Update hub Ecosystems
Home Assistant updates
Every Home Assistant release, summarised in plain English within a week of shipping. What's new, what breaks, and whether to update.
2026.8 Released 5 August 2026
Update, after one check The headline: new installations drop the ":8123" from the address, and the web server settings that were YAML-only get a screen in the UI. Existing setups keep the port they have always used.
In this release 6 smaller wins · 15 integrations added · 2 removed · 7 breaking changes
Check first Robot vacuum battery · UniFi Protect · Paperless-ngx · Ohme · Gardena Bluetooth · Edifier Infrared · ScreenLogic
Affected only if you use one of these. None in your setup? You're clear to update.
How Home Assistant releases work
Home Assistant ships a feature release on the first Wednesday of every month, named for the year and month it lands: 2026.7 is July's. Each one carries new features, new and removed integrations, and sometimes breaking changes, which is why the summary above leads with a verdict rather than a changelog. Updates are free, and you install them from inside Home Assistant itself.
Smaller patch releases (2026.7.1, 2026.7.2) follow through the month. Patches only fix bugs and are always safe to take. The decision point each month is the feature release, and that's what this series covers.
How to update safely
The same four steps every month, whatever the release contains.
- Check the breaking changes first
Open the current write-up above and scan the amber chips. If none of them name something you use, the rest of this list is just insurance.
- Confirm the automatic backup
Home Assistant backs up before every update. Check that Settings, then System, then Backups shows a recent one, and that at least one copy lives off the device.
- Update the core first, then the operating system
Take the core update from Settings, then Updates. If an operating system update is offered too, do it once the core has restarted cleanly.
- Cautious? Wait for the first patch
Patch releases land most Fridays and catch anything the beta missed. Waiting for one costs you a few days, nothing more.
Every release we've covered
Newest first. The verdict is how we called it at the time; the breaking count tells you what to check before jumping several versions at once.
Frequently asked questions
When does each monthly release come out?
The first Wednesday of the month, with a beta running in the weeks before. Smaller patch releases follow most Fridays, and those only fix bugs.
How do I update Home Assistant to the latest version?
In Home Assistant, go to Settings, then Updates, and install any pending update. Take a backup first so you can roll back if something misbehaves. From 2026.7 you can apply several updates together.
Is it safe to skip a few months?
Yes. Updates are cumulative, so jumping several versions works. The trade-off is that you inherit every breaking change in between at once, so skim the write-ups you skipped before a big jump.
What's the difference between 2026.7 and 2026.7.1?
The number after the second dot is a patch: bug fixes only, no new features and no breaking changes. Patches are always safe to take immediately.
Should I update the core or the operating system first?
Either order is fine. What matters is having a backup saved before you start.
2026
2026.8 The end of port 8123 August 2026 7 breaking Update, after one check 2026.7 Automations that speak your language July 2026 5 breaking Update, after one check 2026.6 Pick a card, any card June 2026 4 breaking Update, after one check 2026.5 RF devices finally speak Home Assistant May 2026 5 breaking Update, after one check 2026.4 Native infrared support arrives April 2026 4 breaking Update, after one checkA new write-up lands here within a week of every monthly release. Next update lands early September.
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