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Hardware Resetting Your LIFX

Updated

A hardware reset removes the device’s stored configuration so it can be onboarded again or connected to a different Wi-Fi network.

Choose the instructions below that match your product.

Resetting LIFX Bulbs

Reset steps

  1. Make sure the light is turned on.
  2. Turn the light off and on at the power source five times, slowly and at consistent intervals.
  3. On the final power-on, the light will show its reset pattern and enter setup mode.

Reset patterns

  • LIFX Colour products: Flash red, green and blue, then settle on white.
  • LIFX Mini Day & Dusk: Cycle through warm, mixed and cool white.
  • LIFX Mini White: Dim, increase to medium brightness, then flash brightly.

If no reset pattern appears, repeat the sequence slightly more slowly.

Resetting the LIFX Original

  1. Turn off power to the LIFX Original.
  2. Locate the small physical switch on the back of the bulb.
  3. Move the switch to the opposite position.
  4. Turn the power back on.
  5. The bulb will flash red, green, blue and white to confirm the reset.

Resetting Lightstrip Products with Controllers

Lightstrip products with a controller can be reset using the controller button.

They can also be reset by turning the power off and on five times, using the same process as a standard LIFX bulb.

Reset steps

  1. Make sure the controller has power.
  2. Press and hold the small controller button for 10–15 seconds.
  3. Release the button when the connected sections begin flashing or cycling through colours.
  4. The light will re-enter setup mode.

If individual sections flash differently, see Light flashing red, green, and blue.

Resetting a LIFX Switch


[These instructions apply to LIFX 2-button and 4-button Switches. For the LIFX Smart Dimmer, follow the reset instructions provided in the LIFX app or product-specific support documentation].

The reset process depends on whether the Switch is running Matter firmware or legacy non-Matter firmware.

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

Matter firmware 4.100 and later

Matter-enabled LIFX Switches use a timed button-hold sequence for rebooting, factory resetting and cancelling a reset.

Do not wait for a flashing green Setup Mode indication. Matter-enabled Switches no longer use the previous Setup Mode process.

For the complete reset instructions, see:

Troubleshooting LIFX Switch: Matter Firmware 4.100 and Later

Legacy non-Matter firmware

To factory reset a Switch running legacy non-Matter firmware:

  1. Press and hold all buttons on the Switch at the same time. This applies to both 2-button and 4-button Switches.
  2. Continue holding for approximately 10 seconds.
  3. When the status LED flashes green and you feel a haptic pulse, release all buttons.
  4. The Switch will enter Setup Mode and become available for onboarding again.

How to Confirm the Reset Worked

The expected reset behaviour depends on the product and firmware version.

After a successful reset:

  • A bulb or lightstrip will display its product-specific reset pattern and enter setup mode.
  • A legacy non-Matter Switch will flash green and enter Setup Mode.
  • A Matter-enabled Switch will restart and become available for onboarding and Matter commissioning.

Open the LIFX app and check whether the device appears as available for setup.

If a bulb or lightstrip does not display its reset pattern, repeat the reset sequence slightly more slowly.

For Switches, do not repeat the reset until you have confirmed which firmware-specific process applies.

When to Reset a LIFX Device

A hardware reset may be needed when:

  • You changed your Wi-Fi network name, password or router.
  • The device was previously set up in another location.
  • You are troubleshooting an onboarding or connection issue.
  • The device will not appear in the LIFX app.
  • You are passing the device on to someone else.
  • You need to remove the device’s locally stored configuration.

Still Having Trouble?

If the device will not reset or does not become available for setup:

  • Make sure it is not connected to a hardware dimmer or another smart switch.
  • Test the device from another compatible outlet or circuit where possible.
  • For modular products, try resetting with only one section connected.
  • For a LIFX Switch, make sure all buttons are being held simultaneously.
  • Confirm that you are following the instructions for the Switch’s installed firmware version.

If the issue continues, contact LIFX Support and include the product model, firmware version and a description of the LED behaviour shown during the reset.