# Philips Illuminate — user reviews > 64 indexed App Store user reviews of Philips Illuminate by Seasonal Specialties LLC, rated 1.90/5 from 138 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-illuminate/id892864130/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-illuminate/id892864130.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 11 · 4★ 9 · 3★ 16 · 2★ 20 · 1★ 82 ## Newest reviews (17 of 64) ### 1/5 — Useless app do not purchase these lights *2019-12-23, version 2.0.6* The lights themselves are very good the app makes them worthless. Save your money and time get anything else. If Phillips care enough they might fix the app and need to connect with the lights wirelessly by giving a cabled option because the wireless connection is worthless making the lights expensive junk. Last Phillips product I’ll be using. ### 1/5 — Wifi Issue *2019-12-22, version 2.0.6* The app says that my wifi is off when it is one. Pretty useless. ### 1/5 — Terrible and no regard for customers *2019-12-22, version 2.0.6* Your app and control system for holiday lights is terrible. It BEVER worked with a local network as described, only directly to the cell phone. This year it no longer works with ANY current iPhones. I know this after waiting TWO WEEKS for a call back from customer service. Instead of posting the issue on the app description, Phillips just ignored it as if nothing was wrong (even though they knew that no iPhone users with a current operating system could control their lights )and Instead left all users to fend for themselves. I’ll avoid the Phillips brand for the rest of my life after this horrible experience. You sold the light system but didn’t maintain a way to control it rendering it useless. Never added any meaningful updates over the last 5 years. Customer service literally told me that I have to find an Android or anything other than an iPhone if I want my lights to work, and offered me no other solution either short or long term. I had to like it or lump it. PHILLIPS IS A TERRIBLE BRAND THAT SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED. This is the only instance in my life when I’ve taken the time to write a bad app review. Phillips sure deserves it. Thanks for ruining my Christmas decorations this year. ### 2/5 — No Timer *2019-12-17, version 2.0.6* Please add in a basic timer feature. It would be a 4 star app if it had this feature. ### 1/5 — Garbage *2019-12-15, version 2.0.6* Have had these lights for three years now and the app has become utterly useless as it does not recognize the WiFi. Can’t turn them on or off. Wonderful. Also, how did they NEVER have a timer function??? TOTAL GARBAGE! ### 1/5 — App is broken *2019-12-08, version 2.0.6* Doesn’t even work anymore with IOS13. Worked ok last year, dealing with all the reconnecting issues others have noted. Now on IOS13 the app requires location data to enable wifi??? What!? You’re kidding me right. This is specifically the kind of abuse that Apple updated their location privacy settings to counter. Unfortunately for owners of these lights, if you don’t allow location data, the app will not connect to wifi. Sorry suckers! ### 2/5 — So close to spectacular *2019-12-07, version 2.0.6* Always has a hard time scanning for control box and how is there not a timer setting!? I have to buy a smart plug so my smart lights can turn on automatically ### 1/5 — DO NOT BUY - WILL WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY *2019-12-07, version 2.0.6* Absolutely the most frustrating and useless setup I have ever experienced. They design these lights so that the only way to control it is through their app and then they don’t service their app and it’s absolute garbage. I’m so frustrated that I had to spend two evenings of my Christmas dealing with these. Please please return them if you have purchased anything they have sold to you. ### 2/5 — No timer? *2019-12-06, version 2.0.6* No good. ### 1/5 — Horrible app *2019-12-04, version 2.0.6* After jumping through hoops to get this installed, it suddenly stopped working. I get an error that my phone isn’t connected to WiFi, when it is. Now I can do nothing with these lights that I couldn’t do with a much less expensive set. App is worthless. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2019-12-03, version 2.0.6* Would never connect and wasted hours trying to set up something that should be so simple and intuitive. ### 1/5 — Complete JUNK!! *2019-12-02, version 2.0.6* $600 on lights that NEVER work like they are supposed to. .. I have already replaced 2 control boxes and multiple add on strands. You will regret buying these I guarantee it! And even when the lights do work, the App is useless!.. it must have been developed by children. I feel sorry for anyone at Phillips that attached their name to this product. ., they are either morons or crooks! ### 1/5 — Fix the broken app *2019-12-01, version 2.0.6* The app was never that good, but now it just doesn’t work on ios13. Something has happened where they don’t detect that iOS 13 is connected to the internet and won’t ever configure. Can get it to work on my iPad that is running ios12. ### 1/5 — iOS 13 update requires location services. *2019-12-01, version 2.0.6* Why on earth would this app need location services to work. ### 1/5 — Version 2.0.6 iOS 13 App Update BROKEN *2019-11-24, version 2.0.6* I cannot find any of my connection points (devices) after the last update (version 2.0.6 for iOS 13 support). App says both my iPhone 6 & 8 is are not connected to WiFi. BUT THEY ARE CONNECTED TO WiFi!!! Directs me to go to settings and turn on WiFi every time I open the app. I tried re-installing, resetting my phones, etc. WILL NOT WORK! I have invested hundreds of dollars in this PHILLIPS product over 2 years...expecting a PHILLIPS product to last meany years! It’s been 2 years and things look gloomy!!! Very disappointed and let down by Phillips as a brand!!! UPDATE: I was able to download the Illuminate App and re-setup each connection point using a 2 year old Android ZTE go-phone, then link to my WiFi. I am also able to operate all lights at once in from this phone and app. After updating my iPhones to 13.2.3, I can see some devices in the Illuminate App when connected to my WiFi, BUT, still the same error when I try to connect to a single connection point to configure it for WiFi connection. Therefore, using an iPhone, you still cannot configure the connection points...nor see all of them. App for iPhone is broken. Works correctly on Androids. This us not a sustainable condition...the lights are made very well, but it seems the App design is going to tarnish the Phillips brand name, as well screw over customers who spent well earned money. ### 1/5 — Won’t work with iOS 13 *2019-11-24, version 2.0.6* I bought these lights a year ago and they worked great. Now I have bought a new phone and upgrades to iOS 13 and suddenly I cannot connect to the lights. It is constantly telling me that my phone’s WiFi is not turned on even though it is. What good are the lights if you have no control over them?? Help!!! ### 1/5 — Garbage app *2019-11-23, version 2.0.6* Won’t connect the 5 extra strands I purchased. App won’t connect to home WiFi so I must connect to the Philips WiFi which clearly only allows me to use the lights while I am home and connected to app. Don’t waste your time and $$. Returning. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Love the lights. hate the app *2025-11-29, version 2.0.6* The lights are pretty but the app is so poorly made that we won’t be using them going forward after this year. Govee makes incredible lights and their app is amazing. ### 1/5 — Great idea, needed more work *2024-12-21, version 2.0.6* When it worked it was great, but Philips must assume it never rains where these lights are used because I went through three different strands. Over the years. ### 1/5 — No Timer *2022-12-05, version 2.0.6* Christmas lights that you cannot set an a timer are useless, I have had these lights for a number of years and it is frustrating that they do not have a timer in their app. The best I can do is remember to turn them on every night, and have a timer that cuts the power to them at a certain time. Such a simple feature, there is definitely a reason they are not adding it, but they aren't sharing that. ### 1/5 — Waste of money *2021-11-26, version 2.0.6* I bought the starter kit and with 3 strings of lights it worked fine. The system is supposed to be able to handle 12 strings of lights (25 per strand up to 300 lights) but it doesn’t. The startup kit and light strands are hella expensive. They’re also a brilliant idea: smart phone controlled LED lights that can go from cool white to warm white to colored lights to animated lights, presets or play to music. Definitely worth the money, if they worked. Now, after having invested a couple of hundred in lights I thought would last a few years, I’m back to $8 lights because these simply don’t work. The app has a stupid menu set up and after unplugging and replugging the control box (as recommended in the troubleshooting) the system no longer accepts the password and no matter how many times I tried to get the system to read just 5 light strands, it doesn’t. Oh yeah, Philips didn’t even manufacture this and no longer supports it. They simply slapped their label on it and resold it. ### 1/5 — Unusable now *2020-12-10, version 2.0.6* Swell. Shelled out for some “Philips” smart lights last year and now the app doesn’t work. Super. Really glad I haven’t adopted Hue lights since they could abandon the platform at any time. ### 1/5 — I know why they were discontinued *2020-12-09, version 2.0.6* The app is extremely confusing to set up & connect. To power them up nightly, you need to be within a few feet of the lights router. We took them down and handled them with kid gloves. Put them up this year and they were only displaying very dim blue. Went through troubleshooting to no avail. Tossed them in the garbage where they belong. Terrible product. ### 1/5 — App Location Services *2020-12-02, version 2.0.6* Tried to use without location services on only to find out it’s Mandatory. Now it doesn’t even populate in the list of apps to make that change. ### 1/5 — Poor quality lights, unattractive settings, modest controls *2020-11-26, version 2.0.6* The fact that a Phillips product is not being supported by Phillips should say it all. Phillips came up with Hue and seemingly abandoned this product. The programmed patterns are mostly just off somehow, not appealing. The lights are just not hardy, I’m looking to see if any of my strips has all 25 bulbs working correctly. You can’t customize chaser patterns, just either five color static and solid color cross fades. Which would be nicer if all the bulbs worked as expected. Disappointing. ### 1/5 — Location Services Manditory *2020-04-14, version 2.0.6* So now the app will not start unless location services is turned on in app setting and in your phone settings. Phillips and the app developer have no business knowing my location. I paid for the product and it connects locally not to the cloud. Looking for app options. ### 1/5 — Never connects *2020-03-22, version 2.0.6* Lights are great and all, but this thing never connects, not worth the 95$ spent on this ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 4/5 — Great when you get it to work *2020-05-23, version 2.0.6* This product is amazing once you get it to work. The setup is pretty challenging though ### 4/5 — Interface is terrible, but otherwise works well enough *2019-11-03, version 2.0.6* I felt obligated to write a review after all the negative ones almost steered me away from these lights — I’m glad I risked giving them a try. The app is not user-friendly at all and takes some work to get set up and figure out how to make any of it do what you’d like it to — and is definitely missing a timer feature. Once I did get the lights set up (a bit of a hassle) and fidgeted with the app, they do work well. The lights themselves are great, and respond quickly to changes in the app. I have them plugged into a smart switch, and upon powering back on they return to what they were set to previously near immediately. The app certainly needs a redesign, but it does work well with a bit of effort. ### 4/5 — Great App, great lights *2018-12-15, version 2.0.5* I saw lots of negative reviews for this app but I haven't had any problems getting everything to work perfectly. Other older reviews that suggest new features all seem to be incorporated in the current version. I have two starter sets with a dozen extra strings. It works great. Once you connect the control boxes to your home WiFi it’s easy to make the lights do whatever you want. You can use these lights for any holiday just by creating a custom program with whatever colors you want. Red, white and blue for 4th of July. Red, pink and white for Valentine’s Day. Green and white for St. Patrick’s Day, Your favorite team colors on game day, etc. I nailed my lights to the bottom edge of the facia board around my house using 1/2” wood staples. They are hard to see in daylight which allows me to leave them up year round without looking tacky. Edit - I removed one star because you can’t set multiple custom colors to show at the same time. I would like to have a custom colors where every other bulb is a different color. You can set all the lights to a single custom color which changes to another custom color but all the strings will only be that one color at a time. ### 4/5 — Fun lights but need some app work *2018-11-26, version 2.0.5* I do like the lights. I have hung them up and they fit in to my old C9 clips. What I really like is the water proof connections and cable extensions. On the app, a time would be nice so that I can dig my own timer but I got it to work. Since my plugs are outside under my eve’s, it would be nice to have some way to hang the controller box. A loop to hook it on? Thanks ### 4/5 — Good product that has potential to be great *2017-11-30* Just a few tweaks to the app and this product would get five stars. The main one is that it should have a timer and allow you to choose time to turn lights on and time to turn them off. If the app had this, it would be awesome! ### 4/5 — No timer *2017-11-28, version 2.0.0* I would have given it 5 stars if there was an on/ off timer in the app so it could be set or turned on for when not at home or turn off automatically. ### 3/5 — App could use some work *2023-12-21, version 2.0.6* Had these for 4-5 years now. Lights work great. I have a couple wishes for the app. First and foremost- setting a automatic on and off timer for the lights. Would prefer a color wheel a bit darker options specifically for the greens and blues. Wish you could do more with the customized colors than just the 3 functions it has. The app is not intuitive or helpful. Example: nowhere is there an explanation for adding extended lights. I was just playing around in the app until I figured out that you have to go to settings and change the bulb count. (Each strand is 25 bulbs). ### 3/5 — Help *2019-12-04, version 2.0.6* How do u install the starting kit if I don’t know password ho reset? ### 3/5 — No Timer *2019-11-21, version 2.0.6* The lights look great, easy to setup, but the app is weak. There’s no timer and seems there are limited options. I hope there’s an update soon, lights are too overpriced if not. ### 3/5 — Disappointed *2018-12-21, version 2.0.5* We ordered these lights to replace our always dying icicle lights, which they no longer make. Thought this would be a great upgrade! Pricey, but we did get them on sale, which helped. We bought ten sets, plus two starter kits. The app is a little tricky to program, but we figured it out eventually. Fun to play with it, love that you can control it from your phone. Several options, but haven’t attempted the custom or music option yet. Biggest down fall, NO PROGRAMMABLE TIMER/SCHEDULE! You need to turn the lights on and off every day through the app. Yes, it sure beats going outside, but with all the technology involved, you would think a programmable timer would be a no brained. Especially since my 12 year old coffee maker has a timer! You can purchase a regular, separate Christmas light timer and use that, but after spending this much on Christmas lights, you should not have to. Two out of the ten sets, the clips are on backwards, which are not adjustable. There were a few icicles that were missing the caps. My husband had to cover them with electrical tape to prevent water from getting in to them. Over all, i enjoy the lights, but for the price and being 2018/9, I would have hoped the features and quality would compare to today’s technology. Come on Phillips, you can do better. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*