Smartphone Control: Christmas Lights At Your Fingertips

Christmas lights are a staple of the festive season, and now, with the help of modern technology, you can control them from your smartphone. Various brands offer smart Christmas lights that can be linked to your phone and smart home devices, allowing you to adjust colours, brightness, flashing modes, and speed, as well as sync lights to music. This means you can create your own unique light display without even getting off the couch!

Customise colours and flashing effects

Many app-controlled Christmas lights allow you to customise colours and flashing effects. The Novolink Voice-Controlled LED C9 String Lights, for example, offer control over bulb colours, flashing mode, speed, and brightness. The Twinkly Smart Decorations Custom LED String Lights also allow you to change colours and speed, as well as sync the lights to music.

The Novolink Multi-Color Icicle LED String Lights feature six different flashing modes to achieve your desired display: phasing, twinkling in phase, fast twinkle, fade away in phase, fade away, and constant. The Twinkly LED RGB Multicolour + White Decorative Curtain Lights also allow you to choose colours and sync to music.

The ELlight Dream Color Christmas String Lights offer 120 dynamic colour modes, while the Novolink Warm White LED Lights With Wireless Smart Control feature six flashing modes and a timer setting.

The Juliet Remote Control LED Lights allow you to create your own custom designs by downloading an app, scanning a QR code to connect the lights, and following the steps to control them.

Control brightness

Adjusting the brightness of your Christmas lights is a great way to complement the rest of your Christmas light display.

Twinkly Smart Decorations Custom LED String Lights

With 400 lights in the box, the Twinkly Smart Decorations Custom LED String Lights can be customised with designs and effects via an app. You can change the colours and speed, and even sync the lights to music.

LightShow Orchestra of Lights Swirling Multicolour LED Stars

The LightShow Orchestra of Lights Swirling Multicolour LED Stars can be controlled via the Orchestra of Lights app, which offers 140 different lighting effects and colours. It also lets you play your own music through Bluetooth.

Novolink Voice-Controlled LED C9 String Lights

These voice-controlled lights can be customised by changing the bulb colours, flashing mode, speed, and brightness. They can be controlled using your Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or smartphone.

Twinkly White and Amber Outdoor Christmas String Lights

These lights can be linked to your smartphone with one tap using a Bluetooth connection. You can also synchronise them with other Twinkly products to create a unique display.

Novolink Multi-Color Icicle LED String Light With Wireless Smart Control + 200 Light Add-on

The Novolink Multi-Color Icicle LED String Light has six different flashing modes, including phasing, twinkle in phase, fast twinkle, fade away in phase, fade away, and constant. You can control the lights using the Novolink D-Lights app.

Twinkly LED RGB Multicolour + White Decorative Curtain Lights

These lights can be controlled using the Twinkly app, or synced to your Google Home or Amazon Alexa.

Novolink Voice-Controlled LED Icicle String Lights

These voice-controlled lights can be customised and controlled using your Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Novolink smartphone app.

ELlight Dream Color Christmas String Lights

The ELlight Dream Color Christmas String Lights offer 120 dynamic colour modes, which can be controlled via a smartphone app.

Novolink Warm White LED Lights With Wireless Smart Control

These classic white lights can be controlled via a mobile app, which allows you to set a timer on the display and extend the lights with up to three additional light sets.

Juliet Remote Control LED Lights

The Juliet Remote Control LED Lights can be customised using an app. You can either use premade light design animations or create your own custom designs.

DGO Cafe LED String Lights, I&M Fairy LED String Christmas Lights, and Philips Christmas LED Illuminate Starter Kit

These lights can be controlled via an app on your smartphone.

Sync with music

If you want to sync your Christmas lights to music, you'll need to put in some time and effort, but the results will be dazzling. Here's how to do it:

Plan the Scale of Your Light Show

The first step is to decide how many channels your show will have. A channel is a string of lights that can be controlled individually. For example, if you have lights draped over a bush, that would be one channel. If you're a beginner, it's recommended to start with 32 channels for a small to medium-sized house, or 64 channels for a larger house.

Get Your Equipment

You'll need LED or incandescent Christmas lights, outdoor extension cords, and hanging materials like screws, hooks, nails, or duct tape.

Buy a Light Show Control System

You can buy a fully built light show system that's ready to use out of the box, a light show kit that requires some assembly, or a DIY light show control system if you have advanced engineering and programming skills. Prices range from $5 to $25 per channel.

Choose Your Software

Select software that will allow you to program each channel of lights to dance to the music. Look for beginner-friendly options like Light-O-Rama, Vixen, or Animated Lighting. Some software is free, while others require a one-time payment.

Design Your Display

Decide where you want to place your lights. Common elements include mini or net lights for bushes, trees, and walls; icicle or C-series lights for the roof and ceiling; mini trees for the yard or driveway; and blow molds or wireframe decorations for the yard.

Program Your Lights

This is the most time-consuming part of the process. Choose the music you want to sync your lights to, then start programming each channel to turn on, turn off, fade, twinkle, or shimmer to the beat of the music. This can take a few months, depending on the length of your show and the number of channels.

Choose Your Audio Method

You can use speakers to play your music, but be mindful of your neighbours. Alternatively, you can broadcast your music over an FM frequency by purchasing an FM transmitter and setting it to a radio frequency that isn't already in use in your area.

Test and Promote Your Light Show

Once you've set up your lights and controller, test your light show to make sure everything is working properly. If you encounter any issues, there are online forums and instructional videos that can help. Finally, spread the word about your light show by putting up signs, posting on social media, and telling your friends and neighbours.

Set timers

Setting timers for your Christmas lights is a great way to ensure they turn on and off at your desired times, creating a festive display without the hassle of manual operation. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you set timers for your app-controlled Christmas lights:

• Select a Compatible App: Choose an app that is compatible with your smartphone's operating system. Popular options include the Lumenplay® App and the MINGER DreamColor App, which are available for both Android and iOS devices.
• Download the App: Install the selected app on your smartphone by downloading it from the appropriate app store.
• Connect Your Lights: Open the app and connect it to your Christmas lights. The app may automatically detect available strands or provide an option to connect manually. Identify your light strands by locating identifying numbers on them, especially if you have multiple strands.
• Set the Timer: This step may vary depending on the app, but generally, you will need to set the current time on the app and then specify the desired times for the lights to turn on and off. You may also be able to set multiple timers for different days of the week.
• Test the Setup: Once you've set the timer, test the configuration by waiting for the specified time to ensure the lights turn on and off as expected. Make any necessary adjustments if they don't.
• Explore Additional Features: Many app-controlled Christmas lights offer a range of features beyond just timers. You can explore custom colour settings, light flashing effects, sync with music, and more to create a truly personalised light display.

By following these steps, you'll be able to conveniently control your Christmas lights and create a magical display that suits your preferences and schedule.

Control with voice assistants

Voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home can be used to control your Christmas lights with an app. This allows you to adjust your Christmas lights without lifting a finger.

Twinkly, for example, offers a downloadable app that can be used to create and control your own animated light show. The Twinkly app can be used to map out your preferred display using the app's gallery of effects and your phone's camera. The patented Computer Vision Mapping System allows you to choose the colour and animation of your light show down to the last bulb. You can even create a custom loop or still effect. The Twinkly app also allows you to sync music, create effects, and is compatible with both Google and Alexa smart home devices.

The Novolink Voice-Controlled LED C9 String Lights can also be controlled using your Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or smartphone. This 15.4-foot-long strand of lights for indoor and outdoor use has holiday presets. You can design your own custom display by changing the bulb colours, flashing mode, speed, and brightness.

The Govee Smart 150 LED Strip Lights can be controlled with Android, iOS, Google Assistant, and Alexa. Use the app to select your favourite colours, sync the twinkle to your music, and more.

The Larkkey Smart LED String Lights also offer voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant support. With 16 million different possible RGB colours and seven lighting modes, you can change your settings on the fly using the smartphone app.

Smart outlets such as the Oittm Outdoor Wi-Fi Outlet and the iDevices Outdoor Switch can also be used to control your Christmas lights with voice assistants. These devices typically feature one or two weatherproof plugs and are a convenient way to control your lights with your voice.

Frequently asked questions