actions still run after configuring a button in Apple Home?

This section applies to Switches using the legacy HomeKit button configuration process.

If a button is configured in both the LIFX app and Apple Home, both actions may attempt to run.

To remove the LIFX action:

  1. Open the Switch settings in the LIFX app.
  2. Open the Buttons section.
  3. Select the relevant button and press type.
  4. Set the LIFX target to None.

This removes the LIFX app action and allows the Apple Home action to run without the LIFX configuration also being triggered.

Matter-enabled Switch button behaviour may depend on the Matter platform being used. For Matter-specific button configuration, see How do I configure my Matter-enabled Switch buttons?

Related guides

  • Installing your LIFX Switch
  • Connecting a LIFX Switch
  • Configuring Switch wiring
  • Switch Basics
  • Troubleshooting LIFX Switch: Matter Firmware 4.100 and Later