To self-described “old folks” like me, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with the TikTok generation. But one thing is clear — they love their LEDs, RGBs, rope lights, and TikTok lights of all kinds!
One such device (or rather, a company with a product lineup full of such devices) is Nanoleaf, an incredibly cool company that specializes in light-up Shapes, Lines, and Canvases. Whether you are trying to spice up your TikToks, Youtube videos, or Instagram photos, Nanoleaf is a great way to do it.
However, it can be frustrating if your Nanoleaf lights are randomly turning off and on. Luckily, there are ways to fix this issue.
First, check the power connection and ensure they are not near any other devices that may cause interference in updating their firmware version. If these tips fail, try turning Touch Gestures off, and/or resetting the device.
If none of the above resolves the problem, keep reading — there is a list of other causes and solutions!
Possible Causes
Before we jump into the fixes, however, we should first understand what may be causing your Nanoleaf lights to turn off and on randomly. This understanding will help narrow down the potential causes.
Firstly, check the power connection. Ensure that all the light panels connect to a power source, either through an extension cord or an outlet. If you have a multi-panel setup, ensure each panel is well-connected to another panel.
Next, examine your home to ensure your Nanoleaf product receives enough power. Ensure that your product has enough power by plugging it into a surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit with sufficient wattage capacity and voltage rating for the device itself.
Be sure not to exceed this value, as doing so could cause overheating or permanent damage if not done correctly!
Quick Fixes for Nanoleaf Lights Turning Off/On Randomly
Before diving into the detailed analysis and resolution for your Nanoleaf lights turning on and off randomly, here’s a quick list of potential fixes to help you get started:
- Check Power Connections: First things first, ensure your lights are receiving ample power. Check if the power connection is secure and the panels are properly connected.
- Inspect Home Power Availability: Make sure your home is supplying enough power to the device. The power source (e.g., extension cord, outlet, or UPS) should have sufficient capacity.
- Verify Device Placement: If your device is near potential interference-causing appliances like TVs or radios, consider moving it elsewhere.
- Bluetooth/WiFi Troubleshooting: Check if other smart devices might be interfering with your Nanoleaf’s Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.
- Update Firmware: Ensure your device’s firmware is up-to-date. You can check this through the Nanoleaf app.
- Review Schedules in App: Make sure you haven’t unintentionally set a schedule that is causing the lights to turn off and on at odd times.
- Turn off Touch Gestures: Overly sensitive touch gestures might be causing the device to falsely register touches and switch on/off. You can turn off this feature in the Nanoleaf app.
- Examine Smart Home Integrations: Investigate if your home’s virtual assistant like Alexa, Google Assistant, or others could be causing the issue due to a problem with integration.
- Reset Your Nanoleaf: If the problem persists, it might be time to reset your device. Remember, a soft reset will just reset the Wi-Fi and saved pairing arrangements, while a hard reset will restore your device to its factory settings.
These quick fixes should help in resolving most common issues.
If you are still having trouble, don’t worry! We’ll dive into each of these points in greater detail in the following sections.
Checking Your Power Connections
You may want to check your power connection and plugs if you use a wall-mounted device. It could be that they were not connected or installed right in the first place.
If your Nanoleaf is not turning on, first ensure that the power connection is connected properly. This connection can be checked by a person with electrical knowledge or an electrician if necessary, but really it shouldn’t be hard to do yourself. Like any plug, be sure that: (a) the outlet is functioning, and (b) that the plug is inserted fully.
It may also be helpful to check the plugs themselves to ensure they were correctly installed in the first place and are not loose, damaged, frayed, corroded, or otherwise compromised in any way. This check-up not only helps identify problems with the device but can also help prevent dangerous electric shocks.
Check Your Nanoleaf System
Furthermore, you should also check whether your Nanoleaf system is receiving enough power from its power source. If you have it set up near a television or radio, try moving it away from these devices, as they can cause interference with other devices that use WiFi.
The Nanoleaf system has experienced disconnections from its WiFi network randomly. This typically happens when the system is used in conjunction with a TV or radio, which can cause interference with how well the Nanoleaf lights work within your Wi-Fi network.
First, check the power source and make sure that the Nanoleaf lights are plugged into an outlet. Then try changing the location or placement of the lights. This change can get your Nanoleaf lights back up and running at maximum capacity!
Bluetooth/Wifi Connection
Here are some ways to troubleshoot your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.
Bluetooth Troubleshooting
If you have other smart devices set up in your home, try turning them off and unplugging them from the socket. Some of these smart devices have been known to interfere with different Bluetooth signal types.
Try turning off any Smart devices that may be interfering with your Nanoleaf. Unplug them from the socket and then plug them back in again. If this does not work, try using a different power outlet or even a different power cable for the device(s) that are causing interference issues with your Nanoleaf lights.
Wi-Fi Troubleshooting
Your Nanoleaf Lights are designed to work seamlessly with your home Wi-Fi network. If you are having trouble connecting, try these steps:
First, check your Wi-Fi connection. Do this by plugging the line’s Power Supply Unit into an outlet.
The Power button on the Processor will light up after one minute, and the light indication can mean a few different things:
If the indicator light is solid white, your Lines are ready to connect to your network:
- Turn on your Wi-Fi, or make sure that it is already on.
- Move your mobile device closer to your Lines Power Supply Unit.
- Turn the Wi-Fi on your mobile device off, then turn it back on.
If the indicator light consistently flashes, then your Wi-Fi has been configured, but the Lines are disconnected from the target network.
In that case:
- Unplug your Router from its power source, then plug it back in again.
Check Your Firmware
If you have not updated your device’s firmware, the issue with the Nanoleaf randomly turning on and off may occur.
To check whether your device has updated with the latest firmware version, check the Nanoleaf App and go into Settings > System Update > Check for Update. If there is no update available, wait until an update becomes available and then follow these steps:
- If a new version is available and you download it, your device will restart during setup and may cause all of your scenes to turn off at once or randomly turn on when you do not want them to be on (this will last for about one minute).
This is normal behavior during this process. But, it can be frustrating if you are trying to create a certain ambiance in multiple rooms using Nanoleaf Smarter Kit 2 or try out any other apps that rely on lighting effects, such as Apple HomePod or Philips Hue app.
Therefore, we recommend turning off all lights before installing new iOS updates if possible so they do not interfere with these apps while installing!
Check Schedules in the App
If you have custom schedules set for your Nanoleaf, you should try turning off all schedules and seeing if the issue goes away.
It is possible that an incorrect or unintentional schedule is causing the lights to “randomly” turn off and on. It is also possible that the app is “scheduling” the lights to come on or off without your knowledge.
Turn Touch Gestures Off
Sometimes a Nanoleaf will register a “touch” when nothing actually touched it. Rather, the device was just overly sensitive and had a false trigger.
To determine whether or not touch gestures are causing the problem, simply turn off Touch Gestures on the app. This may be the only reason for your lights turning on at random times.
Consider Smart Home Integrations
Any time we troubleshoot smart home devices, you need to consider any relevant integrations as well as the device itself.
In other words, it may be HomeKit, SmartThings, Home Assistant, Alexa, or Google Assistant that is triggering the problem. Or, rather, the integration between the Nanoleaf and the virtual assistant.
For this reason, you may find relevant troubleshooting by looking into your virtual assistant, rather than the Nanoleaf.
How to Reset Your Nanoleaf Lights
If none of the above tips have solved the issue, it is time to proceed to a device reset.
Here are a few ways to reset your Nanoleaf Lights.
Soft Reset
If you are experiencing any issues with your Nanoleaf Light Panels, we recommend resetting them. Resetting the Wi-Fi also resets all of your saved pairing arrangements:
- Hold down the Power & Brighten button for about 15 seconds.
- When the Processor light flashes, remove your finger and standby until it steadies
- Use the Nanoleaf App to delete your previous device. Then pair it again.
Hard Reset
Resetting your Nanoleaf Light Panels is a quick and easy process that will restore your lights to factory settings. This means that all Wi-Fi settings, pairing information, and saved Scenes will be removed. The Default Scenes and Settings will be restored:
- Unplug your Nanoleaf Light Panels from the power source.
- While holding the Power & Brighten button on the Processor, plug the Power Supply back into power.
- Continue holding the buttons down until the light on the Processor comes on.
- Once the light comes on, quickly release the buttons. The light will flash to indicate that the hard reset is starting.
- Wait for at least two minutes to reboot it. Once the Processor lights turn on, the light panels will cycle between a variety of colors, then it will be ready to set up.
In Case These Solutions Do Not Work
If your Nanolights still do not work after these attempts, it may be an issue of a faulty product.
If you have recently purchased the lights, try resetting them again.
If not, reach out to customer support and report the issue to them. They will probably ask you to reset it again before they do anything else.
If you have only recently purchased the lights, the chances are that you will be able to report the issue and perhaps get them replaced.
If you have owned your lights for a long time, the onboard chip may have become faulty. Reaching out to customer service can result in more insight on possible solutions and options for your situation right from the company!
Before getting rid of the faulty Nanolights, keep two things in mind.
(1) If the only issue is that your Nanolights are turning on randomly while you sleep, it may be worthwhile to simply unplug them before bed. Obviously it isn’t ideal, but it sure beats throwing the expensive product in the trash.
(2) Firmware updates occur periodically, and Nanoleaf does a pretty good job of addressing glitches. Many Nanoleaf models have suffered from the issue of lights randomly turning on/off, only to be resolved by a firmware update.
Ideally, you can report the issue to Nanoleaf and they can address it in a future firmware update. But if nothing else, you can just wait a few months and see if a firmware update has fixed the device.
Understanding the Technicalities of LED Lights
Even if you’re not a technophile, understanding a bit about how LED lights, like your Nanoleaf, function can be useful in troubleshooting issues. For instance, LEDs use diodes to convert electricity into light.
Unlike incandescent bulbs, they don’t have filaments that can burn out over time, which is why they last longer and are more energy efficient. But, like any electronic device, they can sometimes behave erratically due to power issues, faulty connections, or software glitches.
If your Nanoleaf lights flicker or go on and off without reason, it’s likely due to one of these factors.
While power problems and faulty connections were addressed in detail in the article above, software glitches can be a bit more complicated. As we mentioned earlier, firmware updates can sometimes resolve these glitches, but if the problem persists, it may be worth consulting with a tech expert or reaching out to Nanoleaf customer support.
Advantages of Nanoleaf
While we’ve delved into the technicalities of troubleshooting Nanoleaf light issues, let’s not forget why they’re a favorite among the TikTok generation and tech enthusiasts. Apart from their vibrant, customizable light effects that can enhance your videos or set the mood in your home, they’re also designed to be user-friendly and intuitive.
Most Nanoleaf lights come with the ability to respond to touch or control through an app, making them highly interactive. You can design your light configuration and create custom scenes that match your mood or activities.
Whether it’s a peaceful ambiance for your yoga session or a vibrant one for your dance party, you have the power at your fingertips. And even when they do malfunction, as we’ve seen, there’s a range of solutions at hand to get them back in action.
Final Thoughts
In the end, whether or not the lights are turned off and on randomly depends on a wide range of factors.
Luckily, if this is happening to you, there are a few things you can check to rule some of these out so that you can pinpoint your solution.
Hopefully, this will mean an end to having your Nanoleaf lights randomly turn off and on.
FAQs
How long do Nanoleaf lights typically last?
Nanoleaf lights are designed to last for up to 25,000 hours of use. However, this can vary depending on how frequently they are used and how they are maintained. Oftentimes, software or other device failure will occur prior to the 25,000 hours that the bulbs themselves are meant to last.
Can I sync my Nanoleaf lights with my music?
Yes, many Nanoleaf products come with a Rhythm module that allows you to sync your lights to music, creating a real-time light show that matches the beat and feel of the music.
Are Nanoleaf lights water-resistant?
No, Nanoleaf lights are not designed to be water-resistant. They should be kept in dry, indoor environments.
Do I always need a Wi-Fi connection to operate my Nanoleaf lights?
No, once your Nanoleaf lights are set up, you can control them directly via the Nanoleaf App on your device even without Wi-Fi. However, Wi-Fi is required for initial setup and for any updates to the firmware.
How energy-efficient are Nanoleaf lights?
Nanoleaf lights are very energy-efficient. They are based on LED technology, which uses much less energy than traditional incandescent or halogen lights.
