FabianComplaints are currently piling up online, not just in our small community, but also on Reddit and in App Store reviews. After the latest update to version 5.69, the Philips Hue app seems to regularly lose its connection to the Hue Bridge. What is currently known about this, and how can the issue be resolved?
Apparently, the Hue app on the iPhone or iPad loses its active connection to the Hue Bridge when the app is completely closed or restarts (because it was removed from memory by the system). To reconnect, you must then press the button on the Bridge.
According to support, the issue is already known and a solution is being worked on. Version 5.69.1 of the Hue app may therefore be available for download shortly.
I set out to investigate: What triggers the bug?
First of all, I had to confirm that I’m not experiencing any issues. Whether on the iPhone or iPad, my app works as usual. The number of emails I’ve received on the subject also suggests that this isn’t a widespread issue.
At this point, I assume the error has been occurring since the update to version 5.69 if you aren’t logged into the app with a Hue account.
A few years ago, Philips Hue had announced that it would require account linking, but this plan was ultimately abandoned. In principle, Philips Hue could previously be used locally—but there seem to be issues with that right now.
What can you do if you’re affected? If you don’t want to keep reconnecting, you can either make sure the app isn’t completely restarted, create an account in the Hue app, or wait for the update promised by support.
