You've just moved in. Let's get your PIXIE app control back. #
If the previous owners had PIXIE smart switches and dimmers, but they didn't pass the app credentials on to you, you can take control again from scratch. This guide walks you through both PIXIE apps step by step. It looks long, but the process itself is straightforward, and once you've done one device the rest move quickly.
First, figure out which PIXIE app you have. #
There are two PIXIE apps. The right one for your home depends on whether your house has a small grey box (called a Gateway) plugged into the modem. Find that out first, then pick the matching path below.
SAL PIXIE #
How to tell: No small grey box near the modem. Control is local only, from your phone, when you're at home.
- Free app on the App Store and Google Play
- Works over Bluetooth, no cloud account required
- Best for simpler setups, single floor or smaller homes
PIXIE PLUS #
How to tell: A small grey box near your modem with the PIXIE name on it. Allows remote control, voice control, schedules, and automation.
- Includes everything SAL PIXIE does, plus a lot more
- Voice control, schedules, scenes, automation (PROGRAMode)
- Remote control from anywhere, not just at home
Have a look around your modem and any nearby cabinet for a small grey box about the size of a deck of cards. If it's there, you've got PIXIE PLUS. If not, you've got SAL PIXIE. Either way, the next steps will get you back in control.
Try the easy path first. Then reset if you need to. #
Resetting all the devices works, but it takes time. If you can avoid it by getting the credentials from the previous owners or your real estate agent, that's much faster. Try in this order.
Ask the previous owner #
Through your conveyancer, real estate agent, or directly if you have their contact. The PIN (SAL PIXIE) or username and password (PIXIE PLUS) is all you need. Most owners are happy to hand it over.
Check the handover documents #
Sometimes the previous owner leaves a folder, a sticker on the modem, or paperwork with the home's smart device details. Worth a 10-minute look before you commit to a reset.
Reset and re-pair from scratch #
If credentials aren't coming, this is the path. It's not difficult, just methodical. Allow about an hour for a typical home of 20 to 30 devices, less if you've got fewer.
PIXIE devices are deliberately locked to the account that originally paired them. That's a security feature: it means no one can scan your house from outside and take over your lights. The trade-off is that without the credentials, the only way in is to reset the devices and pair them to a new account.
The reset is the same for both apps. #
The factory reset method is identical whether you're going down the SAL PIXIE or PIXIE PLUS path. It's the apps and the pairing process that differ. Get comfortable with the reset first, then choose your app path below.
Press the button on the wall plate 9 times quickly, within 2 to 3 seconds. #
This works for PIXIE dimmers and switches mounted in your wall plates. You'll see the small LED indicator next to the button flash blue and white for a few seconds, then settle to a SOLID white. That's the signal that the reset has worked.
In most cases this means the reset hasn't taken. Try again, faster. You may need to practise the speed on the first one or two before the rest become easy.
If one or two devices stay on a low blue light no matter how many times you click them, they're a different type of PIXIE device called a Multifunction Controller. They have their own reset behaviour, and we cover them at the bottom of this article.
Reset and pair the first two devices, then read through the app instructions below to add and name them. Once you've got the rhythm of the click speed and the in-app process, the rest becomes a quick repeat loop.
Pair your devices to the SAL PIXIE app. #
If you don't have a Gateway box, this is the path for you. The whole process happens inside the SAL PIXIE app over Bluetooth, with no cloud account required.
Download the SAL PIXIE app #
Open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), search for SAL PIXIE, and install it.
When you first open the app it will ask permission to access Bluetooth and Location services. Allow both. The app needs Bluetooth to talk to the devices, and Location is a requirement on Android for Bluetooth scanning.
Create a Home with a name and a PIN #
The app will ask you to set up a new Home. Give it a name you'll remember (your street, or just "Home"), then set a 6-digit PIN.
We suggest using the last 6 digits of your phone number for the PIN: it's easy to remember and unique to you. Write it down somewhere safe regardless.
Reset one or two devices, then run the radar scan #
Go to the first wall switch you want to set up and do the 9-click reset as described above. Wait for the solid white LED.
Back in the app, start the scan. A radar animation appears, looking for unpaired PIXIE devices nearby. Stand close to the device you just reset (Bluetooth has a limited range), and any reset devices will start to appear in a list.
Choose ADD, not INFO #
Devices in the list will show one of two buttons on the right hand side:
- ADD means the device has been reset and is ready to pair. Press ADD to bring it into your new Home.
- INFO means the device is still locked to the previous account. You can't pair it until you reset it (steps above).
Press ADD next to the devices you've reset. They'll show up as generic names at first like "Switch 24" or "Dimmer 103". That's fine. We'll rename them in the next step.
Press Finish at the bottom when you've added the ones you want from this scan.
Identify each device, then give it a sensible name #
From the app home, tap Devices. Your newly added devices will be listed.
To control one, tap the small bar under its icon. To open a fuller control screen, tap the icon itself.
From the larger control screen, turn it on and off a few times. Walk around the room and watch the lights so you can match the device to the actual switch in the house. Now you know what to call it.
When you're ready to rename:
- Tap the three dots in the top right and choose EDIT
- Tap the small pencil icon next to the name
- Type the name you want (something like "Kitchen island")
- Tap the small disc icon next to the name to save
- Tap the back arrow in the top left to return
Repeat for the next device.
Now reset, scan and name the rest of the home #
From the app home, tap Devices, then the three dots in the top right corner. You'll see options to add devices or rescan.
Work through the home one area at a time. Reset a batch of wall switches physically, walk back to where you are (or to where the most devices are if it helps with Bluetooth signal), and rescan in the app. ADD them, name them, move on.
You can do this in batches of two, three, five, or all at once. Whichever rhythm suits you.
Once paired, your PIXIE devices form a Bluetooth mesh network. Every additional device you add makes the network stronger, which means you can control any device from anywhere in the home. Devices that have been reset but not yet paired don't contribute to the mesh, so the experience improves quickly as you add more.
Pair your devices to the PIXIE PLUS app. #
If you have the small grey Gateway box near your modem, this is the path for you. PIXIE PLUS adds remote control, voice control, schedules, and full automation, but the Gateway also needs to be reset and re-paired from scratch.
Reset the Gateway #
Find the small grey PIXIE Gateway near your modem. Locate the small reset button on the back of the unit. Press and hold it for about 10 seconds, until the indicator light on the front blinks rapidly or changes colour.
Release the button. The Gateway will reboot and return to its factory state, ready to be claimed by a new account.
If you can't see a reset button, or you're not sure of the model, check the PIXIE Gateway support page for model-specific instructions.
Download the PIXIE PLUS app #
Open the App Store or Google Play, search for PIXIE PLUS, and install it.
Allow Bluetooth and Location services when prompted. You'll also be asked for permission to use your home Wi-Fi network, which is how the Gateway is set up initially.
Create your PIXIE PLUS account #
Sign up with your email address and choose a password. This will become the master account for your home. Use the same address you'd use for any home services account, and store the password somewhere safe.
Once your account is created, the app will prompt you to set up your home.
Pair the Gateway to your account #
With the Gateway powered on and in factory-reset mode, the app will guide you through pairing it to your new account. You'll typically need to:
- Connect your phone to the Gateway's temporary Wi-Fi network
- Tell the Gateway your home Wi-Fi name and password
- Wait while the Gateway connects to the internet and registers with your account
This usually takes 1 to 2 minutes. The Gateway's indicator light will go steady once it's online.
Reset and pair each PIXIE device #
Now do the 9-click reset on each wall switch, the same way as Path A. Wait for the solid white LED on each device.
In the PIXIE PLUS app, run a device scan. Reset devices will appear in the list. Add them one by one, name them, and assign them to rooms.
As with Path A, we recommend doing two or three first to get the rhythm, then working through the rest of the home in batches.
Optional: set up voice and automation #
Once all your devices are paired and named, PIXIE PLUS opens up a lot more. You can connect Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple Siri for voice control, build Scenes that set multiple devices at once, and use PROGRAMode for conditional automation ("when motion at the front door, turn the entry lights on").
These are all worth exploring once the basics are working. They aren't required to get app control going.
Even with the Gateway, the underlying device network is still a Bluetooth mesh. The Gateway is your bridge to the internet, voice services, and automation, but the devices themselves still talk directly to each other. Every device you add strengthens the mesh.
Multifunction Controllers work differently. #
If you've been resetting your switches and one or two of them refuse to turn solid white, they're probably PIXIE Multifunction Controllers. These are secondary (slave) devices, used most often as the second or third switch in a 2-way or 3-way setup. They don't drive the load directly; they tell another PIXIE device (a Master) to do it.
Multifunction Controllers don't pair into the app in the same way as Masters. You'll still be able to operate them with their physical button, but for advanced control they take instruction from the Master device they're paired to.
Multifunction LED state tracking is now available. #
If your Multifunction Controllers have been updated to the latest firmware, they can now visually show whether the Master they're paired to is ON or OFF, right there on the wall. This is especially useful in 2-way and 3-way setups where you might be at the wrong end of the room to see the Master.
Worth a read before you write off the Multifunction Controllers as broken.
Read the LED tracking article →Now your PIXIE is yours. Here's what to try next. #
Once every device is paired, named, and behaving, the rest of the PIXIE system is yours to play with. Scenes, schedules, voice control, automation. The links below will help you get more from what's already on your walls.
