Short answer: To run Somfy Zigbee you need Somfy Zigbee 3.0 motors and a Zigbee control. A Ysia remote pairs straight to the motors for open, close, stop and the MY position with no hub. Add a Somfy TaHoma Switch (1871037) for app control, schedules, scenes and voice assistants. Wired Zigbee motors and smart plugs carry the mesh.
Somfy Zigbee is Somfy's two-way radio platform for shades, blinds and draperies. It runs on Zigbee 3.0 at 2.450 GHz, and the motor reports its position back to the controller, so the app shows the shade where it sits. The parts list for a working system is short. Pairing order counts too.
Which parts make up a Somfy Zigbee system?
A Somfy Zigbee install comes down to four building blocks. Pick at least one from the first two rows, then add the others as the job grows.
| Zigbee 3.0 motors | Wired 120V AC, wired 24V DC, or WireFree battery motors for roller shades, cellular shades, blinds and draperies |
| Zigbee controls | Ysia handheld remotes and DecoFlex WireFree Zigbee keypads, 2 x AAA (LR3) batteries |
| Hub | TaHoma Switch: up to 60 Somfy Zigbee products plus up to 40 RTS channels, Wi-Fi, TaHoma app |
| Repeaters | Wired Zigbee motors and the Somfy Smart Plug Zigbee (1871217) |
| Radio | Zigbee 3.0, 2.450 GHz, two-way with position feedback |
The Somfy Zigbee range shares one radio. A Ysia remote, a Sonesse 40 Zigbee motor and a TaHoma Switch speak the same protocol, so a small standalone job can grow into a whole-home system later without swapping motors.
Do you need a hub to run Somfy Zigbee?
Basic control needs no hub. Somfy publishes a standalone method in which a Somfy Ysia 5 Zigbee remote (1871154) pairs directly to Zigbee motors. That remote runs on 2 x AAA batteries, reaches 164.05 ft in open field and stores a favorite position on its MY button. For a bedroom or a single room of shades, a remote alone covers daily use.
The TaHoma Switch adds the smart features. Somfy rates it for up to 60 Zigbee products and up to 40 RTS channels on one hub. It connects to home Wi-Fi on the 2.4 GHz band, runs the TaHoma app, and opens control to Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home (Apple Home covers Zigbee products only). Schedules, scenes and away-from-home control live in the hub.
The hub also bridges two radios. Somfy RTS and Somfy Zigbee products run on different frequencies and connect only through a TaHoma Switch. A house with RTS awnings outside and Zigbee shades inside can run both from one app. Our TaHoma Switch setup and capacity guide covers the hub in more depth.
How does the Somfy Zigbee mesh work?
Zigbee devices pass commands to each other. Somfy splits them into two roles:
- Repeaters (routers): wired Zigbee motors and smart plugs. They stay powered and relay messages for their neighbors.
- End devices: battery products, including WireFree Zigbee motors and Ysia controls. Each one talks to a single parent device and does not relay for others.
The practical rule follows from that split. Wired motors build the network, and battery motors hang off it. A home of only battery motors gets no mesh benefit, so a far room may drop commands that a wired motor nearby would have carried.
Somfy's answer for a weak mesh is to add or move a repeater. The Somfy Smart Plug Zigbee (1871217) plugs into a 120V outlet, draws 0.5 W, reaches 328.1 ft in open field and acts as a mesh node. It also switches a lamp or small appliance from the TaHoma app. It requires a TaHoma Switch.
Which Somfy Zigbee motor fits your shade?
Motor choice follows the same fitment rules as any Somfy job: tube inside diameter, torque and power. The radio rides along. Three common starting points:
- The Somfy Sonesse 40 406A2 Zigbee 3.0 motor (1245921) is a 120V AC motor at 6 Nm and 24 rpm for mid-size roller shades. As a wired motor it repeats for the mesh.
- The Somfy Sonesse 30 Zigbee 24V DC motor (1241970) suits smaller tubes on low-voltage wiring, with a 24V power supply or distribution enclosure feeding it.
- The Somfy Sonesse 40 WireFree Zigbee Li-ion motor (1245993) charges over USB-C and fits windows with no power nearby. It joins the mesh as an end device.
Somfy also builds Zigbee versions of the Sonesse 28 and Sonesse ULTRA 30 WireFree motors, the Cord Lift 25 and the Tilt 50. Glydea ULTRA DCT drapery motors take Zigbee through the add-on Somfy Zigbee 3.0 module (9000043). Size the motor first with the Somfy shade motor sizing guide, then pick the power type.
Can you mix RTS and Zigbee controls?
Not directly. An RTS remote such as a Telis or Situo talks at 433.420 MHz, and a Zigbee motor listens at 2.450 GHz. The bodies can look alike, so check the motor's part number and published frequency before you order a control. Ysia remotes and DecoFlex WireFree Zigbee keypads pair with Zigbee motors. Telis and Situo remotes pair with RTS motors.
The Somfy DecoFlex WireFree Zigbee 2 Channel In-wall keypad (1871573) gives a wall position for Zigbee shades. Each of its two channels controls one product or one group, and it runs on 2 x AAA batteries. For a side-by-side look at the two radios, read Somfy RTS vs Zigbee.
How do you pair a Ysia remote to a Somfy Zigbee motor?
Somfy's standalone instructions for Ysia 1 and Ysia 5 remotes set out this sequence for a motor in factory mode. Keep the remote within 5 ft of the motor head.
- Power the motor.
- Press and hold the motor programming button for 3 seconds until the motor jogs.
- Wait for the amber LED on the motor head to blink.
- On a Ysia 5, select the channel you want.
- Press UP and DOWN together on the remote. The motor LED blinks green and the motor jogs once to confirm the link.
- Check direction with UP and DOWN. If it runs backward, press and hold MY until the motor jogs once.
- Run the shade to the top with UP, then press MY and DOWN together. The motor jogs to save the upper limit.
- Run the shade to the bottom with DOWN, then press MY and UP together. The motor jogs to save the lower limit.
- Press the remote programming button briefly to exit into user mode. The remote LED turns solid green, then goes off.
Somfy recommends no more than 6 remotes per motor. On a TaHoma install, Somfy's order differs: pair the hub to the wired Zigbee devices first, then the WireFree devices, then the remotes. Steps can vary by motor generation, so check the motor's install guide in our Somfy spec library before you start.
Where do Somfy Zigbee installs go wrong?
Somfy's TaHoma Zigbee troubleshooting guide points to four common faults:
- A Wi-Fi network on 5 GHz. The TaHoma Switch needs 2.4 GHz.
- A hub placed beside the router. Somfy calls for at least 5 ft of separation.
- A house of battery motors with no repeater, which leaves distant rooms out of reach.
- Remotes paired before the motors joined the hub, which breaks Somfy's pairing order.
A factory reset clears a motor for a fresh start. Somfy's method: press and hold the motor programming button until the motor jogs 3 times, about 15 seconds. The reset removes limits, speeds and pairings, and the motor waits in programming mode for 3 minutes. Browse the full Somfy Zigbee motors, remotes and hubs range to plan the parts list.
Frequently asked questions
Does Somfy Zigbee work without a TaHoma Switch?
Yes, for basic control. Somfy publishes a standalone method in which Ysia 1 and Ysia 5 Zigbee remotes pair directly to Zigbee motors for up, down, stop and the MY favorite position. App control, schedules, scenes and Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home control need a TaHoma Switch, which handles up to 60 Somfy Zigbee products.
Do Somfy WireFree Zigbee motors repeat the mesh?
No. Somfy classes battery products, including WireFree Zigbee motors and Ysia controls, as end devices that talk to one parent device. Wired Zigbee motors and the Somfy Smart Plug Zigbee (1871217) act as repeaters. Plan the wired products as the backbone of the network and add a smart plug where a distant room needs a stronger signal.
Can a Telis or Situo remote control a Somfy Zigbee motor?
No. Telis and Situo remotes use Somfy RTS at 433.420 MHz, and Zigbee motors run Zigbee 3.0 at 2.450 GHz. Use a Ysia remote or a DecoFlex WireFree Zigbee keypad on a Zigbee motor. A TaHoma Switch can run RTS and Zigbee products side by side in one app, since the hub carries both radios.
How many Zigbee products can one TaHoma Switch handle?
Somfy rates the TaHoma Switch (1871037) for up to 60 Somfy Zigbee products and up to 40 RTS channels. It connects over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, with an optional Ethernet adaptor, and carries a 5 year warranty. Keep the hub at least 5 ft from the Wi-Fi router.
Sources: Somfy Systems product pages for TaHoma Switch 1871037, Smart Plug Zigbee 1871217, Ysia 5 Zigbee 1871154 and DecoFlex WireFree Zigbee 1871573; Somfy, "Somfy Zigbee Motors via Ysia 1 & 5 Remotes: Zigbee Standalone Solution" instructions; Somfy TaHoma Zigbee Troubleshooting Guide (somfypro.com); Somfy Zigbee 3.0 mesh network sheet.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
