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What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.8

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:10:05 +0200

August brings another update to our favorite smart home platform. This time, Home Assistant 2026.8 focuses on the vision of “accessibility for everyone,” regardless of technical expertise. The goal is to remove the small barriers that have been with us for years and make Home Assistant a natural and easy-to-use system for both complete beginners and experienced experts.

Let’s take a detailed look at all the important new features introduced in this August update!

Protect Your Outdoor Camera from Summer Heat

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:21:04 +0200

Direct sun, glare, and heat can affect outdoor cameras in summer. A simple aluminium cover helps reduce overheating, protect against rain, and improve image quality.

Fixing Tuya’s “Tem&Hum Sensor with Probe” in Home Assistant with a Custom Quirk

rostislav.zlatnik@homebrainz.eu — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:19:34 +0200

Looking for a way to see the external probe temperature from your Tuya sensor directly in Home Assistant? In this guide from HomeBrainz, you’ll learn how a small custom Tuya quirk unlocks the hidden ext_temp datapoint and how to install it using the built‑in File Editor, so you can finally use the probe for reliable automations and dashboards.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.7

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:59:40 +0200

The beginning of the holidays has brought us another massive update to our favorite smart home system. Home Assistant Core 2026.7 is in the spirit of a complete revolution in creating automations, visual polishing of the user interface, and streamlining everyday tasks.

If you have sometimes struggled with complex YAML code configuration or were annoyed by tedious clicking during updates, this version will literally be a lifesaver for you. Let's take a detailed look at everything new this giant update brings.

How to Set Up a Custom ZHA Quirk for Tongou Devices in Home Assistant

rostislav.zlatnik@homebrainz.eu — Mon, 25 May 2026 00:06:02 +0200

Learn how to easily fix compatibility issues with Tongou Zigbee devices in Home Assistant. Follow our step-by-step guide to install a custom ZHA quirk today.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.6

Sat, 23 May 2026 23:30:40 +0200

The beginning of June brought another major update to our favorite smart home system. Home Assistant Core 2026.6 is all about simplification, making advanced features accessible, and breaking down barriers. Whether you are among those who lose patience when creating visual panels (dashboards), or you fine-tune automations down to the smallest detail, this version has massive features in store for you.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.5

Tue, 19 May 2026 21:57:50 +0200

The May update of Home Assistant, subtitled "We're on the same frequency now," picks up right where April's update left off last month. While the developers focused on the return of infrared control last time, version 2026.5 takes the integration of "dumb" hardware to the next level. Radio frequency (RF) and network sharing of serial ports are now natively joining the family of fully supported technologies.

On top of that, we get a great new built-in dashboard for battery management and a ton of improvements for automations. Let's take a closer look at the most interesting highlights.

Inefficient Use of Underfloor Heating: How Smart Solutions Can Improve Comfort and Energy Savings

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:04:40 +0200

Underfloor heating is a popular choice for modern homes, offering even heat distribution and exceptional comfort. However, many people do not take full advantage of its benefits due to the misconception that a single setup is sufficient. In this article, we explore why effective management of underfloor heating is important and how smart solutions can deliver significant energy savings and enhanced comfort.

The Future of Smart Homes: Cloud-Based or Local Solutions?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:47:08 +0200

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.4

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:57:53 +0200

April in the world of Home Assistant doesn't start with an April Fool's joke, but with a solid portion of practical improvements. The new version 2026.4, subtitled "Infrared never left the chat," shows that the developers at Nabu Casa have focused this time on what bothers us most – the clarity of our dashboards and the unnecessary complexity of automations.

Home Assistant Green at half the price? Or how to get around the chip shortage and build a smart home cheaper.

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:35:32 +0100

Home Assistant Green has long been a great choice as adequate hardware for Home Assistant. However, due to the AI boom and chip shortage, it has quickly and dramatically increased in price. The modified box from HomeBrainz is a great alternative for half the cost.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.3

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:49:33 +0100

The March update, subtitled "A clean sweep," might seem subtle at first glance, but the opposite is true. This time, the developers focused on bringing community ideas to fruition, pushing the user experience to a new level. From smart cleaning to lightning-fast performance thanks to Python 3.14.

DIY Smart Traffic Light Powered by ESPHome: Fun for Kids, Ready for the Smart Home

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:31:30 +0100

Are you tired of constantly buying toys with built-in batteries that die after just a few days? At Homebrainz, we decided to build our own smart toy—an intelligent traffic light powered by an ESP8266 chip and ESPHome. In this article, we’ll show you how to combine laser cutting, 3D printing, and simple solderless electronics into an awesome DIY project that runs on a standard power bank and is fully ready for smart home integration.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.2

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:17:36 +0100

The February 2026.2 release brings a massive "spring cleaning." Home Assistant says goodbye to old terminology, introduces lightning-fast search, and makes the new Home Dashboard the standard for everyone.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2026.1

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 21:23:18 +0100

Step into the new year with the first update of 2026! The January release focuses on enhancing the user experience on mobile devices, better device organization, and another step towards intuitive "human-friendly" automations.

LinknLink iSG Box SE

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 17:20:25 +0100

Do you long for the advanced possibilities of Home Assistant but are put off by complex installation, Linux, and programming? We tested the hot new LinknLink ISG SE Box, which promises a revolution. This "Plug & Play" device combines a Zigbee gateway, an Android TV box, and a unique function for local control of Tuya devices completely without the cloud or registration. Read our review, where we discuss AI integration, pre-installed HACS, and what to watch out for with this new solution.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.12

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 17:31:27 +0100

The final Home Assistant update of 2025 is here! Version 2025.12 brings not only holiday cheer but also major changes to automation building, a new "Labs" section for testing features, and long-awaited dashboard improvements.

Harness the Sun: Optimizing Your EV Charging with Smart Wallboxes and Solar Prediction

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 21:25:12 +0100

Optimize your EV charging by linking your Smart Wallbox to your Photovoltaics (PV) system via Home Assistant. The system uses solar prediction data to dynamically adjust charging rates (often via Tuya Local integration), ensuring your EV primarily charges with free, self-generated solar energy, especially crucial for managing unpredictable energy spikes on partly cloudy days. This creates a truly smart, self-optimizing energy system for maximum savings.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.11

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 16:59:43 +0100

The new Home Assistant 2025.11 brings accelerated automations, an innovative "pie" consumption overview, and easier dashboard customization. Discover everything this smart home platform has to offer in the latest version!

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.10

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:45:30 +0200

The October update of Home Assistant 2025.10 brings significant improvements that make working with automations easier and expand artificial intelligence capabilities. The main features include undo/redo functionality in the automation editor, AI image generation, and smarter entity suggestions for dashboards.

Problems with Tuya Zigbee Devices: Sudden Pairing Failures and Cloud Services

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 22:52:01 +0200

Have you recently encountered a problem adding a new device to the Tuya or SmartLife app? Then read on, because this is probably a huge problem and it's probably time to stop using the Tuya app.

Unlocking Hidden EV Charger Data: Why Home Assistant Beats the Tuya App Every Time

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 11:02:07 +0200

We visited the IFA trade fair in Berlin!

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:32:51 +0200

At the beginning of September, we, as Homebrainz, went to Berlin to the largest European trade fair for consumer electronics and smart homes - IFA 2025. The main goal of our trip was to discover the latest trends, look for unique products, establish new business contacts, and expand cooperation with suppliers in the smart home sector.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.9

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 20:29:54 +0200

With version 2025.9, Home Assistant comes with major updates that take smart home control to a new level. The user interface has a new experimental Home dashboard, making it faster and more intuitive to get an overview of your home. In addition, the automation editor has been significantly improved and the capabilities of the familiar dashboard cards have been expanded. New integrations and other improvements bring even more practical features and comfort to managing your smart home.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.8

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 18:58:31 +0200

The August Home Assistant 2025.8 update brings a lot of improvements, new features and integrations that will delight all smart home users - especially the integration of artificial intelligence into the system. For this, we have prepared an overview of the most important new features that will make your daily use and expansion of your home automation easier.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.7

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:51:51 +0200

The July update Home Assistant 2025.7 brings a wealth of improvements, new features, and integrations that will delight all smart home users. We have prepared an overview of the most important news to make your daily use and expansion of your home automation easier.

What's new in HomeAssistant 2025.6

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:34:37 +0200

The June release of Home Assistant 2025.6 brings a number of improvements, new features, and a few important changes that no user should miss. Here's a rundown of the most important things from this release.

What's New in HomeAssistant 2025.5

Thu, 08 May 2025 14:37:08 +0200

The May update Home Assistant 2025.5 not only celebrates two million active installations worldwide, but also introduces a range of practical new features that simplify management and expand the capabilities of your smart home. Discover the main highlights of this release.

How to prepare the electrical installation for an electric car charging station?

Sun, 04 May 2025 12:28:43 +0200

Electromobility is becoming more integrated into everyday life with each passing year, as more brands and models of pure EVs or hybrids appear, which in turn creates a need for charging them. Unfortunately, the development of EVs is outpacing the construction of charging station networks, so you have to figure out where to charge your car-and in the worst case, you might even have to wait in line for a free charger, which can make life with an EV quite unpleasant. However, there is a way to avoid these inconveniences as much as possible: charging your car at home. In this article, we’ll show that installing a home charger isn’t complicated; you just need to follow a few essential steps.

Reolink: Officially Certified for Home Assistant – Cameras and Doorbells with Platinum Integration!

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:43:00 +0200

Reolink is now an official Works with Home Assistant partner! Their cameras and doorbells offer top-notch integration, ensuring easy setup, local control without the cloud, and maximum privacy. All major models are certified and ready for seamless connection with your smart home

Big comparison of smart door and window sensors

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 22:42:21 +0200

In this article, we focused more on popular brands and types of door and window sensors. We chose well-known brands MOES, Sonoff, Aqara, Aubess Tuya and a regular sensor from China. You can find all of the aforementioned sensors in our e-shop in the door and window sensors section. We will compare their parameters, dimensions, price, battery life and more.

What's New in HomeAssistant 2025.4

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 21:48:34 +0200

Home Assistant, the popular smart home platform, introduces a range of innovative features in the April 2025.4 update, taking automation and control to an entirely new level. Below is an overview of the most significant new additions.

LAN and PoE coordinator with not one, but 2 antennas and interfaces! That's the SMLIGHT SLZB-MR1!

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:40:00 +0200

The SMLIGHT SLZB-MR1 coordinator, which is equipped with two chips (CC2652P7 and EFR32), can handle, for example, Zigbee and Thread at the same time.

Reolink RLC-810A (and More) Integration with Home Assistant: Complete Guide

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 17:45:09 +0200

Connect your smart home with the Reolink RLC-810A camera and take advantage of its 4K resolution, motion detection, and person and vehicle recognition. Learn how to easily integrate the camera with Home Assistant, manage its features, and create automations. Discover how to access the camera’s internal storage or save recordings to an FTP server in Home Assistant. Secure your home intelligently and efficiently!

Aqara Motion and Light Sensor RTCGQ11LM

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:35:36 +0200

Aqara RTCGQ11LM is a reliable PIR sensor with a wide detection angle, light and temperature sensing. Easy to install, it supports Zigbee2MQTT and HomeAssistant, making it ideal for lighting automation. Offers excellent value for money.

SMLIGHT SLZB-06 Coordinator and New Zigbee Hub Feature

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 22:20:58 +0100

Smart homes are evolving rapidly, bringing new technologies that elevate user experiences to the next level. One of the latest innovations is the SMLIGHT SLZB-06 Zigbee coordinator, offering advanced features, including the ability to function as a standalone Zigbee Hub.

The most powerful coordinator on the market - SMLIGHT SLZB-06Mg24

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:40:00 +0100

SMLIGHT, the company behind the development and creation of the most interesting smart home coordinators, finally comes with the highest version of the SLZB-06 series.

Stocking of SMLIGHT coordinators and the long-awaited new product! SMLIGHT SLZB-06Mg24

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:56:00 +0100

We have restocked the SMLIGHT SLZB-06 and SLZB-06M antennas in our e-shop. These antennas are perfect for Zigbee networks, offering excellent performance with a +20dB amplifier and a +5dB antenna. We will soon also stock the first pieces of the long-awaited SLZB-06Mg24, which bring even better connectivity options and performance. Stay tuned for more information!

SMLIGHT antennas back in stock!

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 22:13:00 +0100

Finally, another shipment of SMLIGHT products has arrived!

Smart Fire Alarm: Home Safety First

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 10:36:02 +0100

The Frient smart fire alarm offers top-tier protection for your home. It meets European certification standards, features long battery life, and delivers a loud warning signal. With Zigbee and Home Assistant support, it’s perfect for smart homes but also works great on its own. Combining traditional safety features with modern technology, it provides comprehensive security for your household.

Successful start of cooperation with SMLIGHT

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:59:00 +0100

Great news from homebrainz.shop!