CheerLights is an “Internet of Things” project Hans Scharler created in 2011 that lets people’s lights worldwide synchronize to one color. This is a way to connect physical things with community experiences.
For more about the history of CheerLights, read the article: The CheerLights Origin Story: Arduino, IoT, Twitter, and Community
Join the CheerLights project by building a device that follows the CheerLights API.
Featured Coverage and Tutorials
Scrap Pinball Parts Become Beautiful Wall Art
2026/07/29 – Zoe Skyforest / Hackaday
Everything was placed under the command of a WLED controller, and it’s synced up to [Hans’s] CheerLights MQTT server to boot.
Lighting up your dashboards: How to visualize the CheerLights IoT project in Grafana Cloud
2025/09/26 – Simon Prickett / Grafana Labs
I consider CheerLights a good next step after completing the “Hello, World!” LED blink project.
CheerLights Tutorial
May 2025 – Les Pounder / Linux Format, issue 327
A CheerLights tutorial by Les Pounder in Linux Format, issue 327. The cover introduces it with:
Control lights around the world
Linux Format, May 2025 cover
How To Use A Raspberry Pi Pico W To Control RGB Lights Across The World
2022/10/28 – Les Pounder / Tom’s Hardware
Shine your light across the world
The CheerLights Project Turns 10
2021/11/08 – Adafruit
Hans Scharler is celebrating 10 years of their internet-connected project, CheerLights.
Cheerlights Holiday Wreath with Animations
2020/12/07 – Kattni Rembor / Adafruit
Instead of simply lighting up the LEDs to the particular color, why not display an LED animation in that color?
CheerLights in HackSpace Magazine, Issue 5
April 2018 – HackSpace magazine
Join Cheerlights, the world’s biggest IoT project
From the publisher’s issue description
All the lights, all of the twinkly lights
2017/12/15 – Alex Bate / Raspberry Pi
You could even link your Christmas tree and the trees of your family, syncing them all in one glorious, Santa-pleasing spectacular.
Best IoT DIY Project Nominee of 2015/16
2016/01/26 – Trevor Harwood / Postscapes
Nominated as the Best IoT DIY Project of 2015/16
Best IoT DIY Project Nominee of 2013
2014/01/30 – Trevor Harwood / Postscapes
Nominated as the Best IoT DIY Project of 2013
CheerLights: Synchronizing Christmas lights around the globe
2011/12/17 – Mike Nathan / Hack A Day
They say that the holidays are a time to gather with others, which usually translates into spending time with friends and family. The folks at ioBridge Labs thought that while friends and family certainly are a big part of the holidays, it would be pretty cool to gather together flocks of strangers by using the Internet to synchronize their Christmas lights.
CheerLights: The Christmas lights that are synchronised through Twitter
2011/12/07 – Olivia Solon / Wired UK
“We live in a time and age that we are close because of technology than we have ever been. But, we use it for odd things. I wanted to feel the connections to others. In my mind’s eye, I see lights going on an off and seeing others notice it. Even if it is fleeting, we were connected in that moment. Cheesy, no?”
Build a Christmas Light Controller and Join a Global Network of Synchronized Lights
2011/12/05 – Alan Henry / Lifehacker
Once connected, anytime people tweet to the @Cheerlights twitter account or using the hashtag #cheerlights, all of the networked light displays all over the world will change at once. Hit the link below for the step-by-step, and give it a try before it’s too late in the holiday season.
Creating a Global Network of Christmas Lights
2011/12/03 – Matt Richardson / MAKE
The folks at ioBridge Labs posted a how-to on making your own node in a global network of synced Christmas lights. The network is called CheerLights and they’re controlled by tweeting to the account @CheerLights along with the name of a color. Their tutorial shows you how to build your own set of CheerLights by hacking GE Color Effects Christmas Lights and using an Arduino to connect them to their ThingSpeak channel. There’s even a tutorial on using a ConnectPort X2 to make the project wireless. I feel like I’m wielding incredible power right now!
