Signify will require an account to control Hue devices

Users of Hue lamps will be required to create an account in the future. Without such an account, the Hue Bridge and the app can no longer be used on just a local network and lamps can no longer be controlled without such an account.

Hue confirms that on X after users received a recent update to the Hue Bridge. Matter support was added, among other things, but users also saw a warning when updating. “Hue accounts were created to improve the security of your system. You should be logged in soon,” the update screen said.

In a different response Hue also says that it is no longer possible to continue using Hue without an account. This is not just about lighting, but about all Hue products such as security systems. Hue refers to that through to a support page. Although the company says it does not sell user data to third parties, it does collect telemetry itself. In addition, users must opt-out of marketing communications when they create an account.

Hue says it requires users to use accounts because it “improves security.” “As the number of features we develop grows, so does the need for more advanced security,” says the company. It refers to the ability to add two-factor authentication, add new users to accounts, and remove user permissions. Company also says that in this way attackers ‘cannot enter your house’. That is not true; requiring a cloud connection actually creates a new attack vector for many users.

Hue lamps and the Hue Bridge do have a Zigbee controller. This makes it possible to connect the lamps to other bridges or controllers for a local connection, for example via Home Assistant or other smart home platforms.

Hue has always been known within the smart home world as one of the largest parties that made local control of home automation possible. By only accessing smart home devices via a cloud connection, users run the risk that older equipment will no longer work at all after a while.