How it works
The Hue Motion Sensor is battery powered, so it sits on a shelf or mounts on the wall wherever it can see the doorway. When it sees movement and the room is dark, it turns on the Hue bulbs in that room. It doesn't have to be these bulbs: any Philips Hue bulb works, so pick the one that fits your lights.
What it turns them on to depends on the time. You split the day into time slots in the Hue app and give each slot its own scene: Bright from 8am, Dimmed from 9pm and Nightlight from 11pm, say. Each slot also sets how long the room has to be still before the lights go off again.
The Hue Motion Sensor and the Hue bulbs pair with a Hue Bridge, and Home Assistant picks them up through its Philips Hue integration. The sensor brings its motion and light level readings, and your Hue scenes come across too. It doesn't have to be these bulbs: any Philips Hue bulb works, so pick the one that fits your lights.
Two automations do the work: one turns the room on when the sensor sees movement and the room is dark, picking Bright, Dimmed or Nightlight by the time, and one turns it off after 10 minutes with no movement.
The Hue Motion Sensor and the Hue bulbs are Zigbee devices, so they can pair straight to Home Assistant's own Zigbee (ZHA), with no Hue Bridge. The sensor reports motion, light level and temperature. It doesn't have to be these bulbs: any Philips Hue bulb works, so pick the one that fits your lights.
Two automations do the work: one turns the light on when the sensor sees movement and the room is dark, bright in the evening and a 5% warm glow overnight, and one turns it off after 10 minutes with no movement. Without a Bridge the sensor and bulbs aren't in the Hue app, so the Hue app's time slots and scenes aren't available.
A Shelly Dimmer Gen4 fits behind the wall switch and dims the lights already on that circuit. A Shelly Presence Gen4 goes on the wall or a shelf. It uses radar, so it knows you're still in the room even when you're sitting still or reading in bed. Any dimmable lights work.
The dimmer's Night mode sets the overnight brightness: between 10pm and 6am, the light comes on at 10% however it's switched on. On the presence sensor, two actions do the rest: turn the dimmer on when someone walks in between 5pm and 7am, and off again once the room is clear. The sensor talks to the dimmer directly over your Wi-Fi.
A Shelly Dimmer Gen4 fits behind the wall switch and dims the lights already on that circuit, and a Shelly Presence Gen4 watches the room with radar. Both join Home Assistant through the built-in Shelly integration, over your home network. Any dimmable lights work.
Two automations do the work: one turns the light on when the sensor sees someone between 5pm and 7am, and one turns it off once the room is clear. Night mode stays on the dimmer, set once in the Shelly app, so the light comes on at 10% overnight.
-
01
You walk in
The sensor sees you and the light comes on, with no switch to find.
-
02
The Philips Hue kitThe Shelly kit
Picks the brightness by the time: full in the evening, a glow at 2am.
-
03
Your bedroom or hallway
Goes dark again once the room is clear.
What it looks like on your phone
-
Time slots. One sensor, three scenes: Bright through the day, Dimmed from 9pm, Nightlight from 11pm.
-
The overnight slot. Nightlight on motion, and off again five minutes after you're back in bed.
-
Daylight settings. The sensor measures the light itself, so the lamps stay off in a sunny room.
-
Presence, not just motion. The radar sees someone in the Bedroom zone even while they're lying still.
-
Two actions. Light on when the room is occupied from 5pm, Light off once it's clear.
-
Light on when you walk in. From 5pm to 7am, the light comes on as soon as the sensor sees someone.
-
Light off when the room is clear. The radar sees you sitting still, so it only goes off once you've left.
-
Light on when you walk in. Motion in a dark room sets Bright, Dimmed or Nightlight by the time.
-
Light off when the room is still. Ten minutes with no movement and the bedroom goes dark.
-
Light on when you walk in. Motion in a dark room turns the light on, bright in the evening and a glow overnight.
-
Light off when the room is still. Ten minutes with no movement and the bedroom goes dark.
Step by step
-
Set up the Bridge
Open the Hue app and add the Bridge, then follow the on-screen steps. Do this before you add the bulbs.
-
Add the bulbs to the room
Fit the bulbs, turn the wall switch on and add them in the app. Put them in a room named for where they are, such as Bedroom or Hallway.
-
Add the motion sensor
On the Home tab, tap the three dots, then Add devices, and choose the room. Scan the QR code on the sensor, or tap Alternative method, then Set up without QR code and Motion sensor. Press the setup button on the back of the sensor until the LED blinks orange, tap LED is blinking, then name it.
-
Choose the room it lights
Under What should your sensor do?, choose Control lights, then the room. The app offers two time slots to start with, Bright through the day and Dimmed overnight. Tap Customize to change them.
-
Set the time slots
Under Time slots, tap + to add one, set Time slot starts at, and choose the scene it turns on. Tap a slot to change its scene, or its Duration: how long after the last movement the lights turn off. Bright from 8:00 AM, Dimmed from 9:00 PM and Nightlight from 11:00 PM is a good start for a bedroom. If the room has no Nightlight scene, add it from the Hue scene gallery first. Tap Done for each slot, then Save.
-
Check the daylight setting
Under General settings, open Daylight settings. Sensor is chosen by default, so the lights stay off while the room is light enough. Sunrise/Sunset only switches them on between sunset and sunrise instead.
-
Check the time slots
Open the sensor from the room's Controls. Its settings list each time slot with the scene it turns on: Bright from 8:00 AM, Dimmed from 9:00 PM and Nightlight from 11:00 PM.
-
Set up the Bridge
Open the Hue app and add the Bridge, then follow the on-screen steps. Do this before you add the bulbs.
-
Add the bulbs to the room
Fit the bulbs, turn the wall switch on and add them in the app. Put them in a room named for where they are, such as Bedroom or Hallway.
-
Add the motion sensor
On the Home tab, tap the three dots, then Add devices, and choose the room. Scan the QR code on the sensor, or tap Alternative method, then Set up without QR code and Motion sensor, and pick the logo on top of your sensor. Press the setup button on the back until the LED blinks orange, tap LED is blinking, then name it. Under What should your sensor do?, choose Configure in another app, tap Next and choose Configure in another app again. Home Assistant runs the sensor from here.
-
Add the Bridge to Home Assistant
In Home Assistant, go to Settings, then Devices & services, select Add integration and choose Philips Hue. Pick your Bridge, then press the button on top of it when Home Assistant asks. The bulbs, the sensor and your Hue scenes then show up in Home Assistant.
-
Turn the lights on when you walk in
Go to Settings, then Automations & scenes, and select Create automation. Add a State trigger on the sensor's Motion, changing to Detected, and a Numeric state condition on its Illuminance, below 20 lx. For the action, add Choose: from 08:00 to 21:00 activate the Bright scene, from 21:00 to 23:00 Dimmed, and otherwise Nightlight. Check them, select Save and name it Light on when you walk in. If the lights come on too late in the evening, raise the 20 lx.
-
Turn them off when the room is still
Create a second automation with a State trigger on the sensor's Motion changing to Clear for 10 minutes, and an action that turns off the bedroom lights. Check them, select Save and name it Light off when the room is still.
-
Check both are there
Automations & scenes now lists Light on when you walk in and Light off when the room is still. They're on as soon as you save them.
-
Fit the bulbs
Swap the bulbs in the bedroom for the Hue bulbs and switch the light on at the wall.
-
Reset bulbs that have been on a Bridge
New bulbs are ready to pair. A bulb that's been on a Hue Bridge before has to be factory reset first: removing it from the Bridge isn't enough. Switch it on, hold a Hue dimmer switch within 10 cm of it, and press and hold the on and off buttons together until it blinks, about 10 seconds. Newer bulbs can also be reset over Bluetooth in the Hue app.
-
Pair them in Home Assistant
In Home Assistant, go to Settings, then Devices & services, open Zigbee Home Automation and select Add device. While it shows Searching for Zigbee devices, the bulbs join one by one. For the sensor, press the setup button on its back until the LED blinks orange; if it's been on a Hue Bridge, delete it in the Hue app first. Name them and put them in your Bedroom area.
-
Turn the light on when you walk in
Go to Settings, then Automations & scenes, and select Create automation. Add a State trigger on the sensor, changing to Detected, and a Numeric state condition on its Illuminance, below 20 lx. For the action, add Choose: from 08:00 to 21:00 turn on the bedroom lights at 100%, from 21:00 to 23:00 at 50%, and otherwise at 5% and a warm white. Check them, select Save and name it Light on when you walk in.
-
Turn it off when the room is still
Create a second automation with a State trigger on the sensor changing to Clear for 10 minutes, and an action that turns off the bedroom lights. Check them, select Save and name it Light off when the room is still.
-
Check both are there
Automations & scenes now lists Light on when you walk in and Light off when the room is still. They're on as soon as you save them.
-
Fit the dimmer behind the switch
Mains goes to L and N, and O carries the dimmed output to the light. A push button on S1 takes the place of the wall switch: press to switch, hold to dim. With no neutral at the switch, leave N empty and fit the Bypass at the light if the lights draw under 20 W.
Wire map Dimmer Gen4- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button S1
Wire map Dimmer Gen3- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button S1
Wire map Pro Dimmer 1PM- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button SW1
Wire map Pro Dimmer 2PM- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O1
- Push button SW1
Circuit overview1Dimmable light2Push buttonActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Dimmable light2Push buttonActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Push button2Dimmable lightActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Push button2Dimmable lightActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitThere's no wiring diagram for the here yet. Its installation guide has the manufacturer's wiring diagram. Wire it from the diagram in its manual.
-
Add the dimmer in the app
Add the dimmer in the Shelly Smart Control app and name it after the room, such as Bedroom light. The first time it switches on, it calibrates itself to the light.
-
Add the presence sensor
Plug in the Presence Gen4 and add it in the app, in the same room as the dimmer. Mount it where it can see the doorway and the bed.
-
Turn on Night mode
On the dimmer, turn on Night mode, set it from 10pm to 6am and set the brightness to 10%. Outside those hours the light comes on at its normal brightness.
-
Turn the light on when you walk in
On the presence sensor, open Actions and tap Add action. Choose the room's zone, name the action Light on, then turn on Set active time and set 5:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Under When, choose When presence, then Is and Occupied. Tap Add action from another device, pick the dimmer, choose Control Light, turn on Light State and choose On, then tap Save.
-
Turn it off when the room is clear
Add a second action the same way, named Light off, with no active time. Choose When presence, Is and Not occupied, and set the dimmer's Light State to Off.
-
Check both actions
Actions on the presence sensor now lists Light on, when the room is occupied from 17:00, and Light off, when it's not occupied. The switch beside each turns it off and on.
-
Fit the dimmer behind the switch
Mains goes to L and N, and O carries the dimmed output to the light. A push button on S1 takes the place of the wall switch: press to switch, hold to dim. With no neutral at the switch, leave N empty and fit the Bypass at the light if the lights draw under 20 W.
Wire map Dimmer Gen4- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button S1
Wire map Dimmer Gen3- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button S1
Wire map Pro Dimmer 1PM- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O
- Push button SW1
Wire map Pro Dimmer 2PM- Active (supply) L
- Neutral N
- Dimmable light O1
- Push button SW1
Circuit overview1Dimmable light2Push buttonActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Dimmable light2Push buttonActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Push button2Dimmable lightActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitCircuit overview1Push button2Dimmable lightActive (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched loadSwitch signal / dry contactIn Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.
Showing the whole circuitThere's no wiring diagram for the here yet. Its installation guide has the manufacturer's wiring diagram. Wire it from the diagram in its manual.
-
Add the dimmer in the app
Add the dimmer in the Shelly Smart Control app and name it after the room, such as Bedroom light. The first time it switches on, it calibrates itself to the light.
-
Add the presence sensor
Plug in the Presence Gen4 and add it in the app, in the same room as the dimmer. Mount it where it can see the doorway and the bed.
-
Turn on Night mode
In the Shelly app, turn on Night mode on the dimmer, set it from 10pm to 6am and set the brightness to 10%. It's stored on the dimmer, so it applies however the light is switched on.
-
Add both to Home Assistant
In Home Assistant, go to Settings, then Devices & services, select Add integration and choose Shelly. Enter the dimmer's IP address, which your router lists, select Submit, then do the same for the presence sensor. Put both in your Bedroom area.
-
Turn the light on when you walk in
Go to Settings, then Automations & scenes, and select Create automation. Add a State trigger on the presence sensor for when it detects someone, and a Time condition after 17:00 and before 07:00. Then add an action that turns on Bedroom light. Check them, select Save and name it Light on when you walk in.
-
Turn it off when the room is clear
Create a second automation with a State trigger on the presence sensor for when the room is clear, and an action that turns off Bedroom light. Check them, select Save and name it Light off when the room is clear.
-
Check both are there
Automations & scenes now lists Light on when you walk in and Light off when the room is clear. They're on as soon as you save them.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use Philips Hue or Shelly?
Use Philips Hue if your lights take a bulb and you're happy to swap it: there's no wiring, and the time of day settings are built into the sensor's setup. Use Shelly if you'd rather keep the lights you have, such as fixed LED downlights. The dimmer fits behind the wall switch and runs whatever dimmable lights are on that circuit. Both work in Home Assistant as well, if you'd rather run the automations there.
Will the lights come on during the day?
With Hue, not if the room is already bright: the motion sensor measures daylight and leaves the lights off until it's dark. With Shelly, you choose the hours: the action that turns the light on only runs between the times you set, such as 5pm to 7am.
Does the wall switch still work?
Yes. With Hue, leave the switch on so the bulbs have power. With Shelly, the wall switch becomes a push button wired to the dimmer: press to switch the light, hold to dim it.
Do I need a Hue Bridge?
For the Hue app, yes: the motion sensor needs one. The Bridge supports up to 50 lights and 12 accessories, and the Bridge Pro supports 150 or more lights and 50 or more accessories. In Home Assistant, the sensor and bulbs can pair straight to its Zigbee instead.
How many time slots can I set?
Up to 10 a day. Each slot picks its own scene, so it can be a different brightness or a warmer white. A morning, an evening and an overnight slot covers most bedrooms.
What batteries does the sensor take?
Two AAA batteries. Philips rates them for at least two years.
Can my Hue lights sense motion without a sensor?
With a Hue Bridge Pro, yes. MotionAware uses three or four compatible Hue lights in one room to detect movement from changes in their wireless signal. It works indoors only, with the lights 1 to 7 metres apart and no walls between them. A motion sensor is simpler for one bedroom and also measures daylight.
Do I need a hub?
No. The dimmer and the presence sensor both join your Wi-Fi, and the actions run between them.
Will the light turn off while I'm lying still?
No. The Presence Gen4 uses radar, which picks up a person sitting or lying still, so the light stays on until the room is actually clear.
Will it work with my LED downlights?
If they're dimmable, yes, up to 150 W of LED on one dimmer. The dimmer calibrates itself to the lights the first time it switches on. Lights that aren't dimmable need replacing.
Why set Night mode in the Shelly app?
Night mode is stored on the dimmer, so it works whatever turns the light on: the wall button, the Shelly app or Home Assistant. Home Assistant doesn't need to know about it.
What happens if Home Assistant is offline?
The two automations won't run, so the light won't come on by itself, but the wall button still works. If you'd rather the sensor ran the light directly, set the actions in the Shelly app instead.
Why choose Configure in another app?
So only Home Assistant switches the lights. With Control lights, the Hue app's own time slots would run alongside your automations and the two would fight.
Why go through the Hue Bridge?
The bulbs and your scenes stay in the Hue app and show up in Home Assistant as well, with no Zigbee adapter to add. Pairing straight to Home Assistant's Zigbee skips the Bridge, but then the sensor and bulbs are only in Home Assistant.
Does the Hue motion sensor work without a Bridge?
Yes, in Home Assistant's Zigbee. We paired one on our bench: it reports motion, light level, temperature and battery, and you can set its sensitivity from Home Assistant.
What do I give up without a Hue Bridge?
The Hue app. Paired straight to Home Assistant, the sensor and bulbs only run from there, so the Hue app's time slots and scenes aren't available. The automation picks the brightness by the time instead.
Do I need a Zigbee adapter?
Yes. Home Assistant talks to Zigbee devices through a coordinator plugged into the machine it runs on. If you already run Zigbee in Home Assistant, the adapter you have will do.
More Philips Hue solutions
Lights that dim on a schedule each evening
The lights fade down to a low glow after dinner instead of snapping between full and off. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of
Dim the lights from the couch for movie night
Drop the lights to a glow from the couch, then bring them back up when it's time to tidy. Fit a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate, or swap to Philips Hue bulbs and use the app. Control with any of 
Lights that fade up to wake you in the morning
The bedroom lights come up slowly before your alarm, so you wake to a lit room instead of a dark one. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of More Shelly solutions
Lights that dim on a schedule each evening
The lights fade down to a low glow after dinner instead of snapping between full and off. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of Dim the lights from the couch for movie night
Drop the lights to a glow from the couch, then bring them back up when it's time to tidy. Fit a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate, or swap to Philips Hue bulbs and use the app. Control with any of 
Get told when a door or window is left open
A sensor on the door or window and a rule that waits. If it is still open after five minutes, your phone gets told, and a nearby light can come on as well. Control with any of More Home Assistant solutions
Lights that dim on a schedule each evening
The lights fade down to a low glow after dinner instead of snapping between full and off. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of Dim the lights from the couch for movie night
Drop the lights to a glow from the couch, then bring them back up when it's time to tidy. Fit a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate, or swap to Philips Hue bulbs and use the app. Control with any of Get told when a door or window is left open
A sensor on the door or window and a rule that waits. If it is still open after five minutes, your phone gets told, and a nearby light can come on as well. Control with any of More Home Assistant solutions
Lights that dim on a schedule each evening
The lights fade down to a low glow after dinner instead of snapping between full and off. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of Dim the lights from the couch for movie night
Drop the lights to a glow from the couch, then bring them back up when it's time to tidy. Fit a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate, or swap to Philips Hue bulbs and use the app. Control with any of Get told when a door or window is left open
A sensor on the door or window and a rule that waits. If it is still open after five minutes, your phone gets told, and a nearby light can come on as well. Control with any of More Home Assistant solutions
Lights that dim on a schedule each evening
The lights fade down to a low glow after dinner instead of snapping between full and off. Do it with a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate or Philips Hue bulbs, in their app or Home Assistant. Control with any of Dim the lights from the couch for movie night
Drop the lights to a glow from the couch, then bring them back up when it's time to tidy. Fit a Shelly dimmer behind the wall plate, or swap to Philips Hue bulbs and use the app. Control with any of Get told when a door or window is left open
A sensor on the door or window and a rule that waits. If it is still open after five minutes, your phone gets told, and a nearby light can come on as well. Control with any of Still need a hand?
We answer most messages within one business day. If your question is about an existing order, have your order number ready. It speeds things up.
Contact usThe kit
Which should I choose?
Both do the job. The difference is how they connect, and which app you'll run them from.
-
Philips Hue
ZigbeeHue bulbs and a battery motion sensor. No wiring.
- You'd rather swap bulbs than wire anything
- You already have a Hue Bridge
- You want a battery sensor you can put anywhere
-
Shelly
Wi-FiKeep your lights. A dimmer behind the switch and a radar presence sensor.
- You'd rather keep the lights you have
- You want the light to stay on while you sit still
- There's a power point near where the sensor goes
The kit
Choose your light
Each of these does the job. The steps on this page are written for the recommended one.
The kit
Choose your bridge
Each of these does the job. The steps on this page are written for the recommended one.
The kit
Choose your dimmer
Each of these does the job. The steps on this page are written for the recommended one.