What Is a Smart Lighting Switch?

When it comes to smart home devices and systems, smart lighting is a must-have. Whether you want to upgrade your living space to something more modern, save energy, or just want to experience the convenience of smart lighting, there are plenty of reasons and ways you can add it to your list of smart home gadgets.

Vivint’s Smart Lighting makes it simple to experience all the benefits of smart lighting (or extend the benefits of your existing smart light system) without having to hire an electrician or rewire your home.

The Smart Lighting Switch is one of the devices that makes it possible to upgrade your lighting without a lot of effort or expense.

All about smart lighting

Smart lighting is one of the capabilities of a smart home automation system. With smart lighting, you can automate your lighting or control it remotely with a smartphone or smart home system panel.

Smart lighting typically consists of LED light bulbs, such as Philips Hue bulbs, that are connected to Wi-Fi, which is how they’re able to be controlled remotely. Smart lighting systems offer many benefits that can enhance the ambiance, convenience, and energy efficiency of any home.

With smart lighting, you can also:

Turn lights on and off or dim from wherever you are via your app
Automate lighting and timers so your lights turn on or off at specific times
Create room groups, like “kitchen” or “living room lights”
Control your lights with voice commands from your via smart speaker assistants like Google Home, Siri, or Amazon Alexa
Set your lighting to respond to certain triggers , such as turning lights on when you unlock your front door
Improve your home security with Away settings, which make it look like the house is occupied, even if it’s not
Integrate with other features of your smart home system, like turning outdoor lights on when your camera’s motion sensors are activated
Turn lamps into smart lights with the Smart Plug, extending the benefits of smart lighting to your lamps
Enhance your home’s outdoor security by installing lights with motion sensors
Improve outdoor safety with pathlights that illuminate the walkway for visitor
Help deter lurkers on your property with outdoor lighting devices that feature Smart Deter to proactively protect your home
Use color-changing hue lights to create different moods or holiday themes

With smart lighting, you can create a fully automated home that also helps you save energy. LED bulbs last longer and use less energy than incandescent lights, so you’ll save money on your bill and replace bulbs less often.

What is a smart switch?

Smart lighting systems offer many benefits, but depending on the functionality and type of system used, can be somewhat limiting. Most smart lighting involves either smart bulbs or smart wall plates. Smart bulbs are easy to install, but require constant power, so your wall switch/dimmer switch always needs to be in the “on” position to operate.

If you want to control your smart lighting with your wall, you would need to have an in-wall smart dimmer switches or plate, which requires an electrician (or pretty advanced electrical knowledge for DIY).

With the Smart Switch, it doesn’t have to be “either/or.” Smart light switches fit easily over your existing light switches and light fixtures, with no electrician or rewiring needed. All you need is a screwdriver and a couple minutes to update your existing wall plate with a smart light switch.

Here’s how it works: the Smart Light Switch adheres to the wall, covering up the existing wall plate for your toggle or rocker switches that you use every day. Instead of using the power from the wall, the new Smart Light Switch has a built-in battery. You’ll use the new Smart Light Switch, which will communicate with the new Smart Light Bulb.

Smart lighting switch benefits

By integrating Vivint Smart Light Switches in with your Vivint ecosystem, you have greater flexibility and control. Use the Smart Light Switch, the Vivint app, your voice, or set automated events to control any combination of lights you want.

Some of the things you’ll love about the Smart Lighting Switch include:

Greater control. No need to constantly leave your light switches in the ON position; your new switch controls let you turn your smart lights on and off from your wall plate, as well as your phone or via voice.
Simplicity. Smart Lighting Switch is simple to install and simple to use, with one-touch control anyone can operate.
Aesthetically pleasing. The sophisticated and simple design will blend into your home’s existing decor.
Compatibility. The Smart Lighting Switch is compatible with various switch types, fitting over rocker or toggle switches with a maximum of 3 gangs. (Fun fact: a “gang” describes the number of switches on a wall plate.)
Multiple configurations. You can expand control of existing lights by placing a Smart Lighting Switch with 2 or 3 gangs over an existing one-way switch.
Expand your smart home capabilities. Extend your light control beyond just the light switch with voice control, remote control via the Vivint app, and endless triggers and automations with other smart home products within your Vivint system,
Dim lights. The Smart Light Switch is also dimmable, so you can dim your lights from your phone or from the wall switch.

Smart light switch FAQs

Q: What type of switches are available?

A: We offer Vivint Smart Light Switches that fit over either rocker-style or toggle-style light switches in 1-, 2- and 3-gang configurations.

Q: So, I don’t need an electrician?

A: No! Simply screw in the light bulbs, remove the faceplate from your existing switch and mount the Vivint Smart Light Switch with the provided screws. All you need is a screwdriver!

Q: Can I still control my lights from the wall switch?

A: Yes! Vivint Smart Light Switches can control your Vivint Smart Light Bulbs.

Q: How else can I control my Vivint Smart Light Bulbs?

A: Because they are part of the Vivint ecosystem, you can use your panel, the Vivint app, or even your voice assistant to control your lights.

Q: How many Vivint Smart Lighting devices can I add to my home?

A: Up to 50 Vivint Smart Lighting devices can be added to a home.