An apparatus and method for controlling the emitted color of visible light according to the current communication state in a visible light communication (VLC) device. The method includes storing one or more communication states and emitting colors that are correspondingly matched to the one or more communication states to indicate each of the various communication states. The VLC also checks, which can be based upon selection of a VLC mode, the current communication state and an emits a color that corresponds to the current communication state and emits the checked color of light to provide a visible light signal that indicates communication status to a user.