The first-generation bridge received a final software update in April 2020, and support from the Philips web servers was discontinued.

Functionality including grouping lights into rooms and scheduling scenes that depended on Philips servers to pack the instructions into a form the bridge executed could no longer be created.

Hue system components can be controlled over the Internet, typically by smartphone apps over cellular or WiFi networks, or a Home Automation voice command interface.

[11] Up to ten bulbs can be controlled by Bluetooth (which requires location services to be enabled) over a range stated to be 30 feet (9.1 m).

[12] A security flaw was found and resolved in 2016: the bulbs, and potentially other ZigBee devices, could be remotely controlled by anyone, using inexpensive equipment.