Home Assistant notifications: All options explained

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Home Assistant offers you a variety of notification options that you can use to make your smart home even smarter. Whether simple text messages, interactive responses or even images - Home Assistant allows you to send all important information directly to your smartphone. In this blog article, you can find out what types of notifications there are and how to make the most of them. You can find out everything else about notifications in Home Assistant in the official documentation.

For detailed instructions and an explanation of all configuration options, I recommend the YouTube video linked below. In this video, every single setting is explained in detail so that you receive comprehensive instructions for the exact setup. You can find any code from the video in this article so that you can use it directly without having to type it in.

What is Home Assistant?

Home Assistant is an open source platform for home automation that aims to connect and centrally control all devices in the home. It is designed to provide a unified user interface and simple, flexible control for a variety of smart home devices from different ecosystems. Here are some points in favor of Home Assistant:

1. CompatibilityHome Assistant supports thousands of devices and services from various manufacturers, including lighting, air conditioning, heating, cameras, weather sensors, voice assistants and more.
2. Local controlUnlike many commercial smart home platforms that rely on cloud services, Home Assistant runs locally on your network. This means increased privacy and reliability, as your smart home devices work even without an active internet connection.
3. Automation and scenesOne of the main features of Home Assistant is the ability to create complex automations and scenarios. For example, you can have lights switch on automatically when it gets dark or turn on the heating when the temperature falls below a certain level.
4. Simple user interfaceHome Assistant offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to monitor and control devices. This interface is fully customizable.
5. Integration with voice assistantsHome Assistant can be integrated with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to enable voice-controlled control of your smart home devices.
6. Open source and community-drivenSince Home Assistant is open source, it is supported by an active community that is constantly developing new integrations and improving existing ones.
7. Data protection and securityAs a locally running platform, Home Assistant has the advantage that the data remains within its own network. This protects privacy and increases security compared to cloud-based solutions.

In summary, Home Assistant is a powerful and flexible solution for those who want to design their own smart home and control their devices centrally, regardless of the manufacturer or ecosystem.

Types of notifications

1. simple text messages

The most basic form of notification is a simple text message. It is ideal for informing you about events in your home.

Example application:

You want to be notified when the washing machine is ready.

automation:
  - alias: 'Washing machine ready notification'
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: sensor.washing_machine_status
        to: 'done'
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: 'The washing machine is ready!

2. notifications with images

With Home Assistant, you can also send images in your notifications. This is particularly useful if, for example, you want to send a camera image as soon as motion is detected.

Example application:

You receive a picture from the front door camera when someone rings the doorbell.

automation:
  - alias: 'Doorbell notification with image'
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.bell
        to: 'on'
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: 'Someone has rung.
          data:
            attachment:
              url: 'https://dein-home-assistant-url{{ states.camera.haustuer.attributes.entity_picture }}'
              content-type: 'jpeg'
              hide-thumbnail: false

Note: Make sure that your Home Assistant can be reached from outside or that the URL is working correctly. Is required for Android and FireTV and is also recommended for iOS.

3. interactive notifications with actions (actionable notifications)

You can create notifications with buttons that allow you to perform actions directly from the notification. You can perform actions such as opening a door or switching on devices via the notification.

Example application:

If a window is open and it starts to rain, you will receive a notification with the option to close the window automatically (if it is motorized).

automation:
  - alias: 'Rain and window open notification'
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.rain_sensor
        to: 'on'
    condition:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.window_open
        state: 'on'
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "It's raining and the window is still open!"
          data:
            actions:
              - action: "CLOSE_WINDOW"
                title: "Close window"
              - action: "IGNORE"
                title: "Ignore"

In this example, you receive a notification where you can open the door directly via a button or ignore the notification.

Automation example for the actions:

automation:
  - alias: "Close window by notification"
    trigger:
      - platform: event
        event_type: mobile_app_notification_action
        event_data:
          action: "CLOSE_WINDOW"
    action:
      - service: cover.close_cover
        entity_id: cover.window_bedroom

If you press "Close window", the window in your Smart Home will be closed.

4. response options (actionable notifications)

You can also create notifications that expect input from you. For example, you can respond to a notification by entering a message that flows directly into an automation.

Example:

A notification will ask you if you want to start watering the lawn and you can enter an answer directly.

automation:
  - alias: "Lawn irrigation question"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: sensor.weather_forecast
        to: "dry"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "For how many minutes should the lawn watering start?"
          data:
            actions:
              - action: "REPLY"
                title: "Answer"
                input: true

In this example, you can enter an answer directly in the notification. The response is processed in another automation.

Automation example for the answer:

automation:
  - alias: "Start watering depending on response"
    trigger:
      - platform: event
        event_type: mobile_app_notification_action
    condition: []
    action:
      - action: input_number.set_value
        data:
          value: "{{ wait.trigger.event.data.reply_text }}"
        target:
          entity_id: input_number.lawn_watering_timer
      - action: switch.turn_on
        metadata: {}
        data: {}
        target:
        entity_id: switch.lawn_watering
      - delay:
          minutes: "{{ states('input_number.rasenbewasserung_timer') | int }}"
      - action: switch.turn_off
        metadata: {}
        data: {}
        target:
        entity_id: switch.lawn_watering

If you respond to the notification with a number, watering will start for as many minutes as specified. This is just one of many examples.

5. adjust sound and LED colors

You can further customize the notification by activating different sounds or LED colors on your device. Of course, you must have an LED light on your device to do this. This is particularly practical for recognizing different notifications immediately.

Example:

You want a security notification to play a loud alarm sound and the LED to flash red.

automation:
  - alias: "Security alarm"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.intrusion_alarm
        to: "on"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "Intrusion alarm!"
          data:
            ttl: 0
            priority: high
            color: "#FF0000"
            sound: "alarm.mp3"

Here, the LED flashes red and an alarm sound is played as soon as the burglar alarm is triggered. Audio files are currently only supported on iOS, see in the Documentation in addition.

iOS has the edge when it comes to sounds. Many sounds can be used pre-installed. Either through iOS, but also through the Home Assistant app. You can find a list of the sounds here.

6. persistent notifications

Persistent notifications remain visible on your device until you remove them manually. This is ideal for important alerts or reminders that you don't want to go unnoticed.

Example:

You want a permanent notification when the heating has failed.

automation:
  - alias: "Heating failed"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.heating_failure
        to: "on"
    action:
      - service: persistent_notification.create
        data:
          title: "Heating warning"
          message: "The heating has failed. Please check the system."

This notification remains until you remove it manually in the Home Assistant.

7 Critical notifications

Critical notifications are particularly useful for emergencies, as they also come through in "Do not disturb" mode. This ensures that you don't miss important events, such as a smoke detector alarm. You can find documentation on this at Critical Notifications.

Example:

You want a critical notification when a smoke alarm is triggered.

automation:
  - alias: "Smoke alarm"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.smoke_alarm
        to: "on"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "Smoke alarm! Leave the house!"
          data:
            ttl: 0
            priority: high
            channel: alarm_stream
            critical: 1
            volume: 1.0

Note: On iOS devices, you must activate the authorization for critical notifications in the Home Assistant app settings.

This critical notification is even sent through the "Do not disturb" mode.

8. progress bar and dynamic notifications

You can create notifications that display a progress bar or update dynamically. You can find the documentation for this at Dynamic Attachments.

Example:

Display of the charge status of your electric car.

automation:
  - alias: 'Auto state of charge notification'
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: sensor.auto_battery
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: 'State of charge: {{ states("sensor.auto_battery") }}%'
          data:
            sticky: true
            progress: '{{ states("sensor.auto_battery") | int }}'

Note: This functionality may vary depending on the device.

Difference between Android and iOS

The way notifications work on Android and iOS devices differs in some important ways that you should consider when setting them up in Home Assistant.

Android:

On Android devices, you have greater flexibility when it comes to notifications. You can freely customize sounds, LED colors and vibrations to make your notifications the way you want them. You can also display images and GIFs directly in the notifications, which is not possible to the same extent on iOS. Only after opening the notification. Another advantage of Android is that you can send multiple notifications at the same time without older messages being overwritten. Persistent notifications are also well supported on Android devices.

iOS:

On iOS devices, there are some limitations that you need to consider when setting up. Although you can customize sounds and vibrations, the options for customizing the LED color or vibration pattern are more limited than on Android. iOS does not support direct customization of the LED display, as this function is not available on the hardware side. Another important difference is that iOS has stricter limits for notifications. For example, when using actionable notifications or sending multiple notifications, often only the most recent message is displayed and older messages can be overwritten. However, one of the strengths of iOS is its support for Critical notificationswhich directly pass through the "Do not disturb" mode and are particularly reliable in emergency situations.

Differences between Android and iOS for notification commands

• Flexibility: Android offers greater flexibility with advanced notification commands, such as controlling the camera, volume or flashlight.
• Restrictions for iOS: iOS restricts some functions such as camera recording, flashlight control and volume adjustments via notifications. However, it also offers support for actions such as TTS and app launches, albeit with fewer options.
• Critical notifications: Both platforms support critical notifications that bypass the "Do not disturb" mode, but iOS places even greater emphasis on security and user control.

In summary, Android offers more flexibility and customization options, while iOS is more consistent and strict with notifications, but especially safe in emergency situations. When configuring, pay attention to which platform you are using to get the best out of the respective notification options.

YouTube video implementation

https://youtu.be/5Q3W5yt_cbM

Conclusion

With Home Assistant, you have almost unlimited possibilities to optimize your smart home with notifications. By using text messages, images, interactive actions and more, you can ensure that you are always informed and can react quickly. With the code examples provided, you can get started right away and implement the notification functions in your own setup.

The ability to use customized tones and LED colors also gives you the freedom to clearly distinguish notifications. Android and iOS each offer you different strengths: Android impresses with flexibility, while iOS is more reliable in emergencies. Regardless of which system you use, you can configure your smart home optimally and receive all important information on your smartphone at any time. Use these options to make your home safer, more efficient and smarter!

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