Understanding Harmony Activities

An Activity combines your home entertainment devices into groups that represent what they are used for. For example, a Watch TV Activity will group the devices you use to watch TV - such as your TV, AV receiver, and cable or satellite box.

Understanding Activities

Creating Activities happens either automatically during your initial setup, or Harmony will guide you through the process of creating them yourself. If you're adding a device afterward or need something different than what's automatically created for you, then you'll want to manually create an Activity.

Harmony 200/300/350 remotes allow for a single Watch TV Activity.

To learn more, view: Customizing the Watch TV button on Harmony 200/300/350.

Starting an Activity will power on the participating devices, and if necessary, set them to the proper input, or source.

Switching to another Activity will power off devices that do not participate in the new Activity, and power on the new participating ones. Devices that are common across both Activities will remain on. For example, when switching from Watch TV to Watch a Movie, Harmony knows to power off your cable box and turn on your DVD player. It knows your TV must also remain on, and will not power it off.

The Off button powers off the current Activity - all the participating devices are powered off automatically. The Off button does not power off individual devices.

For a more thorough walk through of creating an actual Activity, please reference our how to create a Harmony Activity support article. Watch this explanation video for more information:

Watch this explanation video for more information.

Understanding Activities

Creating Activities happens either automatically during your initial setup, or Harmony will guide you through the process of creating them yourself. If you're adding a device afterward or need something different than what's automatically created for you, then you'll want to manually create an Activity.

Starting an Activity will power on the participating devices, and if necessary, set them to the proper input, or source.

Switching to another Activity will power off devices that do not participate in the new Activity, and power on the new participating ones. Devices that are common across both Activities will remain on. For example, when switching from Watch TV to Watch a Movie, Harmony knows to power off your cable box and turn on your DVD player. It knows your TV must also remain on, and will not power it off.

The Off button powers off the current Activity - all the participating devices are powered off automatically. The Off button does not power off individual devices.

For a more thorough walk through of creating an actual Activity, please reference our how to create a Harmony Activity support article. Watch this explanation video for more information:

Watch this explanation video for more information.

Creating helpful Activities

Dinner Time. Get your family to the table more easily

Turn off your TV and game consoles, then turn on the lights in your dining room and start music playing for dinnertime. Help get your family to the table more easily with the Harmony Dinner Time Activity.

This Activity requires:

  • Music: Sonos, stereo or connected media player
  • Lights: Either a Wi‑Fi enabled light bulb, or, a connected light switch

Creating your Dinner Time Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Add your own Activity and name your Activity: Dinner Time.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your DINNER TIME Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Configure your dining room lights to turn on

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select your dining room light switch or light bulbs and ensure the power button is enabled. Select NEXT >.
  3. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.

Selecting which music plays automatically

  1. Select the radio station or action that begins playing your music.
  2. For your start sequence, we suggest adding your favorite preset radio station if using your radio tuner, or adding Play for your CD-Player.
    Learn More
  3. That’s it! Now you can launch your Dinner Time Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.

Party! Entertain guests with music and lights

Begin playing some background music and set your living and dining room lights to a warm, inviting glow. Spend more time with your guests, and let Harmony set the ambiance.

This Activity requires:

  • Music: Sonos, stereo or connected media player
  • Lights: Either a Wi‑Fi enabled light bulb, or, a connected light switch

Creating your Party Time Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Add your own Activity and name your Activity: Party Time.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your Party Time Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Configure your living and dining room lights to turn on

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select your living and dining room light switches or light bulbs and ensure the power button is enabled. Select NEXT >.
  3. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.

Selecting which music plays automatically

  1. Select the radio station or action that begins playing your music.
  2. For your start sequence, we suggest adding your favorite preset radio station if using your radio tuner, or adding Play for your CD-Player.
    Learn More
  3. That’s it! Now you can launch your Party Time Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.

Goodnight. Keep the nightlight on for 30 minutes

Play some soothing music with the lights dimmed, then power everything off after 30 minutes. Harmony can help keep the monsters at bay while your children fall asleep.

This Activity requires:

  • Music: Sonos, stereo or connected media player
  • Lights: Either a Wi‑Fi enabled light bulb, or, a connected light switch

Creating your Goodnight Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Add your own Activity and name your Activity: Goodnight.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your Godonight Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Configure the lights in your bedroom to turn on

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select your bedroom light switches or light bulbs and ensure the power button is enabled. Select NEXT >.
  3. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.

Selecting which music plays automatically

  1. Select the radio station or action that begins playing your music.
  2. For your start sequence, we suggest adding your favorite preset radio station if using your radio tuner, or adding Play for your CD-Player.
    Learn More

Setting your sleep timer

  1. When you're ready for bed, launch the Goodnight Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.
  2. Then, select MENU > Sleep Timer. Harmony will power off your lights and music after the selected duration.

Good morning. Wake up with warm colored lights and your favorite tunes

Automatically brighten your bedroom lights and begin playing your morning soundtrack every weekday morning at 7AM. With Harmony, your days don’t have to begin with that alarm clock buzz.

This Activity requires:

  • Music: Sonos, stereo or connected media player
  • Lights: Either a Wi‑Fi enabled light bulb, or, a connected light switch

Creating your Good Morning Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Add your own Activity and name your Activity: Good Morning.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your Good Morning Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Configure your bedroom and kitchen lights to turn on

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select your living and dining room light switches or light bulbs and ensure the power button is enabled. Select NEXT >.
  3. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.

Selecting which music plays automatically

  1. Select the radio station or action that begins playing your music.
  2. For your start sequence, we suggest adding your favorite preset radio station if using your radio tuner, or adding Play for your CD-Player.
    Learn More
  3. That’s it! Now you can launch your Good Morning Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.

Create an epic Play Game Activity

Power on your game console, turn up the bass on your stereo, dim the overhead lights and set some bulbs to your gaming colors. Immerse yourself into the adventure. Are you up to the challenge?

This Activity requires:

  • TV
  • Game Console
  • Lights: Colored light bulbs

Creating your Play Game Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Play Game and name your Activity: Play Game.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your Play Game Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Configure your lights for gaming

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select your living and dining room light switches or light bulbs and ensure the power button is enabled. Select NEXT >.
  3. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.
  4. That’s it! Now you can launch your Play Game Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.

Christmas time with music and lights

Turn on your Christmas tree lights, begin playing some festive music and set your living room lights red and green. Spend more time with your guests, and let Harmony set the spirit of Christmas.

This Activity requires:

  • Music: Sonos, stereo or connected media player
  • Lights: Colored light bulbs
  • Plug: Appliance module to control your tree lights

Creating your Christmas Time Activity

  1. Launch the Harmony app and connect to your Harmony hub.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the ACTIVITIES tab and select Edit, then Add Activity.
  3. Select Add your own Activity and name your Activity: Christmas Time.
  4. Select the device that's used to play your Christmas Time Activity music.
  5. Select the device you use to control the volume.
  6. Select the input your sound system needs to be set to.

Turn on your tree lights and living room lights

  1. When prompted with: "You can adjust your home control devices", select the NEXT > button.
  2. Select the plug for which your Christmas tree lights are plugged into and ensure it's set to power on.
  3. Also include the living room light switches or light bulbs and configure them to turn green and red. Select NEXT >.
  4. When prompted to select the devices for use when this Activity ends, leave this list blank. Select NEXT >.
  5. That’s it! Now you can launch your Christmas Time Activity from the Harmony app or Harmony remote.
Elite Home Control Home Hub Hub Smart Keyboard Link One Smart Control Companion Touch Ultimate Ultimate Home Ultimate Hub Ultimate One 950 Pro 200/300/350 600/650/665/700

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