Learn remote command

The Learn remote command action teaches a supported remote 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] one command or a list of commands. Use it when your remote integration can learn IR or RF commands from another remote control.

Learning support depends on the remote integration and the selected remote entity.

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 learn a remote command from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create to start a new one.
3. 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.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. Select what you want to control. Under By target (see Targets), pick the remote entity, device, area, floor, or label that should learn the command.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Learn remote command.
7. Optional: Set Device, Command, Command type, Alternative, or Timeout.
8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

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 remote.learn_command. A basic example looks like this:

action: remote.learn_command
target:
  entity_id: remote.living_room
data:
  device: television
  command: mute

This asks remote.living_room to learn the mute command for television.

Options in YAML

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 remote entity behind that target.

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

Good to know

• The action targets remote entities that support learning commands.
• Learning usually requires you to press a button on the original remote while Home Assistant waits for the signal.
• The exact device IDs, command names, and supported command types depend on the remote integration.
• Use Send remote command after the command has been learned.

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.

Automation: learn a mute command from a helper button

When a user-created helperA helper is a virtual entity you create inside Home Assistant. It is not backed by a physical device. Helpers store values, track state, or do calculations that your automations and dashboards need. [Learn more] button, created separately, is pressed, start learning the TV mute command.

• Trigger: State
  • Entity: Learn mute (input_button.learn_mute)
• Action: Learn remote command
  • Target: Living room remote
  • Device: television
  • Command: mute

alias: "Learn TV mute command"
triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: input_button.learn_mute
actions:
  - action: remote.learn_command
    target:
      entity_id: remote.living_room
    data:
      device: television
      command: mute

Automation: learn an RF command with a longer timeout

When a user-created helperA helper is a virtual entity you create inside Home Assistant. It is not backed by a physical device. Helpers store values, track state, or do calculations that your automations and dashboards need. [Learn more] button, created separately, is pressed, start learning an RF command and wait up to 30 seconds.

• Trigger: State
  • Entity: Learn gate command (input_button.learn_gate_command)
• Action: Learn remote command
  • Target: RF bridge remote
  • Device: gate
  • Command: open
  • Command type: rf
  • Timeout: 30

alias: "Learn gate RF command"
triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: input_button.learn_gate_command
actions:
  - action: remote.learn_command
    target:
      entity_id: remote.rf_bridge
    data:
      device: gate
      command: open
      command_type: rf
      timeout: 30

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:

• Send remote command: Sends one or more commands through a remote entity.

• Delete remote command: Deletes one or more learned commands from a supported remote entity.