LIFX opened signups for a Thread beta on August 25, 2026. Approved owners can move an eligible current-generation light from Matter over Wi-Fi to Matter over Thread, but this is a test program rather than a finished firmware rollout. LIFX is screening applicants, sending setup instructions by email, and asking participants for performance feedback.
Eligibility is narrower than “works with Matter.” LIFX says the beta targets products that shipped with Matter support on the box because that hardware can run either Wi-Fi or Thread. Its signup page does not publish a model list or regional boundaries, and LIFX says it will confirm that an applicant has appropriate products before enabling the controls. Owners of older lights or switches that only received Matter through a later firmware migration should not assume they qualify.
The LIFX Everyday A19 is representative of the current Matter-over-Wi-Fi generation, but owners still need to check the eligible-device screen after acceptance. Matterhome has not tested the beta or confirmed individual models beyond LIFX's broad hardware rule.
Moving to Thread means setting the light up again
Most supported products need a firmware update, followed by recommissioning onto the Thread network through a new “Switch to Thread” screen in the LIFX app. The owner needs the Matter QR code or the 11-digit manual Matter code printed on the device. LIFX says its old manual setup option is no longer available after the switch, and Apple Home, Google Home, or other smart-home integrations need to be reset after recommissioning.
A compatible Thread border router is also required. LIFX added a tool to its app to check whether it can find one, but its own support page warns that border-router capabilities and firmware change often. Verify the exact Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, Homey, Aqara, or Home Assistant hardware serving the home before moving a light away from Wi-Fi.
The choice is per device. A home can mix Wi-Fi and Thread LIFX products, but one light cannot use both transports at the same time. LIFX says a supported device can be moved back, so the beta is not meant to be a permanent one-way conversion. Follow-up firmware over Thread may take 5 to 20 minutes per device because Thread carries less data than Wi-Fi.
Start with the least important light
LIFX's own advice is to move one light first. That is the sensible limit for a beta that resets integrations and depends on the quality of an existing Thread mesh. Save the Matter code, note every ecosystem where the light is shared, and choose a lamp that can tolerate downtime before accepting the firmware.
For a new purchase, keep judging LIFX hardware by its shipping Wi-Fi setup until the company names production firmware, a final supported-model list, and a general rollout date. Thread is now testable on eligible hardware, but it is not yet the setup path a buyer should count on out of the box.
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