How to control Sengled Wi-Fi bulbs without the Sengled app
From Tomorrowish, the makers of Relight, an independent iPhone app for Sengled Wi-Fi bulbs. Every fix on this page works without it. Checked November 2, 2026.
Sengled Wi-Fi bulbs (model code starting with W) have something the app never mentioned: they accept simple commands from any device on the same home network, on UDP port 9080, with no cloud and no account. Owners worked out the details and published them in the open-source SengledTools project, and every option below builds on that. It works for bulbs that are still joined to your Wi-Fi. A bulb that was reset has to be set up again first.
Option 1: Home Assistant (free; needs a computer that's always on)
If you already run Home Assistant, this is the most capable route. SengledTools includes a "Sengled UDP" integration:
- Copy its
sengled_udpfolder intoconfig/custom_components/and restart Home Assistant. - Go to Settings › Devices & Services › Add Integration and pick Sengled UDP.
- Choose Discover, or type the bulbs' IP addresses (from your router's list of connected devices).
You get on and off, brightness, colour and colour temperature. Its guide recommends a DHCP reservation for each bulb in your router, because "if an IP changes, that bulb entity will stop working until you update it."
Owners say it works: "my strip lights are usable again" (January 2026), and "it made a set of otherwise-stranded bulbs usable again" (August 2026). From Home Assistant you can bring the lights back into Google Home or Alexa through Home Assistant's own connections, and run schedules that don't need your phone.
Option 2: an iPhone app (no computer)
If you don't run Home Assistant and don't want to, an app on your iPhone can send the same commands. That is what our app, Relight, does (more below). The trade-off: your phone is the controller, so it only works while the iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi as the bulbs, and schedules run from the iPhone through Shortcuts.
Option 3: new firmware (for tinkerers)
SengledTools can also replace the firmware on some bulbs with Tasmota, ESPHome or WLED; WLED can then talk to Alexa by pretending to be a Hue bulb. The project warns that flashing "carries risk of permanently bricking your bulb", and it only works on bulbs with an ESP8266 chip: tested on W31-N15, W31-N11 and W21-U23, and not working on W21-N13, W11-N13 or W12-N15.
Side by side
| Home Assistant | iPhone app (Relight) | New firmware | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, plus a computer or HA box | Free for 2 lights; $3.99 once for all | Free |
| Effort | Install HA, copy a folder | Install, tap Find | Computer, Python, risk of bricking |
| Away from home | Yes, with HA remote access | No | Depends on setup |
| Alexa / Google | Yes, through HA | No (Siri via Shortcuts, Pro) | Alexa with WLED |
| Bulbs | Wi-Fi (W) bulbs and strips | Wi-Fi (W) bulbs and strips | ESP8266 models only |
If nothing finds your bulbs
- Your phone or computer must be on the same Wi-Fi as the bulbs. Guest networks and "AP isolation" (client isolation) block this.
- The bulb must be powered on at the switch.
- Check the router's device list: Wi-Fi bulbs show up there, often with "Sengled" in the name. If a bulb isn't there, it isn't on your Wi-Fi any more and needs setting up again.
Questions
Can I control Sengled bulbs without the Sengled app?
Yes, Wi-Fi ones that are still on your Wi-Fi. Home Assistant's Sengled UDP integration or a local iPhone app sends commands straight to the bulb on UDP port 9080.
Does this work for Sengled Zigbee bulbs?
No, this is for Wi-Fi bulbs only. Zigbee bulbs (code starting with E) pair to any Zigbee hub instead.
Do I need the internet for this?
No. The commands stay on your home network.
Can I control them when I'm away from home?
Only through something that stays home, like Home Assistant with remote access set up. An app that talks to the bulbs directly has to be on the same Wi-Fi.