What the Day Planner does
Most lighting schedules are a list of separate timers, which makes it hard to see your whole day. The Day Planner shows one room's day as a single timeline from midnight to midnight. Each block on the timeline is a time slot with a start time, an end time and a scene.
When a slot's start time arrives, HueCommand turns on that slot's scene for the room. If you set a fade, the scene comes on gradually over that many minutes instead of all at once.
What you can set
- One plan per room. Open the Day Planner from a room, and the plan belongs to that room. Slots use that room's scenes.
- Weekday and weekend plans. Switch between Weekday (Monday to Friday) and Weekend to keep two different schedules for the same room.
- Time slots. Tap an empty spot on the timeline, or the Add button, to add a slot. New slots snap to 15-minute marks and start one hour long. Open a slot to change its start and end times.
- Scenes. Each slot activates one scene from the room. If the room has no scenes yet, create one first.
- Fades. Give a slot a fade of 0 to 30 minutes so its scene comes on gradually.
- Overnight slots. A slot can run past midnight, for example 10 pm to 1 am.
An example day
Here is one way a living room plan could look, using your own scenes:
- 7:00 am: a bright, cool scene, with a 15-minute fade
- 12:00 pm: an everyday bright scene
- 6:00 pm: a warm, relaxed scene, with a 15-minute fade
- 10:00 pm: a dim, warm scene, with a 30-minute fade
You could then set up a lighter weekend plan that starts later in the morning.
How to build a day plan
- Open HueCommand and tap the room you want to schedule.
- Tap the Day Planner chip in the room.
- Choose Weekday or Weekend.
- Tap the timeline at the time you want, or tap Add, then pick a scene for the slot.
- Open the slot to adjust its start time, end time and fade duration.
- Repeat for the rest of the day, then switch to the other day type if you want a second plan.
Good to know: the plan runs in the app
The Day Planner is run by HueCommand itself. It is not saved as a schedule on your Hue Bridge. The app checks the plan about every 30 seconds while it is running, and checks again as soon as you open it, so the scene for the current slot comes on when you return to the app.
If you need lighting to change at a set time even when no device has the app open, use an automation saved on the bridge instead. HueCommand's Automations (Pro) are created on your Hue Bridge.
Day Planner is a Pro feature
The Day Planner requires HueCommand Pro: $2.99 a month or $19.99 a year in the US, or a one-time Lifetime unlock (prices vary by country). If Pro lapses, scheduled slots stop firing. For free, one-tap time-of-day lighting, see the circadian presets. HueCommand is listed on the App Store as Command for Philips Hue.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have different schedules for weekdays and weekends?
Yes. Each room has a Weekday plan for Monday to Friday and a Weekend plan for Saturday and Sunday.
How long can a fade between scenes be?
From 0 to 30 minutes per slot. With 0, the scene comes on immediately.
Does the Day Planner work when the app is closed?
The plan is run by HueCommand, not stored on the Hue Bridge, so it needs the app to be running. When you open the app, it checks the plan straight away and turns on the scene for the current slot.
Why can't I add a slot?
A slot needs a scene, and slots use the scenes that belong to that room. If the room has no scenes, create one first. You also cannot add a slot that starts inside an existing one.