Smart bulbs can be incredibly convenient as long as they are working. If they become undiscoverable or unreachable, though, it may be time for a reset.
Maybe you have a Kasa bulb that you need to reset for the first time, or maybe this is your second (or third…) time resetting your bulb. Either way, it’s important to reset the bulb the right way and to know what to do if it doesn’t work.
To reset your Kasa smart bulb, first turn the bulb off. For most models, quickly turning the light on and off 5 times will perform a soft reset, and turning the light on and off 10 times will perform a factory reset.
If you want to know more about how to reset your Kasa bulb, keep reading.
In this article, I’ll explain the difference between a soft and factory reset, when you should reset your bulb, and what to do if you get stuck or your bulb keeps losing its connection.
Let’s get right to it!
How To Change WiFi On Kasa Smart Bulb With A Soft Reset
A soft reset will allow you to change the WiFi on your Kasa smart bulb without deleting any of your settings or other data. Start with the bulb turned off, then quickly turn it on and off three times.
While this should work for most Kasa bulbs (including this set sold on Amazon), some models require you to turn the bulb off and on 5 times.
If you’re not sure which type of bulb you have, I found that the easiest way to tell is to look on the back of the bulb where the warning labels are located.
Underneath the words “SEE INSTRUCTIONS”, you will notice a series of letters and numbers followed by “WIFI BULB”. This is the model number of your bulb. You can then check which reset method to use with this chart:
| Model # | To Reset WiFi only | To Factory Reset |
|---|---|---|
| LB130, KL110B, KL120, KL110, KL130B, KL130, LB230, LB110, LB100TKIT, LB200, LB100 | Turn light switch on and off 3 times | Turn light switch on and off 5 times |
| KL50, KL110B 2.0, KL60, KL60B, KL110 2.0, KL130B 2.0, KL130 2.0, KL50B. KL125 1.20、KL125 2.0, KL110 3.0, KL125 3.0, KL135 1.0 | Turn light switch on and off 5 times | Turn light switch on and off 10 times |
How To Factory Reset Kasa Smart Bulb
Unlike with a soft reset, a factory reset will remove all your data and configurations. Most models can be factory reset by turning the bulb on and then off again 10 times.
As before, I found it confusing that Kasa bulbs don’t all follow the same process. That’s why it’s a good idea to double check your bulb model number against the chart above.
If you try to factory reset using the wrong procedure, it may seem like the bulb isn’t doing anything or something went wrong with the reset. In some cases, it’s just a matter of turning the light on and off the correct number of times.
Kasa Smart Bulb Not Resetting
If you find yourself constantly having to reset your bulb or a reset isn’t solving your issue, there are a few more steps that you can try.
Check if your TP Link password has changed
If you or someone else in the household changed the password for the TP Link account that the bulb is paired with, this could be causing you problems. Simply remove your bulb from the app and then try adding it back.
Rename Your Bulb
You can also try renaming your bulb after you reset it. This can be an especially good trick if your bulb keeps disconnecting either from Alexa or from the Kasa app.
Check Your WiFi Location And Settings
About 10% of the time, connection issues with devices like the Kasa smart bulb are due to the WiFi connection itself. Try moving the bulb to a different location to see if it works better, and if possible, connect to a 2.4GhZ WiFi band.
How To Set Up Kasa Smart Bulb
Once you have successfully reset your smart bulb, it’s time to set it up again. Turn the bulb on and launch the Kasa Smart app. Tap on the Plus button in the top right corner and tap “Add Device”, “Smart Lights”, select “Smart Bulb”, then follow the instructions.
Remember the tip about renaming your bulb. If you wanted to try changing the name, you will have the option during setup. Just enter something unique when you see the screen that says, “Name Your Device.”
(If you’re using a descriptive name like “Kitchen Lamp”, you can just add a number after it, so it becomes something like “Kitchen Lamp 1”.)
Final Thoughts
Although it’s not as well known (or supported) as Philips Hue, Kasa smart bulbs offer a lot for an affordable price.
Unfortunately, the reset process varies depending on which type of bulb you have, which can be confusing. It is also somewhat common to have a bulb that repeatedly disconnects and needs to be reset.
Still, there are a number of things you can try, such as:
- A soft reset, which will let you reconnect to WiFi or change networks
- A factory reset, which removes all data and settings that could be causing the issue
- Changing the name of your bulb when setting it back up
- Moving the bulb to a different location in your house that might have a stronger WiFi signal
Unfortunately, there may occasionally be issues with your bulb that no amount of troubleshooting is going to fix. For those cases, Kasa offers a two-year warranty after the purchase date and you can get support through email or live chat.
If you’re outside of the return period, this is a good time of year to replace a bulb or two if that’s something you’ve been considering. Most Kasa bulbs are on sale up to 46% off on Amazon right now.
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Patrick Ward