Try These IFTTT Automations with Your Smart Bulb or Plug

With years of successful technological development, we are now capable of producing and using automated devices, appliances, etc. We have smart devices, plugs, wires, and more doing the minor tasks for us, helping with our day to day work. Nowadays, the best way to automate our devices is to use If This Then That (IFTTT) – a free web-based service that triggers responses on different devices, apps, etc. It engages the applet to automate the triggers and responses. You can use this IFTTT to automate your smart plugs and bulbs lying around your home or office.

IFTTT integrates with the Smart Life app (available on Android and iOS) that enables you to control smart devices with conditional triggers. Since it is a universal app, anyone can use it to control their smart plugs, bulbs, wires, and several other smart devices. 

If you want to try its potential, connect your devices with IFTTT, and use the following guide for an enhanced experience:

Set Up the Smart Plug

For this, you have to ensure that you’ve connected the devices with the Smart Life app, and then add it to IFTTT. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Launch IFTTT on your phone and sign in to your account.
2. From the bottom of the screen, click on Get More. 
3. Search for Smart Life, and click on it.
4. Tap on Connect to link the Smart Life app with your IFTTT account.
5. Enter the login details for Smart Life and tap on Link Now.
6. Click on Authorize.

You can now use your Smart Life-linked devices with IFTTT. Now that the connection is established, use the following ideas for automating your devices:

Use WhatsApp to Turn Off the Devices

This applet enables you to specify some trigger keywords for automation. Then, it checks all the incoming messages on your WhatsApp account for that keyword. After locating the keyword, it turns on or off your smart plug/bulb based on the set up you made on the applet. Follow these steps to create an applet:

1. From the IFTTT app, click on Smart Life.
2. Tap on Create to add a new applet.
3. Click on the plus (+) icon next to this to add or create a condition to your applet.
4. Then, click on Android Device and tap on Notification Received from a Specific App.
5. Enter WhatsApp in the box for the app name. 
6. Insert a keyword to launch this applet. Using a similar keyword on WhatsApp messages, you can turn your smart devices on or off.
7. Then, click on Continue.
8. Again, click on the plus (+) icon next to ‘That’ to specify the functions when the applet runs.
9. Select Smart Life and tap on Turn on/off.
10. From the following dropdown menu, select your device and tap on Continue.

Charge Your Smartphone

If you go to bed without turning off your smart plug or the phone charger, you can rely on an applet to save you some energy consumption. It can turn on/off your smart when your phone is unplugged. Use these steps to make the new settings:

1. On the applet creation screen, click on the plus icon (+) next to ‘This’ to add a condition.
2. Select Android Battery, and click on ‘Device is Plugged in’ so that the new applet can run when you plug in your phone.
3. Now, click on the plus icon (+) next to That, and select Smart Life.
4. Select Turn On.
5. From the dropdown menu appearing on your screen, choose your smart plug and click on the Continue option.

Turn on the Lights Before Reaching Home

If you are afraid of the dark or want to turn on the lights before opening the door to your home, let the applet take care of it. Since the applet requires a specific Wi-Fi connection to operate, you can use your home Wi-Fi network for this trick to work. When you are around your home, connect your phone to your home’s Wi-Fi network, the applet works to turn on your smart bulb. Here are the settings you need to make:

1. Create a new applet for Smart Life in IFTTT by clicking on the Plus icon (+) for This. 
2. Click on Android Device and tap on Connects to a Specific Wi-Fi Network.
3. Enter the name of your Wi-Fi connection and tap on Continue.
4. Now, click on the Plus icon (+) for That and select Smart Life.
5. Select Turn on and click on your smart bulb from the dropdown menu. 
6. Click on Continue.

These were some of the ways you can automate your smart plugs and bulbs. Similarly, you can create more automation keywords and tasks to control your smart devices from anywhere.

source: IFTTT Automations with Smart Bulb or Plug