So you’re sitting down and try to turn on your Elgato Key Lights, and suddenly you realize that they aren’t showing up in the Control Center app and won’t respond.
If that sounds familiar, you’re going to need to reset your Key Light.
But Elgato’s documentation doesn’t always help with this issue. In fact, only 25% of people rated Elgato’s reset instructions as helpful (I’ve provided a link to it in case you want to have a look, though).
It just so happens that I had to reset my two Key Light Airs a few minutes ago (the lights that I reviewed here), so I’ve gone ahead and tested out every possible way to reset it.
And here are the exact steps you need to take.
How To Reset Elgato Key Light
It takes about three minutes to reset your lights and get them reconnected. Here’s how:
1. Double check that the light isn’t hidden.
It’s possible for accessories to be hidden in the Elgato Control Center app, which can make them appear to be offline.
To double check that this isn’t the case, open the Control Center app and go to Preferences. If the button labelled Reveal Hidden Accessories is greyed out, it means that you have no hidden devices and can move on to the next step.
If you can click on the Reveal Hidden Accessories button, do so now. Then close the window and reopen the Control Center app and check if that fixed your issue.
If a Key Light still isn’t showing up in your list or it isn’t responding, move on to the next step.
2. Reset the Key Light.
To reset your Key Light or Key Light Air, follow these steps:
- Toggle the power switch on the light to the “On” position.
- Locate the reset button on the back of the light, next to where the power cable inserts into the light.
- Press the reset button down and hold it until the light begins to flash (about 10-15 seconds).
- Toggle the power switch to the Off position, and leave it off for at least 10-15 seconds.
Your light should now be fully reset and ready to connect to a new network.
You will need to repeat the steps above for any additional Key Lights that you need to reset.
3. Reconnect the Key Light
If you’re simply resetting your Key Light before selling or returning it, you don’t need to do anything else. All settings and WiFi credentials on the light have been erased and reset to factory settings.
But if you want to reconnect your lights, follow these steps:
- Toggle the power switch on the light to the On position.
- Click on the WiFi icon on your computer and look for the light under the Accessories section.
- Click on the light and then select the WiFi network you want to use.
- Wait for it to connect, then double check that it is showing up in the Control Center app.
That’s all there is to it! You should now have your light connected to the correct WiFi network and showing up in the Control Center app on all your devices.
Elgato Key Light Not Resetting
If you have tried resetting your Key Light or Key Light Air and still can’t get it to connect, there’s one more step you can try.
I tested this myself and while it’s a bit of a pain, it solves most issues that aren’t due to defects or damage to the light.
As a last resort, you can try these steps:
- Uninstall the Elgato Control Center app.
- Download the latest version from their website and install it.
- Restart your computer.
- Follow steps 2 and 3 above to reset and reconnect your light.
Elgato Warranty And Support
You can contact Elgato support through email or by phone 7 days a week to get help with any issues.
If your Key Light was purchased in the past two years, then it’s still covered by Elgato’s manufacturer’s warranty and they will be able to send you a replacement if the light is defective.
Even if it isn’t under warranty, they may be able to provide additional ideas and troubleshooting steps to try to fix your issue.
Wrapping Up
In this article, I covered the exact steps that I’ve used to successfully reset the Elgato Key Light and Key Light Air. This process was tested and works with Control Center version 1.4.1 in January of 2023.
To recap, here are the steps I’ve recommended:
Double check that your Key Light isn’t simply hidden in the Control Center app.
Reset the Key Light by turning it on and holding the reset button down for 10-15 seconds.
Reconnect the Key Light by connecting it to the WiFi network you want to use.
If you found this guide helpful, I encourage you to add it to your bookmarks so that you can easily find these steps if you need them again.
I’m also constantly adding new articles with straightforward troubleshooting tips like this one, so check back if you run into any other issues with your smart devices!
Patrick Ward