With WLED’s built-in Philips Hue emulation, you can control your shop light with Amazon Alexa using voice commands. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Enable Alexa Control in WLED
- Open the WLED app (or web interface) and navigate to:
- Config → Sync Interfaces → Alexa Voice Assistant (scroll down).
- Check the box to “Emulate Alexa device”.
- Set a device name (e.g., “Shop Light”).
- Alexa will use this name to recognize the light.
Step 2: Ensure Proper Wi-Fi Setup
- Alexa devices must be on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, not 5GHz.
- If your router uses both frequencies under the same name (SSID), temporarily disable 5GHz during setup.
- Ensure the ESP32 running WLED is also connected to the same 2.4GHz network.
Step 3: Add WLED to Alexa
- Open the Amazon Alexa app.
- Tap Devices (bottom menu).
- In the top-right corner, tap “+” (Add Device).
- Select “Light”, then choose “Philips Hue”.
- When asked “Does your light have Bluetooth?”, select “Yes” (even though WLED is Wi-Fi-based).
- Tap “Discover Devices”, and wait for Alexa to find your WLED light.
- Once found, assign it to a room (optional) and tap “Done”.
Step 4: Use Alexa Commands
Once set up, you can control your WLED shop light with commands like:
- “Alexa, turn on the Shop Light.”
- “Alexa, turn off the Shop Light.”
- “Alexa, set Shop Light to 50% brightness.”
Bonus: Create Alexa Routines
To automate lighting, create an Alexa routine:
- Open Alexa app → Tap More → Routines.
- Tap “+” → Enter a routine name.
- Under When this happens, choose Voice and enter a custom phrase (e.g., “Workshop Mode”).
- Under Add action, select Smart Home → Shop Light → Set brightness (e.g., 100%).
- Tap Save.
Troubleshooting
- If Alexa doesn’t find the device, try:
- Restarting your ESP32 and router.
- Disabling and re-enabling the Alexa emulation setting in WLED.
- Making sure both Alexa and WLED are on the same 2.4GHz network.
- If voice commands aren’t working, rename the light in WLED settings, then rediscover it in Alexa.