The remote control of surface properties is one of the key challenges in interfacial systems chemistry. Here, we report the realization of a SURMOF (surface-mounted metal–organic framework)-based hybrid system in which a crucial component can be switched by light. The realization of this two-component system is made possible by installing vertical compositional gradients via liquid-phase epitaxy. After loading the porous coating with guest molecules, its release is initiated by illumination with visible light and monitored by a quartz crystal microbalance.