Lock keys
This action locks or unlocks the keys of a table on an LCN module. You provide the lock states as a string of eight characters, where each character controls one key lock.
Each character represents the state change of a key lock:
-
1: on -
0: off -
T: toggle -
-: no change
You can lock keys indefinitely, or for a set time period. For a time period, set a Time and Time unit. A time period only works with table a.
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 lock keys from an automation or a script:
- Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
- Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
- If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
- In the Then do section, select Add action.
- From the search box, search for and select LCN: Lock keys.
- Select the LCN module or group in the Device field and enter the key lock State string.
- Select Save.
This action does not support targets. Instead, you select the LCN module or group through the Device field.
Options in the UI
The table with the keys to lock. Defaults to a. A time period only works with table a.
The key lock states as an eight-character string, using 1 (on), 0 (off), T (toggle), and - (no change).
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 lcn.lock_keys. A basic example looks like this:
action: lcn.lock_keys
data:
device_id: 91aa039a2fb6e0b9f9ec7eb219a6b7d2
state: "1---T0--"
This applies the key lock state changes to table a of the selected module.
To lock the keys of table a for a period of time:
action: lcn.lock_keys
data:
device_id: 91aa039a2fb6e0b9f9ec7eb219a6b7d2
state: "1---T0--"
time: 10
time_unit: s
This applies the key lock state changes to table a of the selected module for 10 seconds.
Options in YAML
The table with the keys to lock. If not provided, it is assumed to be table a. A time period only works with table a.
The key lock states as an eight-character string, using 1 (on), 0 (off), T (toggle), and - (no change).
The time period to lock the keys. When set, the keys are locked for that period. If not provided, it is assumed to be 0.
The time unit of the lock period. See Variables and units. If not provided, it is assumed to be seconds.
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.
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.
AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain actions or suggest the right one when you describe what you want in plain language.
Related actions
These actions work well alongside this one: