With Home Assistant’s latest update we have brand new Home Assistant badges that can be placed at the top just like the old ones, they are allowing you to see the most important information at a glance without having you to look through entire screen, again just like the old badges, but there are no more similarities, as the new Home Assistant badges can be customized by a lot right from the UI to fit your needs.
You can choose if the icon, name, and state are shown. You can drag and drop everything to put them in the order you like also there are few more new exciting things that I’m about to show in just a minute.
Table of Contents
New & Improved Glossary
Before we begin you can download my updated and enhanced Smart Home Glossary that is full of tech acronyms and their simple, but useful explanation. The SH Glossary is completely free and it is coming as a PDF file.
https://automatelike.pro/glossary
What Are Home Assistant Badges?
Badges in Home Assistant are small icons that display essential information at the top of your dashboard. They can provide a quick glance at critical data, such as the status of your most important devices, without needing to scroll through your entire screen. If you’ve used the old badges, you’ll find the new ones familiar, but with significant improvements.
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New Features of Home Assistant Badges
The latest update to Home Assistant brings a lot of new features to badges, making them far more useful and user-friendly. Here’s what’s new:
- Highly Customizable Interface: Unlike the old badges, which were quite limited in customization, the new badges allow you to change almost every aspect directly from the UI. You can choose whether to display the icon, name, and state of an entity, and arrange them in the order you prefer using drag-and-drop.
- Drag-and-Drop Functionality: One of the most exciting new features is the ability to drag and drop badges to arrange them as you like. This feature makes organizing your dashboard much easier and more intuitive.
- Enhanced Display Options: You can now select from different display types, such as minimal, standard, or complete. This flexibility allows you to decide how much information each badge shows, whether it’s just the icon or additional details like the last time an entity was updated.
- Visibility Conditions: You can set conditions for when a badge should be visible. For example, you can configure a badge to appear only when viewed on a desktop or mobile device or based on the state of an entity (e.g., showing a coffee machine badge only when it’s turned on).
- Masonry & Sections View Integration: In addition to placing badges at the top of your dashboard, you can now add them to different sections.
How to Use the New Badges
If you’re upgrading from an older version of Home Assistant, the transition to the new badges will be seamless. After updating to Home Assistant 2024.8 or later, your existing badges will automatically convert to the new format, so you won’t need to do anything special to start using them.
For new users or those looking to explore the new features, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:
Adding a Badge
- Edit Your Dashboard: Start by clicking on the pencil icon in the upper right to enter edit mode.
- Select Badges: Click on “add badge” button (a big plus button at the top), where you can choose the entity you want to display as a badge. This can be anything from a temperature sensor to a smart light.
- Customize Your Badge: Once added, you can click on the small pencil icon on the badge itself to customize it. Here, you can change the name, icon, and the display type (minimal, standard, or complete). You can also choose whether to show the entity’s picture, change colors, or add additional states like “last changed” or “last updated.”
- Arrange Your Badges: Use the drag-and-drop feature to place the badges in the order you prefer. This feature allows you to create a layout that suits your needs best.
Advanced Customization
For those who want to dive deeper into customization, the new badges offer several advanced options:
- YAML Configuration: While the UI provides extensive customization options, you can still use YAML for more complex configurations. This feature is perfect for those who prefer coding or need to make more specific adjustments.
- Visibility Settings: You can set conditions for when a badge should be visible. For example, you might want a badge to show only if you’re viewing the dashboard on a mobile device, or only when a particular device is on. These conditions help keep your dashboard clean and relevant.
- Copying and Pasting Badges: You can easily duplicate badges and paste them into different views or sections of your dashboard. This feature is handy if you want to maintain consistency across multiple views.
Tips for Maximizing Badge Use
To get the most out of your new Home Assistant badges, consider the following tips:
- Use Visibility Conditions Wisely: If you have devices that you only need to monitor under certain conditions (like high energy consumption), set visibility conditions to display those badges only when necessary. This keeps your dashboard uncluttered and focused.
- Customize Badge Appearance: Experiment with different display types and colors to create a dashboard that’s not only functional but also visually appealing. The new customization options allow you to create a layout that’s truly personalized.
Home Assistant Webinar?
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Conclusion
With enhanced customization, drag-and-drop functionality, and advanced visibility options, these new Home Assistant badges provide a quick and easy way to monitor your most important devices. As Home Assistant continues to innovate, these badges will likely become even more versatile and powerful, making them an essential feature for every smart home enthusiast.
So, dive in, start customizing, and enjoy the improved control and visibility that these new badges bring to your Home Assistant experience. Want more articles like this? Register for my weekly newsletter. Happy automating!