Release update Ecosystems
Home Assistant 2026.4: native infrared arrives
Home Assistant 2026.4 gives infrared a proper seat at the table: a native entity platform that lets a cheap proxy device control your ageing TV, air conditioner, or soundbar. Alongside it: cross-domain automation triggers, Matter lock PIN management, and a few genuine breaking changes worth reading before you update.
Part of Home Assistant updates, our monthly release series
Every release
2026.4 Released 1 April 2026
Update, after one check The headline: infrared officially joins Zigbee, Z-Wave, and the rest as a native Home Assistant entity platform, letting a cheap IR blaster control ageing TVs and air conditioners you'd otherwise have to replace.
In this release 6 smaller wins · 14 integrations added · 4 removed · 4 breaking changes
Check first MQTT object_id · JVC Projector picture mode entities · Litter-Robot night-light switch · Motion Blinds tilt control
Affected only if you use one of these. None in your setup? You're clear to update.
Native infrared support
Home Assistant 2026.4 introduces Infrared as a first-class entity platform, alongside Zigbee, Z-Wave, and the rest. A cheap ESPHome-based device can now act as an "infrared proxy," the same pattern Home Assistant already uses for Bluetooth: one small piece of hardware relays commands to Home Assistant, so nothing needs replacing on the device side.
LG Infrared ships as the launch integration built on this new platform, giving LG TVs and soundbars proper IR control through Home Assistant rather than a workaround.
It's a genuinely useful shift for anyone with older gear: a TV, air conditioner, or soundbar that only speaks infrared can now sit inside your automations without a smart replacement. It's also the groundwork the following month builds on: 2026.5's new Radio Frequency platform extends this same proxy pattern to RF-controlled blinds, garage doors, and fans.
Six smaller wins
The changes most people will notice day to day. Scan the tags for the areas you use.
Automations
Purpose-specific triggers go cross-domain
Semantic triggers like door, motion, battery, and temperature can now target a whole area instead of wiring up individual entities, via the Labs opt-in.
Dashboards
Section background colours
Dashboard sections can take a custom background colour and opacity, instead of the flat default.
Dashboards
One-tap favourites
Save a favourite light colour or cover/valve position as a one-tap button on the card.
Security
Matter lock PIN management
Add, edit, and remove Matter lock users and PIN codes directly from Home Assistant, no separate app required.
Assist
See what Assist actually did
A collapsible details panel on Assist responses shows the reasoning and tool calls behind the answer.
Backups
Dropbox backup destination
Dropbox joins the list of backup destinations, and backup destinations now show upload progress as they go.
Integrations: 14 in, 4 out
Removals matter more than additions, because a removal can break an automation or dashboard that references it. They're listed first, with what to do about each.
Removed in 2026.4 4 integrations
| Integration | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy | Discontinued | The utility changed its authentication provider, breaking the integration; no fix available and no in-tree replacement. |
| BMW Connected Drive / MINI Connected | Discontinued | Removed after manufacturer-side API and security changes; no in-tree replacement at this time. |
| Z-Wave Installer panel | Replaced | Use Z-Wave JS UI for the same tasks going forward. |
The other 1 removals, all long-discontinued hardware
Tfiac
Added in 2026.4 14 integrations
AutoskopeCasper GlowChess.comFresh-rInfraredLG InfraredLichessLoJackOpenDisplayQube Heat PumpSolarmanTRMNLUniFi AccessWiiM
Breaking changes
4 this month, all narrow. If the summary at the top already cleared you, nothing below applies to your setup.
Breaking changes · check before you update Most setups are unaffected
MQTT object_id
The object_id MQTT option has been removed after its six-month deprecation window.
What to do: strip any remaining object_id from MQTT entity YAML config, it no longer does anything and can cause setup errors.
JVC Projector picture mode entities
Picture Mode and HDR Processing moved from sensor entities to select entities.
What to do: update any automation or dashboard referencing the old sensor entity IDs to the new select entities.
Litter-Robot night-light switch
The deprecated night-light-mode switch has been removed.
What to do: remove references to it from automations and dashboards.
Motion Blinds tilt control
Blinds without tilt-position reporting now map tilt open/close to jog up/down commands instead of angle-based tilt.
What to do: review any automation that assumed precise tilt-angle control on these devices.
Should you update?
Our verdict Update, after one check
This is a strong release, headlined by a feature a lot of Home Assistant users have wanted for years: proper infrared support without third-party workarounds. The catch is real, though, for a specific slice of users: if you rely on Duke Energy or BMW/MINI Connected, both are gone this month with nothing to switch to inside Home Assistant. Check the breaking section too, especially if you're on Motion Blinds without tilt reporting. For everyone else, update freely.
Source: home-assistant.io
Frequently asked questions
Do I need new hardware to use Home Assistant's infrared support?
No. You need one IR blaster, most people use a cheap ESPHome-based device flashed as an "infrared proxy," the same pattern Home Assistant already uses for Bluetooth. It then relays IR commands to your existing TV, air conditioner, or soundbar.
I use Duke Energy or BMW Connected Drive in Home Assistant, what do I do?
Both integrations were removed in 2026.4 with no in-tree replacement, Duke Energy because the utility changed its authentication provider, BMW/MINI Connected because of manufacturer-side API changes. There's no fix to apply, the integrations are gone from Core; you'll need to fall back to the manufacturer's own app for now.
Will this affect my existing Motion Blinds automations?
Only if your blinds don't report a tilt position. For those, tilt open/close commands now map to jog up/down instead of a precise angle, review any automation that relied on exact tilt angles before updating.
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