Toggle via remote

The Toggle via remote action sends the toggle command through a 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]. Use it when the controlled device uses the same command for on and off.

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 toggle something 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 send the command.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Toggle via remote.
7. Select Save.

Options in the UI

This action has no additional UI options.

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.toggle. A basic example looks like this:

action: remote.toggle
target:
  entity_id: remote.living_room

This sends the toggle command through remote.living_room.

Options in YAML

This action has no additional YAML options.

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.
• Toggle commands change state based on the device’s current state. If you need a predictable on or off result, use Turn on via remote or Turn off via remote when your remote supports them.
• If the remote is unavailable, Home Assistant cannot send the command.

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: toggle the media system from a dashboard 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, toggle the living room remote.

• Trigger: State
  • Entity: Media toggle (input_button.media_toggle)
• Action: Toggle via remote
  • Target: Living room remote

alias: "Toggle living room remote from helper button"
triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: input_button.media_toggle
actions:
  - action: remote.toggle
    target:
      entity_id: remote.living_room

Automation: toggle a remote when someone enters a zone

When a person enters the cinema zone, toggle the projector remote.

• Trigger: Zone
  • Entity: Paulus (person.paulus)
  • Zone: Cinema (zone.cinema)
  • Event: Enter
• Action: Toggle via remote
  • Target: Projector remote

alias: "Toggle projector remote when Paulus enters cinema zone"
triggers:
  - trigger: zone
    entity_id: person.paulus
    zone: zone.cinema
    event: enter
actions:
  - action: remote.toggle
    target:
      entity_id: remote.projector

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:

• Turn on via remote: Sends the turn on command through a remote entity. Some remotes can also start a specific activity.

• Turn off via remote: Sends the turn off command through a remote entity.

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