Bluetooth lightbulbs are one of the two main types of smart lightbulb, the other main type being Wi-Fi bulbs. The Bluetooth bulbs are slightly harder to find, as there’s not as many to choose from in the current smart bulb market, but in most cases, they are equal to Wi-Fi bulbs in every measure. 

For instance, in some cases, like Wi-Fi bulbs, they can be connected to a hub to make them even more useful. As well as this, they will not fail you if your Wi-Fi ever goes out unexpectedly. Although they are very useful, they do fail on occasion, and should this happen, a factory reset could be the only way you're going to get any more enjoyment from your bulb. 

How Do You Reset A Bluetooth Light Bulb?

What Does A Factory Reset Do?

The factory reset is an inbuilt function on most electronic devices and is among other reasons, generally used in the case of an emergency, or if the product has started to malfunction beyond the scope of your average Joe’s ability to tinker with the settings to get the device working. Normally the button, when pressed, will revert the device to a state similar to the one it was in when it was first unboxed. 

This is the case with Bluetooth bulbs too. When you do a factory reset you are undoing all of the programming that you’ve done to get the bulb set up, synced with other bulbs and firing when and how you want. After the reset the bulb will be wiped clean and ready to pair with your device, so that you can begin again and get the programming just right. This also means that the data of the bulb will be removed from your lighting apps too. 

Why reset a Bluetooth lightbulb?

There are many reasons to reset a Bluetooth lightbulb. For example, you may want to sell the lightbulb, the lightbulb may be broken, or if you want to remove the lightbulb from the set up for any reason, you will want to make sure that the bulb is reset. This not only primes them for being repurposed either by yourself, the retailer, or a buyer, but also to ensure that you and your app are both clear about what bulbs are ready to light up, and what ones have been side-lined, sold, stocked or trashed. 

How to reset Bluetooth lightbulb?

Bluetooth bulbs are restored to factory settings in a different way to most devices, as the minimalist design of bulbs makes a reset button overkill. Therefore, manufacturers have had to think up new ways to reset their devices. For example, the C by GE smart Bluetooth bulb exhibits a restore procedure that is common among Bluetooth bulbs. Another example is the Philips Hue Bluetooth Bulb, which among other ways, can be reset via the app. 

Each manufacturer programmes a reset built into their bulbs instead of the usual small button behind a pin sized access hole. I will go through a few examples of reset methods seen in two popular Bluetooth bulbs, the Philips, and the C by GE. 

On/Off Reset Procedure

The most popular in-built reset method among Bluetooth bulbs is the on/off procedure. This simply involves the user switching the application on and off in a timed pattern. The only thing that you need to be aware of is that the bulb must be attached to a simple on/off appliance. This method doesn’t work in a multi-function appliance and so to complete the reset you must transfer the bulb to a different appliance with basic on/off functionality. One example of the on/off reset is the C by GE Bluetooth Bulb, which can be reset by first, ensuring that the bulb is on and then switching it off for 5 seconds, before switching it back on for 8 seconds. 

This warns the bulb that it may be being reset. After this introduction, you must turn the bulb off for 2 seconds, on for 8 seconds and repeat this 2 off, 8 on four more times. You will know that you have succeeded if the bulb flashes three times and then goes off. 

Generational procedures

It is worth noting here that the C by GE has changed its reset procedure over the years, which means that there is another reset procedure that is worth knowing in case you have firmware that is older than version 2.7. That procedure is similar, and begins the same, by switching the bulb off for 5 seconds, then on for 8 seconds, but then you must switch the bulb off for 2 seconds, on for 2 seconds, repeat this 2 second pattern two more times, before switching the bulb off for 2 seconds, on for 8 seconds, off for 2 seconds and then back on. 

After this procedure the bulb will flash three times and go out to show you that it has been reset. Although these procedures are quite long, they are an easy manual way to get your bulb ready for its next chapter and your lighting system back in order. 

App Reset

The easiest method of resetting a Bluetooth bulb in this article, is the one shown by the Philips Hue Bluetooth Bulb. This bulb can be reset via the app, simply by removing it from your lighting set-up. All you have to do is identify the misbehaving bulb in your light set-up, select the “I” icon, next to the bulb and tap delete. Now your bulb will be ready to re-pair and start again with a clean factory setting. It is worth noting here that this option is only available to you if the bulb is within Bluetooth range. Therefore, it’s important to do this before you bin the bulb. 

If you forget, then you will have to do a factory reset of your entire smart bulb hub to remove the missing bulb from the light set-up on your app. Although this may be a first world problem, it may be annoying to have that label on your app as a constant reminder of the bulb that failed. 

Dimmer Switch Reset

Another feature of the Philips Hue Bluetooth range is that the Philips Hue Smart Wireless Dimmer Switch can be used to reset your bulbs. Simply hold the dimmer switch close to the bulb while the bulb is on and hold down the on and off switch simultaneously for at least 10 seconds. When the light flashes and then stops, the bulb is reset. 

Conclusion

I have gone through many different bulb resetting mechanics and shown the different ways that a couple of Bluetooth bulbs can be reset, but it is also worth noting that the factory reset is meant to be a last resort. Often your problem can be solved without it if you seek customer support from the manufacturer or read up on solutions online. Every bulb is different so please follow the user guide carefully, read up on the FAQ’s and seek assistance where necessary.