Everything about dimmable LED lighting

• Posted on 26 December 2025
• 0

Not every LED is dimmable, and not every dimmer works with LED. This article explains how dimmable LED works, which combinations are compatible, and what to watch out for to prevent flickering or buzzing.

Dimmable lighting makes a space flexible. You can use the same light functionally while working and then dim it for a cosy, relaxed evening. But dimming LED works differently than with traditional incandescent or halogen lamps.

That’s why problems sometimes occur: flickering, buzzing, limited dimming range or lamps that don’t dim at all. You can avoid this by understanding the basics.

Is every LED lamp dimmable?

No. If it doesn’t explicitly say “dimmable” on the packaging, you can assume the lamp is not dimmable. Connecting a non-dimmable LED to a dimmer can lead to:

Flickering
Buzzing noise
Damage to the driver or lamp

Always check this first.

The role of the LED driver

Many LED lamps do not operate directly on 230V, but via a driver or transformer. If that driver is not suitable for dimming, the lamp will respond poorly or won’t dim at all.

GU10 (230V): often without an external driver, usually easier to dim
MR16 (12V): always with a driver, so extra attention is needed

Want to avoid problems? Choose a lamp and driver that are both dimmable.

Which dimmer do you need?

LED works best with a trailing edge dimmer (also called reverse phase dimming). This dimmer is designed for the low power consumption of LED and delivers a more stable result than old halogen dimmers.

Old leading edge dimmers often cause:

Buzzing
Flickering
Incomplete dimming range

Many manufacturers indicate which dimmers are compatible. This is always a good guideline.

Compatibility at a glance

The better the combination, the smoother the dimming result.

How far can you dim?

LED cannot always be dimmed to 0%. Many lamps dim down to around 10%. High-quality dimmable LEDs offer a much wider range and provide a warmer light colour when dimmed, adding extra ambience.

Smart dimming with smart lighting

With smart systems you can:

Dim via app or voice control
Set scenes
Switch automatically
Adjust colour temperature (with tunable white)

Ideal if you don’t want to install a physical dimmer.

How to choose without mistakes

Check if the lamp is dimmable
Check the driver and power supply
Use an LED dimmer
Test with multiple lamps to ensure the total load is sufficient

At My Planet Led, you’ll find a wide range of dimmable LEDs with clearly stated compatibility, making the right choice much easier.