Everything New In Home Assistant 2024.11!

Introduction

We’re nearing the end of the year, and today marks the release of Home Assistant 2024.11. This update introduces a plethora of new features, upgrades, and improvements, especially focusing on dashboards, camera streams, assist language updates, and blueprints.

Dashboard Improvements

Home Assistant has witnessed numerous enhancements in its dashboard throughout this year, starting with the new sections view that debuted in the March release. The sections view, which allows users to easily organize their dashboards, has transitioned from an experimental feature to a generally available one with the 2024.11 update.

One of the exciting features is the ability to convert older dashboards built on the masonry layout into the new sections layout effortlessly. To convert an old dashboard, users simply navigate to the edit view, switch the layout type to sections, and select the convert option at the top. Home Assistant will then seamlessly manage the conversion of cards to the new layout, enabling drag-and-drop capabilities alongside other improvements.

In edit mode, cards will be visible, allowing users to manually arrange them into their desired sections and columns. Furthermore, a new import section will keep copies of old layout cards intact for users to revert back to if needed.

The update also features a new precise size mode for cards. This mode provides enhanced control over card sizing, offering three times more options than before—from four tiles wide to a maximum of twelve tiles wide, allowing for more granular customization.

Camera Stream Enhancements

For those who utilize camera streams within Home Assistant, web RTC will now be the default method for loading camera streams. This method significantly reduces latency compared to the previous RTSP approach. Home Assistant will aim to establish the most direct connection to the camera available, but it will revert to the older streaming method if web RTC cannot be used.

Blueprint Support for Template Entities

Home Assistant now supports blueprints for template entities, enabling easier sharing of code for complex template entities—beneficial for those new to Home Assistant. Currently, this feature can only be applied when creating a template entity using YAML rather than the UI, which may be less convenient for beginners. However, there is hope that future updates will incorporate blueprints within the UI to enhance usability.

Assist Language Improvements

For Canadian French users, this release brings a wealth of new sentences and phrases. Enhancements include timer support and area awareness features. Home Assistant is also soliciting volunteers for assistance in refining Canadian French sentences to make the experience better for all users.

Live Log Viewing

Home Assistant now allows live viewing of logs without needing constant refreshes. At this moment, this feature applies only to supervisor logs, but it sets a foundation for future updates where all logs could potentially support live updates.

Notable Additions and Integrations

This release sees a variety of new integrations such as:

• Viare Integration: Now includes support for room temperature and hot water storage sensors.
• Tplink Omada Integration: Additional sensors for diagnostics and firmware updates.
• Spotify Integration: New sensors tracking the currently playing song.
• SwitchBot Integration: Now supports the new SwitchBot Meter Pro.
• Home Assistant Analytics Integration: Includes new sensors for total installations and integrations.

Moreover, six new integrations were added, including the Husa Auto Moow, which utilizes Bluetooth to communicate with specific lawnmowers. The Music Assistant has transitioned from a community-supported integration to an officially supported feature in Home Assistant core.

Breaking Changes

As for breaking changes, users may find a list mostly consisting of deprecated services and configurations from prior releases. It is advisable to review these changes to ensure they don’t impact existing setups.

As we approach the year’s end, it’s hard to believe there's only one more release before we enter 2025. The transition of the drag-and-drop dashboard to a stable feature is sure to delight many users.

Keywords

home assistant, 2024.11, dashboard upgrades, camera streams, blueprints, live log viewing, template entities, Canadian French, new integrations, breaking changes

FAQ

Q: What is the main new feature in Home Assistant 2024.11?
A: The primary highlight of this release is the transition of the sections view in dashboards to a stable feature, allowing users to easily organize their dashboards with drag-and-drop functionality.

Q: How do I convert my old dashboard layout to the new sections layout?
A: You can convert your old dashboard by navigating to the edit view, selecting the sections layout as the type, and clicking on the convert option at the top. Home Assistant will handle the conversion process for you.

Q: What improvements have been made to camera streams?
A: Camera streams now use web RTC by default, which significantly reduces latency compared to the previous RTSP method.

Q: Can I use blueprints for template entities in the UI?
A: Currently, blueprints for template entities can only be applied when creating them in YAML. However, there's anticipation for future updates that may allow doing this directly in the UI.

Q: Are there any new integrations in this release?
A: Yes, six new integrations have been added, including features for various sensors and support for specific devices like lawnmowers.