Nanoleaf are the market-leading smart light panels that can bring a cool ambiance to any room. They are popular with gamers, smart home enthusiasts, and those looking to add a touch of color to their homes.
Similar to Philips Hue, Nanoleaf have opened their devices up to integrations from developers so there is a slew of apps beyond the default Nanoleaf app.
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Best Apps for Nanoleaf Lights
Whilst it’s not hard to find cheaper Nanoleaf alternatives, these alternatives don’t have the same level of integration with third-party apps as official Nanoleaf does, so we recommend opting for the real thing.
Best Apps for Nanoleaf
Here are our favorite third-party apps for Nanoleaf:
1. Nanoleaf Smarter
Available for iOS and Android
Of course, we’ll start with the native Nanoleaf app which is required to get your lights set up and provides some basic effects.
Within Nanoleaf Smarter you can group your Nanoleaf lights, set up automation, and toggle your lights on and off.
Whilst you can spend time creating your own scenes, the best part of the app is the ‘Discover Community’ feature, which allows you to view and download scenes created and shared by other Nanoleaf enthusiasts.
2. iLightShow
Available for iOS and Android
iLightShow allows you to create fun music and lighting effects using your Nanoleaf light panels.
Whilst the latest generation of Nanoleaf has the rhythm module built-in allowing them to sync with music using an onboard microphone, the iLightShow app allows you to sync straight to Spotify using their integration.
You can choose which colors to use in the light sync and control the brightness of the lights. Effects include strobe and flashes too.
iLightShow also works with Philips Hue, LIFX smart lights, and can be paired with Sonos speakers so everything can sync together.
3. Firestorm for Nanoleaf
Available for iOS and Android
Firestorm is a niche Nanoleaf app that allows you to create cool fire-based scenes for your lights. It includes four main fire effects; candlelight, fireplace, campfire, and fireworks.
Fireplace provides a cozy ambiance that mimics the glowing of a fireplace. It includes crackling sounds that can be played via your phone speakers, Bluetooth speaker, or cast to a Google Home speaker or Chromecast.
For a bit more excitement, the fireworks effect has burst of color and crackles like a firework display.
You can add multiple devices and set a sleep timer for the app to stop. This is a premium app with a one-off purchase fee.
4. Nanoleaf Desktop App
Available for Windows or Mac
The Nanoleaf desktop app for Windows or Mac allows you to control your Nanoleaf lights from your PC or Mac.
One of the best features of this app is screen-mirror which is used to sync the lights to the colors on your screen. This is predominantly used by gamers to sync their Nanoleaf lights with their games, but can also be used for syncing to films and videos.
The desktop app is convenient for managing large arrays of Nanoleaf lights and its offline capabilities mean you don’t need the internet to change settings as with all the other apps here.
5. Soundstorm
Available for iOS and Android
Soundstorm is another music visualizer app for Nanoleaf, although this one uses your phone’s built-in microphone to sync the music, rather than integrating directly with Spotify. This is helpful if you use a different music streaming platform or another music source.
The app goes well above and beyond the controls and settings available in the native Nanoleaf app so it’s a welcome addition to any setup.
It works with all three types of Nanoleaf lights which can be added under the device section.
The main effects are a music visualizer, strobe, color loop (in which the panels simultaneously change color), and color flow (where the panels change color in a sequence).
6. Light DJ
Available for iOS and Android
Whilst iLightShow offers basic light syncing to music, Light DJ is a premium app for Nanoleaf that offers more features beyond basic light syncing.
The app has a total of 50+ lighting effects including a music visualizer, 23 different beat-matched effects, and strobe lights.
With this app, you have far more control over tempo, color, brightness, active/mellow effects, and more. LightDJ is commonly used at events, stage productions, seasonal light displays, and haunted houses.
7. Firefly
Available for iOS and Android
Firefly allows you to create your own customized Nanoleaf animations with frame-by-frame scenes.
In the app, you can select each panel and choose colors and brightness, before combining them all together in your own amazing animation.
This only works with the square Nanoleaf Canvas and not with Nanoleaf Shapes.
8. Thunderstorm
Available for iOS and Android
Thunderstorm allows you to turn your Nanoleaf lights into a thunderstorm display. The lights will pulse and flash as they mimic a thunderstorm with accompanying sound effects from the app which can be played over your phone speakers, via Bluetooth speakers, or cast to Google Home speakers.
You can choose between weak, strong, normal, and passing thunderstorm effects.
There are lots of settings that can be used to customize the effects, including changing the speed and type of rain, the volume of the thunder, delays between thunder and lightning, and many more.
This is a premium app with a one-time payment.
How to Connect Nanoleaf to third party apps?
To use your Nanoleaf panels with a third-party app, you must first set them up in the Nanoleaf Smarter app where you can assign them names and rooms.
Here is how to set up your devices in the Nanoleaf Smarter app:
Do Nanoleaf need a Hub?
No, all of Nanoleaf’s smart light panels connect straight to Wi-Fi so there is no need for a dedicated hub. Thanks to strong integration with Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit, you can control Nanoleaf products using just your voice.
Note: there is one exception if you have the dedicated Nanoleaf remote, you’ll need a hub in order to operate this.
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