Send message

The Send message action sends a notification to a browser or installed web app (PWA) registered with HTML5 Push Notifications.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To send a notification from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts do not need a trigger.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. From the search box, search for and select HTML5 Push Notifications: Send message.
6. Under Target, select the notification device to send the message to (see Targets).
7. Add a title for the message.
8. Optional: add a message, icon, action buttons, or other settings.
9. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Action button options

Action buttons are configured in the Actions field. Each item supports:

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as html5.send_message. A basic example looks like this:

action: html5.send_message
data:
  title: "Reminder"
  message: "Have you considered frogs?"
  icon: /static/icons/favicon-192x192.png
  badge: /static/images/notification-badge.png
  tag: message-group-1
  actions:
    - action: test-action
      title: 🆗 Click here!
  require_interaction: true
  vibrate:
    - 125
    - 75
    - 125
    - 275
    - 200
    - 275
    - 125
    - 75
    - 125
    - 275
    - 200
    - 600
    - 200
    - 600
target:
  entity_id: notify.my_desktop

Options in YAML

Action button options in YAML

Action buttons are configured in the actions field. Each item supports:

Targets of the action

This action requires a target. The target is the object of the action. You can point the action at a single 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], a device, an area, a floor, or a label, and Home Assistant will run the action on every matching notify entity behind that target.

• Entity: one specific notify entity, such as notify.living_room.
• Device: every notify entity that belongs to a device.
• Area: every notify entity in a room or area.
• Floor: every notify entity on a floor.
• Label: every notify entity that shares a label.

You can also select different target types in one action. For example, you can add a specific entity and an area as targets in the same action to run the action on both of them at once.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Actions, search for this action, fill in the fields, and select Perform action. You see what happens on your actual 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] without writing a line of YAML.

More examples

Real scenarios where this action shows up in automations and scripts. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Action: send a doorbell-rang notification with an open-door action button

If the doorbell rings, receive an actionable notification with a camera snapshot. Opens the door when you tap the “Open door” action button.

• Trigger: Doorbell rang (event.doorbell)
• Action: Send message
• Target: My desktop (notify.my_desktop)

alias: "Send doorbell-rang notification to my desktop"
triggers:
  - trigger: doorbell.rang
    target:
      entity_id: event.doorbell
actions:
  - action: html5.send_message
    target:
      entity_id: notify.my_desktop
    data:
      title: 🔔 The doorbell rang.
      message: Someone is at the entrance door.
      icon: https://homeassistant.example.com/www/entrancecamera_snapshot.jpg
      actions:
        - action: open-door
          title: Open door
      require_interaction: true
      ttl:
        minutes: 5
      urgency: high

• Trigger: Event
• Condition: Template
• Action: Open lock
• Target: Entrance door

alias: "Open entrance door when open-door action button is tapped"
triggers:
  - trigger: event.received
    target:
      entity_id: event.pc
    options:
      event_type:
        - clicked
conditions:
  - condition: template
    value_template: "{{ trigger.to_state.attributes.action == 'open-door'}}"
actions:
  - action: lock.open
    target:
      entity_id: lock.entrance_door

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related actions

These actions work well alongside this one:

• Dismiss message: Dismiss a message.