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Helpers

A helper is an entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] that you create yourself, without a device behind it. For example, a toggle that pauses an automation, a timer that counts down, or a sensor that shows the average temperature of several rooms. Helpers appear like other entities, so you can use them in automations, scripts, and dashboards.

You create and manage helpers in Settings > Devices & services > Helpers.

About the kinds of helpers

There are three kinds of helpers:

Helpers that store a value

These helpers keep what you or an automation set: a value, like the state of a toggle, or settings values, like the time blocks of a schedule.

  • Toggle
    • An on/off switch. For example, use it to pause an automation or to show that a guest is staying over.
  • Number
    • A number that you set with a slider or a box. For example, use it for a target temperature.
  • Dropdown
    • One option from a list that you define. For example, use it for the mode of your home.
  • Text
    • A short piece of text. For example, use it for a message to show on a dashboard.
  • Date and/or time
    • A date, a time, or both. For example, use it for the time your alarm goes off.
  • Button
    • A button that you press to start automations. It remembers when it was last pressed.
  • Counter
    • A whole number that goes up, goes down, or starts again from its initial value. For example, use it to count how many times a door opened today.
  • Timer
    • Counts down a time that you set. You can start, pause, cancel, finish, or change it.
  • Schedule
    • Turns on during time blocks that you set for each day of the week. For example, use it for the hours when the heating should be on.

Helpers that calculate a value

These helpers calculate their value from other entities, and update it when those entities change. For example:

For all helpers of this kind, refer to the list of helpers.

Other helpers

Some helpers do more than store or calculate a value. For example:

When do you need a helper?

Most automations don’t need a helper. You need one when Home Assistant has to remember something, when you want to set something yourself that an automation then uses, or when you want a sensor that calculates its value from other entities. For example:

  • You want to pause an automation without editing it, such as while you’re on vacation.
    • Create a Toggle. The automation only runs while the toggle is on. To pause the automation, turn the toggle off on your dashboard.
  • You want to choose a value on your dashboard, and let automations use it.
    • Create a Number for a value, such as the temperature the heating should reach.
    • Or create a Dropdown for a choice, such as the mode of your home: Home, Away, or Night.
  • You want something to happen a while later, even if Home Assistant restarts in between.
    • Create a Timer, and turn on Restore state and time when Home Assistant starts. One automation starts the timer, and another one reacts when it finishes.
    • If the timer finishes while Home Assistant isn’t running, the automation that reacts to it doesn’t run. For details, refer to the known limitations of the timer.
  • You want to count something, such as how often the doorbell rang today.
    • Create a Counter. An automation increases it each time.
  • You want a sensor that combines other sensors, such as the average temperature of all rooms.
    • Create a Combine the state of several sensors helper.

If none of these sounds like your situation, you probably don’t need a helper yet.

Creating a helper

  1. Go to Settings > Devices & services > Helpers.
  2. Select Create helper.
  3. Select the type of helper, such as Toggle.
  4. Enter a name, and fill in the other options.
  5. Select Create or Submit, depending on the type of helper.

Some places let you create a helper right where you need it. For example, if a field asks for a toggle, a number, or a dropdown, the list of entities offers to create a new helper of that type.

Changing a helper in the UI

You can change any helper that you created in the UI. For example, you can add an option to a Dropdown, or add a sensor to a Combine the state of several sensors helper.

  1. Go to Settings > Devices & services > Helpers, and select the helper.
  2. Select the cog to open the settings.
  3. Change the settings that you need. Which settings you see depends on the type of helper:
    • Every helper has the settings that all entities have, such as the name, the icon, the area, and Voice assistants. Some helpers, such as a Button, only have these settings.
    • Some helpers also show their own settings, as in the following examples:
      • A Number shows its Minimum value and Maximum value.
      • A Change device type of a switch helper shows Show switch as.
      • A Toggle, a Counter, or a Text helper shows its settings when you select More options.
    • Helpers that calculate a value, and other helpers such as a Group, have their own settings in a separate entry, named after the helper type, such as Template options or Derivative sensor options. You find it above Voice assistants. Select it, change the settings, and then select Submit.
  4. If you changed settings in the settings dialog itself, select Update.

Changing a helper in YAML

You can only change a helper in YAML if you set it up in YAML. Helpers that you created in the UI aren’t stored in your YAML configuration.

For a helper that you set up in YAML, you can’t change its own settings in the UI, such as the range of a Number. If the helper has a unique ID, you can still change the settings that all entities have, such as the area, in the UI. Helpers that store a value, such as a Toggle or a Number, always have one. For other helpers, refer to Why does this entity not have a unique ID?.

Prerequisites

  • The helper is set up in YAML.
    • To check, go to Settings > Devices & services > Helpers. A helper that you set up in YAML shows in the Editable column. Its settings show one of the following messages:
      • The settings of this entity cannot be edited from the UI. Only entities set up from the UI are configurable from the UI.
      • A message that the entity doesn’t have a unique ID, and that its settings can’t be managed from the UI.
    • You can also look for the helper in your YAML configuration, such as configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more].

To change a helper in YAML

  1. Open the YAML file where you set up the helper, such as configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more].
  2. Find the entry of the helper, and change its settings.
    • For the settings of each type of helper, refer to its page, such as Toggle.
  3. Save the file.
  4. Reload the YAML configuration.
    • Result: The helper uses its new settings.
    • Some types of helpers, such as a Counter, don’t support reloading. If the helper still uses its old settings, restart Home Assistant.

Creating a similar helper

You can’t copy a helper. To use the same settings for several things, create a new helper for each one. For example, to show the average temperature of each floor, create one Combine the state of several sensors helper per floor. In each one, select the temperature sensors of that floor.

What happens to a helper value after a restart?

Home Assistant restarts now and then, such as after an update or a power cut. If your automations depend on a helper, it matters whether the helper still has its value afterwards. For example, if a “Guests staying over” toggle turned itself off, an automation could turn down the heating in the guest room. And if a timer started idle again, the reminder it was counting down to would never come.

Most helpers keep their value after a restart, so usually you don’t need to do anything. Check these cases:

  • A timer that should keep running
    • By default, a timer stops when Home Assistant restarts, and is idle afterwards. If an automation depends on the timer, turn on Restore state and time when Home Assistant starts in the settings of the timer. If the timer finishes while Home Assistant isn’t running, automations that react to it don’t run after the restart.
  • A toggle that should always start on or off
    • By default, a toggle keeps its state. To change that, open the settings of the toggle, and select More options. Under Each time Home Assistant starts, select one of the following options:
      • To always start on, select Turn on.
      • To always start off, select Turn off.
      • To keep the state from before the restart, select Restore previous state. This is the default.
  • A counter that should start again from its initial value
    • By default, a counter keeps its value. To start at its initial value after every restart, turn off Restore the last known value when Home Assistant starts in the settings of the counter, under More options.
  • A number or a dropdown whose settings you changed
    • If you change the range of a number, its value moves to the nearest new limit. For example, if the value is 30 and you change the maximum to 25, the value becomes 25. If you change the range in YAML instead, and the last value is outside the new range, the number starts at its minimum after the restart.
    • If you remove the option that a dropdown is set to, the dropdown shows as Unknown until you select another option. After a restart, it starts at its first option.

In YAML, a number, dropdown, text, or date and time helper can have an initial value. It then starts with that value after every restart, instead of its last value.

Helpers that calculate a value calculate it again from their entities. A schedule works out from its time blocks whether it’s on.

Where can you use helpers?

You can use helpers in these places:

  • In automations and scripts
    • An automation can start when the helper changes. For example, the Timer finished trigger starts an automation when a timer finishes.
    • An automation can check the helper in a condition. For example, the automation only continues if a toggle is on.
    • An automation or a script can change the helper in an action. For example, an automation can turn on a toggle or start a timer.
    • For more examples, refer to Which tool to use.
  • On a dashboard
    • You can see and change the helper yourself. For example, use a toggle to pause an automation, or a number to set a target temperature. Add the helper to a card, like any other entity.
  • With Assist

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