Alexa can't find Philips Hue bulb (voice command)

[Merrill]

I have a Philips Hue starter kit with a bridge and 4 white bulbs. I have the bridge connected to the router and it has identified all 4 bulbs. I have the Hue app enabled and the app can see and control all 4 bulbs. I can turn on/off the lights, dim the bulbs, turn on/off groups, etc. But when I try to control the lights via voice command, Alexa says it can't find the devices. I am referring to the lights exactly as they are set up in the app - i.e., Dining 1, Dining 2, Mantle 1, Mantle 2. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Just to clarify, I can control all 4 lights using the Alexa app on my phone. I just can't control the lights using voice commands.

[renegade600]

try spelling out the number in the name.  alexa dont like numbers and tend to have problems with them.   that is what I had to do.   

[Merrill]

Really. That's interesting. I'll give that a try...or maybe rename them without any numbers.

Thanks.

[Merrill]

OK, here's what I figured out. I set up the lights in the Hue app. And I discovered the devices in the Alexa app on my phone. But in order to control the devices verbally, I had to go to Alexa.Amazon.com on my laptop and discover the devices. Once I did that, everything worked like a charm.

The proper sequence is to set up the lights in the Hue app, enable the Hue app for Alexa, then go to Alexa.Amazon.com to discover the devices. Then you can control them verbally and with the Alexa app on your smart phone.

I also changed the names to spell out one and two instead of using 1 and 2, as suggested by renegade600. Thanks!

Hope this is helpful to someone.

[asianrocker]

The proper sequence is to set up the lights in the Hue app, enable the Hue app for Alexa, then go to Alexa.Amazon.com to discover the devices. Then you can control them verbally and with the Alexa app on your smart phone.



Hope this is helpful to someone.

 Thanks! It did help me. I went and bought myself a hue starter kit 2 pack. It was $69 but price match it on Amazon for $49. Well, bestbuy is getting a bit strict now with their price match though, it took awhile before they agreed on the price.

While it solved that I can control the lights through alexa, one of the bulbs says unreachable, so I am gonna return it. Well, exchange and hopefully both bulbs are gonna work.

Oh gotta say, what I actually did was went to account.meethue.com on my laptop coz for some reason, it won't detect my bridge via phone. Once I went on my laptop, it discovered my bridge no problem. Then, alexa discovered it no problem. But can't control the unreachable bulb.

[asianrocker]

Don't know if this was said before. But since I have hue lights now, I am glad turning on/off lights is so simple. In my case I just say alexa, room on/off. And alexa, dim bedroom (whatever percent I want). I woot.