Philips Hue firmware 1.164.2 lets bulbs use Zigbee and Matter-over-Thread at once

Philips Hue has started rolling out lamp firmware 1.164.2. It brings a change that people who use several smart home platforms have been waiting for.

What's new

According to Hue's release notes, the update adds:

• Zigbee and Matter concurrency. A bulb can stay on the Hue Bridge over Zigbee and also join a Matter network over Thread.
• Matter 1.4.1 support.
• Apple adaptive lighting over Matter, so colour temperature shifts through the day in Apple Home.
• Bug fixes and stability improvements.

Which bulbs get it

The update only covers lights on hardware platform 100b-129, which means bulbs with a built-in Thread radio. That includes this year's new products and the E27 bulbs and GU10 spots from autumn 2025. Older Zigbee-only bulbs are not affected.

Does it change anything?

For control, the Hue Bridge still gives the fullest feature set. Smart Home Assistant and Hueblog both expect little difference there. The practical gain is Thread mesh range: bulbs on mains power act as routers and strengthen the network for battery-powered sensors. It is also easier to start without a bridge and add one later.

Hue has not documented how the two connections interact, so try it on one bulb before updating the whole house. The update rolls out gradually through the Hue app. New to these standards? Read our Matter and Thread explainer.