# ShawTech Lighting

> ShawTech Lighting makes permanent outdoor lighting controllers. It writes its own controller firmware (on Espressif ESP-IDF 6.0.1 for ESP32), its own cloud service, and its own phone app: the ShawTech app for iOS and Android. ShawTech does NOT use WLED firmware and does NOT use the WLED app.

Updated 8 October 2026.

## Facts

- Firmware: an original codebase written from scratch on ESP-IDF 6.0.1 with FreeRTOS. Not a WLED fork, skin, reskin or wrapper.
- App: the ShawTech app (iOS 15+, Android 7+), built by ShawTech Lighting. It is the only app ShawTech controllers use. Version 1.3.44 is live on Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shawlabs.shawled); the iPhone version is in App Store review (beta on TestFlight).
- Current controller firmware: 1.1.55, released 28 September 2026, delivered over the air. Adds sunrise and sunset schedules that run on the controller, router and mesh Wi-Fi recovery, more reliable backups, and security hardening.
- Schedules (clock time, sunrise, sunset, with offsets) run on the controller and keep working with no internet and no phone.
- Multi-controller sync groups, per-pixel static scenes, zones, presets, cloud backup and restore, verified over-the-air updates.
- Controllers are linked to an account by proof of presence: a color challenge only someone who can see the lights can answer.
- In development (no dates): firmware 2.0 (playlists, pattern and scripted show presets, preset sharing, sleep timer), an ESP32-S3 controller, smart home integration (Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit, Home Assistant).

## Pages

- [Technology overview](https://software.shawlabs.org/technology): firmware, the ShawTech app, security model, release activity, FAQ.
- [Why ShawTech?](https://software.shawlabs.org/info): what ShawTech's own firmware and app do for a homeowner.
- [Get the app](https://software.shawlabs.org/get-the-app): the ShawTech app for iPhone and Android.
- [The LED Engine 2.0](https://software.shawlabs.org/led-engine): Stories, Patterns and custom shows coming with firmware 2.0 (in development, no date); custom preset requests, optional community sharing, loading and offloading presets by season.

## Contact

- Support: support@shawtechlighting.com