Procedure to create a Group to extend your lights, synch them, or create a light scene
This article refers to Twinkly Generation II & II, Twinkly PRO anche Twinkly Plus
Grouping is what makes Twinkly truly special!
With just a click on your app, you can have all your devices working together in the enchanting world of Twinkly!
You can connect them to function as one, synchronise them for a perfect effect, or even set up a large scene. Just set the stage, and Twinkly will take care of the rest!
A Quick Overview of Grouping Features
Twinkly lights can be connected virtually through the app, allowing multiple devices to work in harmony. This means you can achieve extended lighting effects on the same object or across objects spaced apart.
You can create groups between devices that share the same LED profile, and between RGB and RGB+W devices. However, AWW devices can only be grouped with other AWWs.
To create a group of Twinkly lights, ensure each device is connected to the local Wi-Fi network, and that your smartphone is on the same network.
After setting up your first Twinkly, you can easily add a new device right away by following the setup wizard.
Alternatively, you can go to the “Devices” menu and click on “+” to add another device. The onboarding process will start over, guiding you through the setup of the new device.
We recommend checking out this article to find out more about grouping devices with different LED profiles.
How to Create a Group
To create your group, follow these steps:
- Open the app and navigate to the “Devices” menu (LED icon in the bottom right corner)
- Select the installation that contains the devices you want to group.
- Tap on the + icon in the top right corner of the screen
- Click on “Create Group”
- Choose the type of group you’d like to create
- Select the devices you want to include in the group
- Name your group as you wish (this will help you identify them later)
Once your group is created, you can start enjoying your devices. To enhance your experience, keep these important points in mind:
- Groups act like individual devices. You can find them in your device list, and they will have a status icon.
- The icon will be green if all devices in the group are on and properly connected.
- If the group status icon is grey, it indicates that one or more devices in the group are turned off or disconnected.
- Grouped items cannot be controlled individually by Alexa or Google Assistant. Group Types
Types of Groups
Join Groups allow your individual devices to function as a larger Twinkly
- They increase the total number of lights available up to the sum of LED lights on each Twinkly
- They have a group layout
- Mapping occurs after creating the group, as all devices work together as a single, larger unit.
- Once you’ve mapped all your lights in the group, you can apply both basic and advanced effects.
- Typically, Join Groups are used to make several devices appear as one larger unit in a setting, such as a Christmas tree.
Follow the step-by-step guide to Join Groups
Sync Groups allow all Twinkly devices in the group to apply effects simultaneously
- They extend the number of available lights up to the total of LED lights on each Twinkly.
- Each Twinkly retains its basic layout, even if mapped.
- Devices must be mapped individually before creating the group, as they will operate separately while being synchronised.
Follow the step-by-step guide for Sync Groups
Area Groups help you arrange your lights in extensive scenarios
When creating an "Area" group, you have three options:
- Camera Mapping: allows you to map devices in your scene using your smartphone (simple strategy only)
- Horizontal tiles (for iOS only): this option automatically creates a new layout with all your devices aligned horizontally.
- Vertical tiles (for iOS only): designed for vertical installations
- Area Editor: lets you position your devices exactly as they are arranged in real space.
Follow the step-by-step guide for Area Groups
What is the maximum number of devices I can group together?
The number of Twinkly devices you can group mainly depends on the strength of your Wi-Fi signal, how close the devices are to the router, and the total number of devices connected to that network, alongside Twinkly.
Generally, we suggest the following guidelines:
- For Generation I: You can group up to 2000 LEDs or 5 devices – with good Wi-Fi coverage
- For Generation II: You can group up to 4000 LEDs or 10 devices – with good Wi-Fi coverage
Can Twinkly devices be physically extended?
At the moment, you can only physically extend Twinkly Line, Squares, Twinkly Matrix, and Twinkly Light Wall.
However, the first edition of Generation I Strings and Festoons from 2019 and 2020 (now discontinued) could connect to the main set or starter kit using add-ons to increase the number of LEDs in the layout.
With the grouping feature, this is no longer necessary: you can simply add another device and extend your setup by virtually grouping them. This way, you can choose the type of scene you want to create, forming a group that delivers your desired outcome.
Can I group Generation I and II devices together?
Just remember that the devices need to share the same LED profile (so RGB with RGB), or RGB with RGB+W.
The Generation I RBW edition (now discontinued) can only be grouped virtually with strings of the same profile.