A SmartThings Scene sets several devices to specific states with one tap. It can dim lights, set a thermostat, turn on plugs, and lock a door all at once.
These steps apply to the SmartThings app on iPhone and Android, with or without a SmartThings hub depending on your devices.
Does this affect you?
Use this if you want one button for Movie Night, Good Morning, Bedtime, or Leaving Home. A scene does not run automatically by itself; it runs when you tap it, call it by voice, or trigger it from a routine.
Build a scene from scratch
- Open the SmartThings app.
- Tap the Home tab.
- Scroll to Scenes and tap +, or tap the main + icon and choose Scene.
- Name the scene clearly.
- Tap Add Action.
- Select each device you want included.
- Set the desired state for every device, such as brightness, color, on/off, temperature, locked, or unlocked.
- Repeat until every device is configured.
- Tap Save.
The scene appears as a tile in the SmartThings dashboard and can be run with a single tap.
Run and edit a scene
- Open SmartThings.
- Go to the Home tab.
- Tap the scene tile to run it.
- To edit, tap and hold the scene tile or open its three-dot menu.
- Choose Edit.
- Add or remove devices or adjust target states.
- Tap Save.
If SmartThings is linked to Alexa or Google Assistant, you can run a scene by voice with a command such as Alexa, turn on Movie Night.
Scenes versus routines
A scene is the saved result: these devices should be in these states. A routine adds the trigger: run at 7 AM, when someone arrives, when a sensor opens, or when another condition is met.
A routine can include Run a Scene as one of its actions, which is useful when you want the same group of device settings available manually and automatically.
Put your favorite scenes near the top of the Home tab by adding them to Favorites or rearranging them, depending on your app version.
If one device does not update when the scene runs, check it under Devices. Offline plugs, weak Wi-Fi bulbs, and low-battery locks or sensors may be skipped until they reconnect.
Sources
- Samsung SmartThings Support – Create and edit scenes (2025)
- Samsung SmartThings Support – Understand scenes vs. routines (2025)
- Samsung SmartThings Support – Add a scene to your dashboard (2025)