AmbiScape expands the Ambilight effect of Philips televisions to smart lighting at home, filling the entire room with a dynamic glow of reactive color.
The AmbiScape functionality—allowing up to four smart lights to react in real time to the Ambilight glow of a Philips TV—is available across the entire 2026 Ambilight TV range. The newly introduced technology works seamlessly with smart lights from Wiz, Nanoleaf, IKEA and Philips Hue.
“Ambilight has been one of the standout success stories in the premium TV market over the past decades. Philips has sold an impressive 35 million Ambilight TVs, and more than 80% of owners say their next TV must also include this unique feature. It is one of the most popular consumer electronics technologies ever launched under the Philips brand,” says TP Vision/Philips.
Originally developed over 20 years ago through a collaboration between Dutch and Belgian engineers, Ambilight has continually evolved, with improvements in responsiveness and color accuracy enhancing its immersive effect.
AmbiScape: from screen to room
One of the latest additions to the Ambilight ecosystem is AmbiScape, which enables compatible Philips TVs to connect to and control up to four smart lights. The feature will be widely rolled out across the 2026 lineup. Once connected, the lights dynamically match the on-screen content and Ambilight effect based on their position in the room.
The proprietary Ambilight system integrates intelligent lighting zones on the back of the TV, projecting a continuously changing halo of colored light that closely follows the image on screen.
Background
Ambilight was introduced in 2004 to reduce eye strain and enhance perceived contrast in dark viewing environments. Over time, it has evolved into an increasingly immersive system. According to TP Vision/Philips, it has built a loyal fan base, with users appreciating the added experience it brings to movies, sports and gaming. With AmbiScape, the effect now extends further into the room.
From IKEA to Hue—and across all 2026 models
Initially, the system supports E27 smart bulbs from Wiz, Nanoleaf, IKEA and Philips Hue, offering options for a wide range of budgets. More compatible products are expected over time. The lighting effect mirrors Ambilight with a latency of less than 0.5 seconds.
AmbiScape was first introduced as a limited beta feature on select 2025 models. In 2026, it will be available across all Philips TVs from the 8000 series and above, including all 2026 OLED models and the new RGB Mini-LED (Philips MLED981).
Setup and control
AmbiScape can be activated via the “Ambilight TV” hotkey on the remote control or through the Ambilight menu in the TV settings. Pairing smart lights is quick and easy using a QR code displayed on-screen, which provides a list of compatible devices. A clear step-by-step guide assists with setup. The feature is also integrated into the Philips Smart TV App.
Flexibility is built into AmbiScape: users can combine up to four smart lights from the supported brands and assign their position in the room. You can also choose which Ambilight mode to follow—video, music or a fixed color.
Part of your home lighting setup
Ambilight TVs and connected smart lights can also function as a static part of your room’s lighting design via the “Lounge” mode. Additionally, the updated “Support your team” feature allows the TV to display national or team colors around the screen in real time—perfect for enhancing the atmosphere during live sports events. This feature is available on both 2025 and upcoming 2026 models.
Finally, AmbiScape can extend the lighting effects of Philips Evnia gaming monitors, allowing their rear lighting to expand into the room via up to four connected smart lights.