Kolori

Complete User Guide for WLED Control

Overview

Kolori is a powerful mobile application designed to control WLED (Wireless LED) devices. With an intuitive interface and advanced features, Kolori makes it easy to manage your LED lighting displays, create custom effects, and organize your favorite presets.

🎨

Custom Effects

Create and save your own lighting effects with full control over colors, patterns, and brightness.

📋

Playlists

Organize multiple effects into playlists that automatically cycle through your favorite looks.

🔌

Boot Presets

Set a preset to automatically load when your device powers on, ensuring your lights start how you want.

👁️

Live View

See real-time visualization of your LED strip, including color changes and animations as they happen.

🎵

Audio Reactive

Sync your lights to music with built-in audio reactive effects for an immersive experience.

🌐

Multi-Device

Manage multiple WLED devices from a single app, switching between them seamlessly.

Getting Started

Prerequisites: Make sure your WLED device is powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your mobile device.

Install the App

Download Kolori from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and install it on your mobile device.

Add Your First Device

Tap the device dropdown at the top of the screen and select "Manage Devices". Use the "Scan Network" button to automatically discover WLED devices, or tap "Add Manually" to enter your device's IP address.

Connect to Your Device

Once added, select your device from the dropdown menu. The app will establish a connection and display the current status with a green indicator dot.

Start Controlling

Use the preset grid to select effects, adjust brightness with the slider, and explore the various features available.

Features

Device Management

Adding Devices

To add a WLED device:

  1. Tap the device dropdown in the header
  2. Select "Manage Devices"
  3. Choose "Scan Network" for automatic discovery, or "Add Manually" to enter IP address
  4. Give your device a friendly name
  5. Tap "Save" to add the device
Tip: The "Scan Network" feature will automatically discover all WLED devices on your local network, making setup quick and easy.

Device Controls

The device selection dropdown shows:

  • Green dot: Device is connected
  • Red dot: Device is offline
  • Power button: Toggle lights on/off
  • Device name and IP address

Brightness Control

Use the brightness slider to adjust the overall brightness of your LED strip:

  • Drag the slider left to decrease brightness (0%)
  • Drag the slider right to increase brightness (100%)
  • Changes apply in real-time via WebSocket connection
Note: Brightness changes only apply when the device is powered on.

Live View

Real-time LED Visualization

Live View shows you exactly what your LED strip is displaying in real-time. Each LED is represented as a colored circle on screen.

Features:

  • Real-time color updates via WebSocket
  • Adjustable LED size (compact, normal, large, extra-large)
  • Matrix layout support for 2D displays
  • Toggle on/off with the eye icon
Performance Tip: Live View uses WebSocket streaming. If you experience performance issues, try using a smaller LED size or disable Live View when not needed.

Refresh

The refresh button (circular arrow icon) updates the following from your device:

  • Current brightness level
  • Active preset/effect
  • Boot preset configuration
  • Device power state
  • Available presets and playlists
Best Practice: Refresh after making changes in the WLED web interface to sync the app's state.

Floating Action Button (FAB)

The circular button in the bottom-right corner is the Floating Action Button (FAB). Tap it to reveal quick actions:

  • Create New: Opens a menu to create Custom Effects or Playlists
  • Device Management: Quick access to manage your devices
  • Delete Mode: Enter delete mode to remove multiple presets at once
  • Settings: Access app settings
  • Scheduler: Schedule presets to activate at specific times

Presets

Understanding Preset Types

The app displays three types of presets:

Type Description Source
Seasonal Holiday and seasonal effects (configurable in settings) App-provided
Custom Your personally created effects User-created
WLED Presets stored on your WLED device WLED device

Preset Indicators

  • Blue border: Currently active preset
  • Gold star (top-left): Boot preset (loads on device startup)
  • Checkmark icon (top-right): Active effect

Creating Custom Effects

Open Custom Effect Creator

Tap the FAB button in the bottom-right corner, then tap "Create New", and select "Custom Effect".

Configure Your Effect

  • Enter a name for your effect
  • Choose an effect type (Solid, Rainbow, Scan, etc.)
  • Select colors using the color pickers
  • Adjust speed, intensity, and other parameters

Preview and Save

Use the preview button to test your effect on the device. When satisfied, tap "Save" to store it on your WLED device.

Preset Options

Long-press any preset card to access additional options:

  • Set as Boot Preset: Configure this preset to load when device powers on
  • Disable Boot Preset: Remove boot preset configuration (only visible if this is the current boot preset)
  • Delete: Remove the preset from your device (custom effects only)
  • Cancel: Close the options menu

Boot Presets

What is a Boot Preset?

A boot preset is a preset that automatically activates when your WLED device powers on. This ensures your lights start with your preferred look without manual intervention.

Setting a Boot Preset

  1. Long-press the preset you want to use
  2. Select "Set as Boot Preset"
  3. Confirm your selection
  4. A gold star icon will appear on the preset card
  5. The configuration is saved to your device's /json/cfg

Disabling Boot Preset

Long-press the current boot preset (marked with a star) and select "Disable Boot Preset".

Note: Only one preset or playlist can be set as the boot preset at a time. Setting a new boot preset will automatically replace the previous one.
Syncing: Use the refresh button to sync boot preset changes made in the WLED web interface back to the app.

Playlists

What are Playlists?

Playlists allow you to create sequences of effects that automatically cycle through at specified intervals. Perfect for creating dynamic lighting displays that change over time.

Creating a Playlist

Open Playlist Creator

Tap the FAB button, then tap "Create New", and select "Playlist".

Name Your Playlist

Enter a descriptive name for your playlist (e.g., "Evening Ambiance", "Party Mode").

Add Effects

Select effects from your custom effects list. Each effect can be added multiple times if desired.

Set Durations

Configure how long each effect should play before transitioning to the next (in seconds).

Configure Transitions

Choose transition effects between presets for smooth changes.

Save Playlist

Tap "Save" to store your playlist on the WLED device. It will appear in the Playlists section.

Managing Playlists

Playing a Playlist

Simply tap on a playlist card to start playback. The playlist will cycle through all effects in order, transitioning at the specified intervals.

Playlist Options

Long-press a playlist card to access:

  • Set as Boot Preset: Start this playlist automatically on device power-on
  • Delete: Remove the playlist from the device
Pro Tip: Playlists can also be set as boot presets, allowing your lights to automatically cycle through effects on startup!

Audio Reactive

Music Sync

Audio Reactive mode syncs your LED lights to music and sound. Your WLED device needs to have a microphone or audio input configured.

Using Audio Reactive

  1. Swipe left to navigate to the "Audio Reactive" page
  2. Browse available audio-reactive presets
  3. Tap a preset to activate it
  4. Adjust sensitivity and gain settings as needed
  5. Play music near your device's microphone
Hardware Required: Audio reactive features require your WLED device to have audio input capabilities (microphone, line-in, or UDP sound sync).
Note: When Audio Reactive is active, the preset sections on page 1 will be blocked to prevent conflicts.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Device Not Connecting

Symptoms: Red indicator dot, "Device offline" message

Solutions:

  • Verify your WLED device is powered on
  • Ensure your phone and WLED device are on the same Wi-Fi network
  • Check the IP address is correct (it may change after router restart)
  • Ping the device IP from your network to verify connectivity
  • Restart your WLED device and try reconnecting
  • Try adding the device again using "Scan Network"

Slow Response Time

Symptoms: Delayed preset changes, slow brightness adjustments

Solutions:

  • Check your Wi-Fi signal strength
  • Reduce the number of LEDs if your device is underpowered
  • Disable Live View to reduce network traffic
  • Close other apps that might be using network bandwidth
  • Restart the WebSocket connection by toggling device off and on

Preset Issues

Boot Preset Not Working

Problem: Boot preset doesn't load on device startup

Solutions:

  • Verify the boot preset is set (look for gold star icon)
  • Refresh the app after setting boot preset to sync configuration
  • Power cycle the WLED device completely (unplug power, wait 10 seconds, replug)
  • Check WLED firmware version (update if necessary)
  • Verify the preset still exists on the device

Missing Presets

Problem: Presets saved in WLED web interface don't appear in app

Solutions:

  • Tap the refresh button to sync with device
  • Ensure presets are saved with segment bounds enabled in WLED
  • Verify you're connected to the correct device
  • Check that the preset ID is within the valid range (1-250)

Live View Issues

Live View Not Updating

Problem: LEDs not showing real-time updates

Solutions:

  • Toggle Live View off and on again (eye icon)
  • Reduce LED size to improve performance
  • Check WebSocket connection status (green dot)
  • Restart the app
  • Verify your WLED firmware supports WebSocket streaming

General Tips

  • App Crashes: Clear app cache and data, reinstall if needed
  • Outdated Data: Use the refresh button regularly to sync with device
  • Permission Issues: Check network permissions in device settings
  • WLED Updates: Keep WLED firmware up to date for best compatibility
  • Factory Reset: If issues persist, try resetting your WLED device to factory defaults

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I control multiple WLED devices at once?

Currently, Kolori controls one device at a time. However, you can quickly switch between devices using the device dropdown menu in the header.

Do my custom effects sync across devices?

Custom effects are saved to each WLED device individually. If you want the same effect on multiple devices, you'll need to create it on each device separately.

What's the difference between a preset and a playlist?

A preset is a single lighting effect or configuration, while a playlist is a sequence of multiple presets that automatically cycle through at specified intervals.

Can I use Kolori without Wi-Fi?

Kolori requires your phone and WLED device to be on the same network. Without network connection, the app cannot communicate with your devices.

How do I find my WLED device's IP address?

Use the "Scan Network" feature in the Device Management screen to automatically discover devices. Alternatively, you can find the IP address in your router's admin panel or in the WLED device's configuration screen (accessible via AP mode).

Why isn't my boot preset loading?

Boot presets are configured in the device's /json/cfg file. Make sure you've set it using the app (long-press → Set as Boot Preset), then power cycle the device completely. Use the refresh button to verify the boot preset configuration is synced.

Can I schedule presets to activate at specific times?

Yes! Use the Scheduler feature accessible from the FAB menu. Scheduling is also available through WLED's built-in scheduler via the web interface.

Does Kolori work with all WLED versions?

Kolori is designed to work with WLED 0.13.0 and later. Some features may not be available on older versions. We recommend keeping your WLED firmware up to date for the best experience.

How do I delete a preset?

Long-press the preset card and select "Delete". You can also enter Delete Mode (via FAB menu) to delete multiple presets at once. Note that seasonal presets cannot be deleted, only custom effects and device presets.

What does the refresh button do?

The refresh button syncs the app with your WLED device, updating:

  • Current brightness level
  • Active preset/effect
  • Boot preset configuration from /json/cfg
  • Available presets and playlists
  • Device power state

What is the gold star icon on presets?

The gold star indicates that this preset is configured as the boot preset. It will automatically load when your WLED device powers on.

Can playlists be set as boot presets?

Yes! Playlists can also be set as boot presets, allowing your device to automatically cycle through multiple effects on startup.

Support & Feedback

Need Help?

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

  • Check the official WLED documentation: kno.wled.ge
  • Visit the WLED Discord community for real-time help
  • Report app issues on our GitHub repository
  • Check for app updates in your app store

Feature Requests

Have an idea for a new feature? We'd love to hear from you! Submit feature requests through our GitHub issues page.