Govee launches Curtain Lights 2 just in time for the holidays — display GIFs, photos and color effects on any wall

Govee Curtain Lights 2 Halloween — (Image credit: Govee)

Govee just launched its second-generation Curtain Lights to spice up your smart home. You can fully customize all ten layers of this canvas with colors or use it to display still images and GIFs. Since its strings are IP65 waterproofed, they can set the mood indoors or out and even be placed outside in areas like a front porch.

This lighting system generates sharp, colorful pixel images and GIFs without a solid backdrop. Instead, it relies on 520 lamp beads, each with a 20x26 pixel resolution, to create smooth animations and shapes. Plus, it displays GIFs up to 200KB compared to the meager 6KB on its predecessor.

One feature I see missing is the ability to mirror your computer screen to your wall like with the Twinkly Curtain Lights it competes with. That's an excellent way to extend virtual worlds behind your screen for more immersion. That said, Govee's pixels will still draw you in. There are over 207 preset scenes in the app, but you can easily create your own patterns and pictures. Govee's AI speeds things up by allowing you to type out or speak prompts to generate a lighting scheme based on whatever you can imagine.

Govee Curtain Lights 2 on bedroom window — (Image credit: Govee)

The Curtain Lights 2 are hung using included lightweight plastic hooks and an adhesive backing system so you can align and hang it up without tangling any of the string lights.

Under the hood, Govee upgraded the Curtain Light's Bluetooth connectivity so that you can remotely control the smart lights via the Govee app or any major smart home platform over Matter. That means it will work with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home. However, you'll still need to use the Govee app to upload photos and GIFs directly to the curtains.

The best smart lights have come a long way since the humble light bulb; while we don't imagine you'll want to keep the Curtain Lights 2 up all year, they certainly seem like they'll spruce up your holiday decor.

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Hunter Fenollol was a Senior Editor for Tom’s Guide. He specializes in smart home gadgets and appliances. Prior to joining the team, Hunter reviewed computers, wearables, and mixed reality gear for publications that include CNN Underscored, Popular Mechanics, and Laptop Magazine. When he’s not testing out the latest cooking gadgets, you can likely find him playing a round of golf or out with friends feeding his paycheck to a QuickHit slot machine.

Hunter started his career as an intern at Tom’s Guide back in 2019 while in college. He graduated from Long Island University Post with a degree in Communications and minor in Advertising. He has been vlogging ever since the iPhone 4 took front-facing cameras mainstream.