Short answer: Match the remote to the radio in your motor first. RTS motors pair with Situo, Telis, Smoove and DecoFlex controls, and Zigbee motors pair with Ysia. Then count channels: a Situo 1 runs one shade or one group, a Situo 5 runs five, and a Telis 16 runs sixteen. Add a Chronis timer or a Soliris sun remote if the shades should move on their own.
Somfy sells more than a dozen remote and wall controls, and the names blur together on a product list. Four questions sort them: the radio in the motor, the number of channels, handheld or wall, and whether you want automation or tilt control. Answer those and the choice narrows to one or two part numbers. The full range sits in our Somfy RTS remotes and controls collection.
Start with the radio inside the motor
Somfy builds its remotes for two radio systems, and they do not cross over. RTS runs at 433.420 MHz and covers the Situo, Telis, Smoove and DecoFlex families. Ysia remotes speak Zigbee 3.0 at 2.450 GHz. An RTS remote will not pair with a Zigbee motor, and a Ysia will not pair with an RTS motor.
The motor's part name settles it. "RTS" in the name means an RTS receiver sits inside the motor. "Zigbee" in the name means you shop Ysia or a TaHoma Switch. A wired motor with a 4-wire cable has no receiver, and no handheld reaches it until a Somfy Universal RTS Receiver goes in line.
Our guide to Somfy RTS vs Zigbee covers range and feedback for each system. Check the label before you order.
Count channels before you count buttons
A channel is one address stored in the remote. One channel can drive a single shade, or a group of shades paired to it together. Five bedroom shades on one channel move as one. Spread across five channels, each shade moves alone. Most homes want both, so many installers leave one channel as an "all shades" group.
Somfy's lineup lands on four channel counts: 1, 4, 5 and 16.
- The Somfy Situo 1 RTS Pure II (1870571) suits one shade, or one room's shades grouped together.
- The Somfy Situo 5 RTS Pure II (1870575) fits a living area with four separate shades and a fifth channel that moves them all. It runs on one CR2032 coin cell and ships with a discreet wall holder.
- The Somfy Telis 16 RTS Pure (1811081) steps up for a whole house. You get 16 channels and an on-screen display where you name each one, powered by two AAA batteries.
- The Smoove 4 wall switch covers the in-between count, four channels on the wall.
Buy for the channels you will need after the next room gets motorized. A second remote bought later costs more than the step from a Situo 1 to a Situo 5 today.
Handheld remote or wall switch
Handhelds travel. A Situo lifts off its wall holder and goes to the sofa, and a Ysia includes a wall support for the same reason. A remote that wanders also gets lost, which is the case for a fixed control by the door.
The Somfy Smoove 4 RTS Pure II (1871381) mounts on the wall surface with no drywall cutting and no electrician. It runs on one CR2032 cell, and Somfy rates that cell at 5 years for four commands a day. The Smoove 1 covers a single channel in the same frame.
The Somfy DecoFlex WireFree RTS 5 Channel, White (1810813) sits in a Decora-style plate beside a light switch. It runs on battery with no wiring. Its low-voltage bracket removes the need for an electrical box, though the install still cuts an opening in the drywall. Our Somfy wall controller guide compares finishes and engraved buttons.
Plenty of homes run both. A wall switch at each doorway and one handheld in the main room share the same motors, since an RTS motor stores several transmitters.
Timers, sun control and tilt
A handful of Somfy remotes add a job beyond up, down and stop. Pick one of them if your shades should move with no one pressing a button, or if your blinds tilt.
The Somfy Telis 1 Chronis RTS Pure (1805237) pairs to an RTS motor like any remote and adds a schedule. Somfy gives it one open and one close time per day, with separate weekday and weekend schedules. It runs on two AAA batteries. A bedroom shade that opens at 7:00 on weekdays and 9:00 on Saturday fits it well.
The Somfy Situo 5 Soliris RTS Pure II (1870579) adds sun control to five channels. With a paired RTS sun sensor active, the shades adjust to the sun's intensity while the house sits empty.
The Somfy Situo 5 Variation RTS Pure II (1811612) carries a scroll wheel. Somfy built it to tilt blind slats and sheer vanes in small steps and to adjust RTS LED lights. It takes one CR2430 cell.
Zigbee shades use Ysia
Ysia is Somfy's direct remote for Zigbee window coverings and Somfy smart plugs. The Somfy Ysia 5 Zigbee (1871154) holds five channels, runs on two AAA batteries and shows LED feedback to confirm each command. The Ysia 1 Zigbee covers a single shade or group.
Ysia works standalone with no hub. It also joins a TaHoma Switch network, so the same shades answer the remote and the Somfy app. A Sonesse 40 Zigbee or a WireFree Zigbee motor takes a Ysia. An RTS Situo will not pair with either.
Awnings and patios need an outdoor rating
Somfy rates the Situo and Ysia handhelds at IP 20 for indoor rooms, the same rating as the Smoove wall switch. The Telis 16 and the Telis 1 Chronis carry IP 30. A remote that lives on a patio table needs more. Somfy rates the Somfy Telis 4 RTS Patio (1810645) at IP 44 with water and shock resistance, and describes it as a five-channel remote. One Telis 4 Patio can run an awning and four solar screens on separate channels.
An RTS awning motor accepts any RTS remote, so an indoor Situo in the kitchen and a Telis Patio outside can share the same awning. Our guide to picking a Somfy remote for an awning adds the wind sensors and the Soliris patio remote.
Somfy remotes compared
| Somfy control | Radio | Channels | Form | Power | Extra function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Situo 1 RTS Pure II (1870571) | RTS | 1 | Handheld, wall holder | 1 x CR2032 | "my" favorite position |
| Situo 5 RTS Pure II (1870575) | RTS | 5 | Handheld, wall holder | 1 x CR2032 | "my" favorite position |
| Situo 5 Variation RTS Pure II (1811612) | RTS | 5 | Handheld | 1 x CR2430 | Scroll wheel for tilt and LED lights |
| Situo 5 Soliris RTS Pure II (1870579) | RTS | 5 | Handheld | 1 x CR2032 | Sun control |
| Telis 16 RTS Pure (1811081) | RTS | 16 | Handheld, on-screen display | 2 x AAA | Named channels |
| Telis 1 Chronis Pure (1805237) | RTS | 1 | Handheld timer | 2 x AAA | Daily open and close schedule |
| Telis 4 RTS Patio (1810645) | RTS | 5 | Handheld, outdoor IP 44 | 1 x CR2430 | Water and shock resistant |
| Smoove 4 RTS Pure II (1871381) | RTS | 4 | Surface wall switch | 1 x CR2032 | No drywall cutting |
| DecoFlex WireFree RTS 5 (1810813) | RTS | 5 | Decora wall switch | Battery, no wiring | Engravable buttons |
| Ysia 5 Zigbee (1871154) | Zigbee 3.0 | 5 | Handheld, wall support | 2 x AAA | LED feedback, TaHoma Switch ready |
Somfy backs each of these controls with a 5-year warranty. Pairing a new remote to an RTS motor copies the link from a remote already paired, and the steps vary by motor generation. Check the motor's install guide in our Somfy spec sheet library before you start.
Sources: Somfy product pages on somfysystems.com for references 1870571, 1870575, 1811612, 1870579, 1811081, 1805237, 1871381, 1810813 and 1871154, and Somfy's product records for the Telis 4 RTS Patio 1810645.
Frequently asked questions
Which Somfy remote works with my shades?
Check the motor's part name. An RTS motor pairs with any Somfy RTS remote or wall switch, including the Situo, Telis, Smoove and DecoFlex families. A Zigbee motor pairs with a Ysia remote or a TaHoma Switch. A wired 4-wire motor has no receiver, so it needs a Somfy Universal RTS Receiver before a remote can reach it.
Can one Somfy remote control shades and an awning?
Yes, if both run RTS motors. Put each product on its own channel, or pair several to one channel as a group. A Situo 5 or Telis 4 RTS Patio gives five channels, and a Telis 16 gives sixteen. For a remote that stays outdoors, Somfy rates the Telis 4 RTS Patio at IP 44.
Will a Situo remote work with a Zigbee motor?
No. The Situo runs RTS at 433.420 MHz, and a Zigbee motor listens on 2.450 GHz Zigbee 3.0. The two radios do not pair. Somfy makes the Ysia 1 and Ysia 5 Zigbee remotes for Zigbee motors, and the TaHoma Switch adds app control for both RTS and Zigbee products in the same home.
Do I need a hub to use a Somfy remote?
No. An RTS remote pairs straight to the receiver inside the motor, and a Ysia works standalone with Zigbee motors. A TaHoma Switch hub adds app control and schedules on top. Your remotes keep working after the hub goes in, so you can start with a remote and add the hub later.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
