Controlling motorized blinds from your phone: the Tuya app, WiFi and what to check before ordering

Plenty of people want a motorized roller blind or a motorized curtain track precisely so they can open and close it from a phone instead of hunting for a remote. It can be done, but there are details worth knowing first: the motor model, your home WiFi, and the things smart home adverts tend to blur together. This guide separates what the shop has confirmed from what you need to ask about model by model.

Can motorized blinds be controlled from a phone, and with which app?

Yes. Here is what our sales team has confirmed.

• You can operate them with a remote, a phone app, or a wall switch.
• The app is Tuya.
• No separate hub box is needed.
• Some brands include one remote.
• One remote can drive several blinds together, so a whole-house install doesn't mean a handful of remotes.

That's the overall picture. Each motor model, though, has its own control type as stated by its maker — which makes the next section the most important one in this guide.

WiFi or radio remote: which motor model supports what?

This table takes the "control" line straight from the manufacturers' spec sheets, for the models we hold sheets for.

A dash means the manufacturer's sheet doesn't say how the motor is controlled — not that it can't be. As the table shows, the Novo K25 is the only sheet that lists WiFi; the Novo K45 and the Somfy list a radio remote. Which model you actually get depends on the size and weight of each blind, so a large window and a small one in the same home may end up with different motors.

Remote, app or wall switch: how do they differ, and which should you use?

In a real home most people use more than one. The app is handy for the owner, but family members who aren't comfortable with a phone, or guests staying over, usually want a button they can simply press. So we suggest always keeping a remote or wall switch alongside it — don't rely on the app alone.

What does your home WiFi need for Tuya-controlled blinds?

Anything that connects over WiFi needs signal where it's installed, and blinds are no exception. The headrail usually sits against an outside wall or in a corner — exactly where signal is weaker than in the middle of the room.

• Check the signal at the window first — stand at the window with your phone and see whether your home WiFi is still solid there. If your phone keeps dropping at that spot, sort the signal out first.
• Ask which WiFi band that model uses — most routers broadcast two bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Ask the shop which one the chosen motor connects to.
• Have your WiFi name and password ready on fitting day — the fitter shows you how everything works before leaving, and you need to be home for the installation anyway. If you want to try setting up the app that day, having the password to hand saves time.
• If you change your router or WiFi password later — WiFi devices usually need setting up again. Ask how that's done for your model and keep the answer.

If the internet or WiFi goes down, can you still operate the blinds?

A radio remote signals the motor directly, not through the internet, so whether your home internet is up makes no difference to the remote. That's the reason to always keep a remote in the house. As for the app, whether it still works when the internet is down is something to ask about model by model — we won't give one answer for every model.

A power cut is a separate matter, because it's about where the motor gets its power. That's covered in do motorized blinds work in a power cut.

What can smart home blinds do, and what should you ask before ordering?

Smart blind adverts tend to talk about schedules, voice control and control from outside the home. Those abilities depend on the motor model and the equipment used with it, so we don't make blanket promises. If one of them is the reason you want motorized blinds, ask about it for the exact model you'll get.

1. Does the motor model quoted work with the Tuya app as it comes, or does it need extra equipment?
2. Can opening and closing be scheduled in the app?
3. Can it be stopped partway, or left half open, from the app?
4. Can several blinds be moved together in the app, and grouped by room?
5. Can it be controlled from outside the home, and what extra setup does that take?
6. If you want to use a voice assistant such as Google Home or Alexa, does this model support it?
7. How is access shared so each family member can use their own phone?

On sharing with the family, there's one piece of general advice: register the blinds under the homeowner's own account, with an email or number you'll keep for years — not the fitter's or anyone else's — and add family members afterwards. It makes things much easier when someone changes phone or moves out.

If your home is already finished and you're not sure about a socket near the headrail, read can you fit motorized blinds in a finished home. For pricing, see how much do motorized roller blinds cost.