topic Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights? in Home Automation

Is it (still) possible to group lights?

gauss256 — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 15:27:32 GMT

I have some groups for lights set up in the Google Home app. However, I cannot see how to add a new group. Has that feature been removed?

I have been searching everywhere for an answer, but the closest I can get is, "Add them to a room". No one is clear that you cannot add lights to a group, which was possible in the past.

Having rooms as the only grouping mechanism is not a good solution, because it would be useful for one room to have several groups.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

David_K — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:02:45 GMT

As far as I can recall you've never been able to group lights manually, it should happen automatically when you add multiple lights to the same room.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

iphi — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 17:02:14 GMT

that doesn't make sense so all you can do is all lights on and all lights off?

and if you want to turn a subset, say the Christmas or other decorative lights, you have to create a routine to turn on and a different routine to turn off as I couldn't find a toggle option

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

David_K — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:59:29 GMT

Indeed, you could create routines to help here, or you can use a voice command with Google Assistant on your phone to ask it to turn on or off multiple devices at once by using their names.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Brodave — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 22:41:24 GMT

I set up a group in the original Smart app for the lightbulb manufacturer. There you can label multiple lights into one group with one name. Then add it to Google Home there will be gripped that way. Google Home won't allow you to have multiple lights with the same name. I have a stip of three lights, which are my main and the lasting, I wanna be doing is telling Google three times to turn the light off! so there is a workaround

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

shogo — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 20:28:09 GMT

It's really bizarre this is not possible, especially with native matter bulbs on the way.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

ADN — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 04:31:23 GMT

I found a workaround: create a custom room, and put the lights you want in that room. Eg: the ceiling lights in my bedroom are now in a room called “Bedroom Ceiling,” and my nightstand is in a room called “Nightstand.” I could have left the nightstand in the bedroom group, but it’s the only light in there now. It’s stupid, we shouldn’t have to go to that much trouble just to group a few lights within a room, but it appears to work. If you do that, you can no longer turn on/off all the lights in the room at the same time. Since, according to the app, it’s two rooms. But that’s less annoying to me than being unable to have groups, so that’s what I’m doing.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

driding369 — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 02:33:32 GMT

Seriously, I have an upstairs and a downstairs. How is it not possible to group lights into a downstairs and an upstairs without having to name off all the rooms upstairs?!

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Woooooooooooo — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:09:37 GMT

I have a floor lamp which has multiple lightbulbs - why I can't get them together???? This is nuts.

Am I supposed to switch the light bulbs one by one?

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Cynthia7999 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:29:10 GMT

If you name several lights in a large room with the same name you can use the name to turn off only that name. For example, in the family room you could have 3 reading lights and 4 ceiling lights. Reading 1, Reading 2, and Reading 3 can be controlled by saying hey Google turn off Reading lights.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Cynthia7999 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:32:38 GMT

Yes. Then group using the same name such as Lamp 1, Lamp 2. Put them both in the same room. Then you can use them independently too.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Cynthia7999 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:36:12 GMT

Exactly. I think we would have to name all the lights with the name downstairs first. Like downstairs kitchen 1 etc. That's crazy. You can group them with Alexa, but Google doesn't talk to Alexa so then you can only use Alexa to turn off all downstairs when you go to bed. Otherwise you have to create a bedtime routine and select all the lights individually. What a chore!

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Cynthia7999 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:38:38 GMT

If your lights are controlled through Smart Life underneath Google Home, Smart Life let's you group them. Why do other apps do this and Google cannot?

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

gauss256 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:38:51 GMT

Good tip! I look forward to trying that.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Woooooooooooo — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:52:00 GMT

YES!!!!! It works. Great solution.

Thank you Cynthia 🫶🏼

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Twotone420 — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 01:00:54 GMT

This is exactly why I'm here now. I just knew there was a way. Truly baffles me how it's not an option.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

Cynthia7999 — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:16:25 GMT

And it would be nice to group lights from different rooms. On a dark day for example when you only need a single light in each room.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

CigarPull — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 12:59:44 GMT

Keyword “Light” is the trigger for grouping lights.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

psdl — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 05:52:48 GMT

Really. This can't be the solution. I have read 4 year old threads where people complain about this simple feature. Come on Google - improve your software or no one will use it and go to apple.

Re: Is it (still) possible to group lights?

cookiemunster — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:54:53 GMT

Not to troll, but Amazon/Alexa has supported arbitrary device groups for years. You can even nest groups. So I have multiple rooms, with groups inside that room. Then I have all the time grouped but upstairs and downstairs. It's a much more comprehensive and useful paradigm than just "rooms".

Google doesn't even appear to support manual routines. It has to be triggered by voice or some other event. Really poor design.