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Switch 3.90 Update

Updated

 

What's in the new updates?


Updating both the Firmware on your Switch and your LIFX app provides the following upgrades to all of the LIFX Switch product family: 

  • Ability to retrieve an Apple HomeKit code and to pair to Apple HomeKit

  • Increased options for button configuration (now separate to wiring configuration so you can do more)

  • New custom user settings for button backlight brightness 

  • New custom user settings for button backlight colour

  • New custom user settings for haptic feedback strength on button press

  • A cleaner, more functional device dashboard. We've removed 'Switches' / double up of controls.
    You will still be able to control non-LIFX devices from the dashboard. When you have named them in the wiring configuration, they will now be added to allow better device control and automation.

  • Ability to trigger a Switch button using a schedule or in a scene.
    This means you can now automate non-LIFX devices with your LIFX ones using the newly named non-LIFX wired group you added from your Switch.


Getting to your Switch settings


Before our current App version (4.11), Switches appeared on the device dashboard, and you would go to the settings of that specific switch from there.

To support some of the new features we've added, as well as improve the Dashboard experience, we have moved the settings for all Switches to the main settings area of the app. You can now configure or customize Switches simply by clicking the cog in the bottom right of your LIFX app. You will find your Switches now under 'Accessories' in this area.

 

If you have only one switch installed, clicking 'Switch' will take you directly to that device's settings. You will get a list of your switches to choose from for configuring if you have multiple switches. 

 

Buttons & Terminals 


Previously when setting up a Switch, the configuration of buttons and terminals were connected. A button could only ever control the terminal it was sitting above.  

This update splits out the configuration of buttons and terminals. This means it is now possible to configure any button on any switch to control any terminal on any switch. This means you could now set up your own 2-way switches - a button on a switch in one room can be set to control the same terminal as a button in another room (e.g. you can turn the hall lights off from either end of the hallway). 

So now that they are able to be separate when we say button or terminal, we mean:

  • Terminals are the physical relays that are wired to electrical circuits and configured through the Wiring section 

  • Buttons represent the buttons on the actual Switch. They are configured to control LIFX devices, groups, scenes, locations, or the terminals (so devices you have physically wired to any LIFX Switch) 

This means you will now configure both the buttons and set up your terminals, so it has been split into sections called “Buttons” and “Wiring.” These are in your Switch's settings (see notes above for "Getting to your Switch settings")

You should always configure what the terminals are connected to within Wiring first. This will tell our app what is wired in where. Then you can configure the buttons, selecting which button will control what when you physically press it at the wall.

 

 

Button Brightness 


Within the Switch settings, there is an option for “Brightness.” This is defaulted to 30% and can be adjusted between 5% and 100%. This setting affects all buttons on that specific Switch. You can customise each Switch in your house to be whatever you like.

 

Button Colour 


Within the Switch settings, there is an option for “Backlight Colour.” There is a predefined colour palette that can be selected. This setting affects all buttons on that specific Switch. You can customise each Switch in your house to be whatever you like.

 

Button Haptic Feedback 


Within the Switch settings, there is an option for “Haptic Feedback.” This is defaulted to 30ms and can be adjusted between 0ms and 60ms. This setting affects all buttons on that specific Switch. You can customise each Switch in your house to be whatever you like.

 

HomeKit Pairing 


The 3.90 firmware upgrade introduces HomeKit compatibility to Switches. After the upgrade, Switches will behave like our other HomeKit products when factory reset. This means you can onboard them immediately using HomeKit onboarding or wait 15 minutes to onboard using SoftAP. 

These devices were not shipped with HomeKit codes. This means the retrieval of HomeKit codes is done through the App. Your unique code for your device can be saved and used to pair to HomeKit or onboard using HomeKit after subsequent factory resets. 

To find out how to get your code in the LIFX app, see the "HomeKit Pairing and getting your HomeKit code" section in the How-to Guides below.

 

How-to Guides: 


Installing your LIFX Switch 


For switches that have been upgraded to 3.90 firmware, adding HomeKit compatibility means there are a few new options for getting set up.   

 

Adding your Switch to your LIFX app:


If you have a HomeKit code and are using an iOS device, you can add your LIFX Switch to the LIFX app using HomeKit onboarding.
Don't have a HomeKit code for your Switch? You would need to get a digital version of your code if you bought a switch in packaging without HomeKit markings (bought before or soon after this release). Find step-by-step instructions below in the section "HomeKit Pairing and getting your HomeKit code".

If you are using an iOS device and don't wish to go through those steps to use HomeKit to add your Switch to the LIFX App, you will need to power your Switch, then wait 15 mins for it to leave the 'pairing mode' that enables HomeKit setup. After 15 minutes, your Switch should be available to add without requiring a HomeKit code or adding it to Apple Home.

If you are using Android, you can add your Switch as you would any normal LIFX device.

 

Configuration: Telling your LIFX App how your Switch is wired.


1) Go to the Switch settings and click the “Setup” button within “Wiring”

2) Configure what each terminal is connected to by specifying:  
i) Whether the terminal is wired – some terminals may not be wired to any electrical circuits. 
ii) Whether it is wired to LIFX lights or Non-LIFX circuits. This is important because if you indicate you have wired LIFX lights, the circuit will remain permanently on to ensure the bulb is always able to connect, even when the light looks "off". 
iii) Naming of non-LIFX devices. If this terminal is connected to a Non-LIFX device you will be given the option to name it. The name will appear in the dashboard and also be available to choose as a button target (which means you can set it as the device the button is controlling. 

 

Setting up buttons and assigning functions.


You will need to tell your Switch what to do when each button is pressed. 

Within the Switch settings, click “Setup” within “Buttons”. This is where you assign target to each button.
Buttons can target the following: 

i) Device - this is a single specific LIFX light or device.
ii) Non-LIFX Device - this refers to the terminals configured under Wiring (see above: "Telling your LIFX app how your Switch is wired"). If you want to control the wired device, specify this.
iii) Group - this refers to a group from your Dashboard, such as a whole room.
iv) Location - this is a whole location e.g. a Switch button at your front door that turns off the whole house.
v) Scene - this will activate a Scene you have saved when you press the button. 

 

 

Upgrading Switch to 3.90 Firmware to enable new features


Switches are upgraded using the same process as lights. Once upgraded, the previous settings will be migrated into the new format. 

It is important to remember the following 

  • The Switch has now been removed from the dashboard and must be accessed via App Settings (the settings cog on the bottom right).  
  • Buttons and Wiring are now configured separately.  

These changes are to keep Switches as controls, rather than looking like lights on your Dashboard and to reduce 'double up' of lights or other devices assigned to Switches as well as represented on the Dashboard.

 

HomeKit Pairing and getting your HomeKit code 


Once a Switch has been added to your LIFX app, follow these steps to add it to your Apple Home app using HomeKit:

1) Go to your LIFX app settings by pressing the Settings Cog on the bottom right of the screen. Look down to the 'Accessories' section and choose “Switch”. If you have more than one Switch, select the one you want to pair to get to it's individual settings.

 

2) Within Switch settings screen, scroll down to the section called “HOMEKIT”  and press the “Pair” button.
If there is no 'Pair' option, please restart the Switch by holding down the bottom button until you feel it vibrate / haptic feedback. 

 

3) Press “Get Code”


 

 

4) Write down or record the HomeKit code shown on screen. This is the unique code for this particular Switch.  


 

5) Close this window to return to Switch settings screen. Press “Pair” again. 

6) Now that you have the code, press “Pair Switch”.


 

7) Select your HomeKit Location


 

8) When the “Add Accessory” popup appears, press “More options...”, then “Enter code...”
This will allow you to manually enter the code you noted down.

9) Your switch is now added to HomeKit. The LIFX app will show details of your HomeKit configuration and an option to remove it from HomeKit. 


 

 

Once you have paired your Switch to HomeKit, you will be able to go to the Home app, where you will see two tiles representing the Switch in the room it has been assigned. 

The Switch tile contains buttons for each of the hard-wired relays on the switch. Going into this allows you to see each relay and toggle the power on and off. If you have terminals that you have configured as 'not wired' within the LIFX app, they will not appear here.

 


 

If you have a Home Hub, the Programmable Switch tile is where you can go and configure button presses to perform HomeKit actions based on single, double or long presses.






TIP: When you perform any of these presses while on this screen, the trigged action will highlight grey. This is a great way to understand the timing for these presses. 

 

Switch FAQ

  • How do I reset my LIFX Switch?

  • Hold down the bottom button until you feel the haptic feedback and the status flashes red 

  • What do the colours of the status light mean?

  • Green flashing – device has been factory reset and is ready to onboard 

  • Green solid – successful cloud connection 

  • Blue flashing – device software is being updated 

  • Orange flashing – loss of cloud connection 

  • Red flashing – loss of local network Wi-Fi connection 

  • How do I configure 2-way switching of non-LIFX devices?

  • On one of your Switches configure the terminal to be wired to a “Non-LIFX” device.  

  • Then on another Switch where you also want to trigger that terminal, go into the Button configuration. Then select the button you would like to control the other terminal and choose “Non-LIFX device” from the drop list and select the terminal you configured in step 1.  

  • I have paired my Switch with HomeKit and configured buttons to control other HomeKit devices.
    Button presses are still performing my LIFX app configured actions - what is going on?

  • You should set the wiring for the corresponding terminal to 'wired', then change the button action to control that terminal. Then go back into wiring and set the wiring for that terminal to be not wired. The button action will now be reset. 

  • Ability to clear this config coming in next app update. 

  • Ability to configure double press and long press coming to upcoming LIFX app.