2026.10.4
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Filter items by attribute test: selectattr

The selectattr filter iterates over a list of objects and keeps only those where a specified attribute passes a given test. It is the attribute-based counterpart of select: while select tests the item itself, selectattr tests an attribute of each item.

This is one of the most frequently used filters in Home Assistant templates. It is the primary way to filter 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] state objects returned by expand. You can filter lights that are on, sensors above a threshold, devices in a specific area, or entities matching any condition based on their attributes. It is incredibly versatile and appears in the vast majority of templates that work with entity collections.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

As a filter 
{{ expand("light.home_lights")
  | selectattr("state", "eq", "on")
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["light.kitchen", "light.living_room"]

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically.

Function parameters without a = are usually required. A few optional parameters have no default value, so the signature shows them without a = as well. To check whether a parameter is required, look at the parameter list below the signature. Each parameter is marked as Required or Optional.

The most common optional parameter without a default value is default. The default parameter sets the value a function returns when the function can’t produce a result, for example, when float gets text that isn’t a number. If you leave out default, there is no fallback value, so most functions raise an error and the template fails. The parameter list of each function says what happens. If you set default, the function returns your value instead.

How to read a signature

Here is the signature of the round filter as an example:

round(
    value: Any,
    precision: int = 0,
    method: str = "common",
    default: Any,
) -> float | int | Any
  • round is the name of the function.
  • Between the parentheses are the parameters. Each parameter has a name, followed by a colon and the type of value the parameter expects. The type only tells you what kind of value to pass. For default: Any, you pass a value of any type, such as 0 or "unknown", not the word Any.
  • = 0 and = "common" are default values. You can leave out precision and method, and round uses these default values.
  • default has no =, but the parameter list marks default as optional. If you leave out default and round gets a value that isn’t a number, round raises an error.
  • -> shows the type of value the function returns.
  • Inside a signature, | means “or”. This function returns a decimal number, a whole number, or the value you passed as default.

round is a filter, so the first parameter, value, is the value before the |. For example, {{ 3.14159 | round(2) }} returns 3.14.

The types you’ll see most often:

  • str: text, such as "hello"
  • int: a whole number, such as 5
  • float: a decimal number, such as 3.14
  • bool: true or false
  • list: a list of values, such as [1, 2, 3]. list[str] is a list of texts.
  • dict: a set of keys and values, such as {"name": "Kitchen"}
  • datetime and timedelta: a date and time, and a duration. For details, refer to Dates and times.
  • None: no value
  • Any: any type of value

Some signatures use special forms:

  • *args means you can pass any number of values, separated by commas. For example, average(1, 2, 3).
  • value | name(...) means the function is a filter. The value before the | is passed to the filter as its first parameter. Some filter signatures, like the round example, show this value as the first parameter between the parentheses instead.
selectattr(
    value: list,
    attribute: str,
    *args: str,
) -> iterable

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this filter.

value list Required

The list of objects to filter.

attribute string Required

The attribute to test on each item. Supports dotted notation for nested attributes (for example, attributes.device_class).

args string (Optional)

The test name and optional arguments. If only an attribute is provided (no test), items are kept when the attribute is truthy. Common tests include eq, ne, gt, lt, ge, le, contains, is_state, and in.

Filter by truthiness

When no test is specified, items are kept if the attribute value is truthy.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Lights that have a brightness attribute set 
{{
  expand("light.home_lights")
  | selectattr("attributes.brightness")
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["light.kitchen", "light.living_room"]

Common tests

Equal to (eq)

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Names of lights that are on 
{{
  expand("light.home_lights")
  | selectattr("state", "eq", "on")
  | map(attribute="name")
  | join(", ")
}}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
Kitchen light, Living room light

Not equal to (ne)

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Available sensors 
{{
  expand("sensor.home_sensors")
  | selectattr("state", "ne", "unavailable")
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["sensor.temperature", "sensor.humidity", "sensor.pressure"]

Greater than (gt)

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Sensors above 22 
{{
  expand("sensor.temperature_sensors")
  | selectattr("state", "gt", "22")
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["sensor.kitchen_temp"]

Good to know

  • Returns an iterable, not a list. Add | list before using it with length, first, last, or looping twice.
  • Without a test name, items are kept when the attribute value is truthy. Zero, empty string, and None are treated as false.
  • Numeric comparisons compare state strings alphabetically unless you convert first. "9" is greater than "10" as strings. Apply | map(attribute='state') | map('float') before comparing, or filter with a test that converts on the fly.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Settings > Tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own entitiesAn 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].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Count lights on in a specific area

Filter entities by state and count the results.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more] 
{{
  expand("light.home_lights")
  | selectattr("state", "eq", "on")
  | list
  | length
}}
Result (integerA whole number without decimal places, like 1, 42, or -5. Used for counts, indices, and whole values.) 
3

Filter by device class

Use dotted notation to filter by nested attributes like device class.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more] 
{{
  expand("sensor.home_sensors")
  | selectattr("attributes.device_class", "eq", "temperature")
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["sensor.bedroom_temp", "sensor.kitchen_temp",
 "sensor.living_room_temp"]

Find entities with state containing a substring

Use the contains test to match partial state values.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more] 
{{
  expand("media_player.speakers")
  | selectattr("state", "contains", "play")
  | map(attribute="name")
  | join(", ")
}}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
Living room speaker, Bedroom speaker

Chain multiple selectattr filters

Apply multiple filters in sequence to narrow down results.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Bright lights that are on 
{{
  expand("light.home_lights")
  | selectattr("state", "eq", "on")
  | selectattr("attributes.brightness", "gt", 100)
  | map(attribute="name")
  | join(", ")
}}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
Kitchen light, Living room light

Filter unavailable entities

Find entities that are unavailable or unknown.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Sensors that need attention 
{{
  expand("sensor.home_sensors")
  | selectattr("state", "in", ["unavailable", "unknown"])
  | map(attribute="entity_id")
  | list
}}
Result (listAn ordered collection of values, like a list of entity IDs or a list of numbers. Written with square brackets in templates, for example [1, 2, 3].) 
["sensor.outdoor_temp", "sensor.garage_humidity"]

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain or fix templates when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one: