2026.6.4
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Activate scene

Use this action to activate a Hue scene by typing its group (room) name and scene name exactly as they appear in the Hue app. This is mainly useful on legacy V1 Hue bridges (round shape), where scene entities are not created automatically, so you cannot use the standard scene action or the Activate Hue scene action to activate Hue scenes.

On a V2 bridge (square shape), use the Activate Hue scene action instead, as it targets scene entities directly and offers more options.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To activate a scene by name from an automation or a script:

  1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
  2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
  3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
  4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
  5. Search for and select Activate scene.
  6. Set Group to the room name and Scene to the scene name, both exactly as they appear in the Hue app.
  7. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Group

The name of the Hue group or room, exactly as it appears in the Hue app.
Scene

The name of the Hue scene, exactly as it appears in the Hue app.
Dynamic (Optional)

Start the scene’s dynamic color palette. This works on V2 bridges with scenes that support it.

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as hue.hue_activate_scene. A basic example looks like this:

ActionActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called *sequence*. [Learn more] 
action: hue.hue_activate_scene
data:
  group_name: "Living room"
  scene_name: "Energize"

Options in YAML

group_name string Required

The name of the Hue group or room, exactly as it appears in the Hue app.

scene_name string Required

The name of the Hue scene, exactly as it appears in the Hue app.

transition integer

How long, in seconds, the lights take to reach the scene’s state.

dynamic boolean

Start the scene’s dynamic color palette. This works on V2 bridges with scenes that support it.

Good to know

  • The group and scene names must match the names in the Hue app exactly, including capitalization.
  • If no bridge can activate the scene, the action does nothing and a warning is logged. Double-check the names if a scene does not activate.

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain actions or suggest the right one when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related actions

These actions work well alongside this one:

  • Activate Hue scene: Activates a Hue scene with extra control over options like dynamic mode and brightness.