Select previous option

Use this action to move a select entity to the previous option in its list, for example to step back through a list of presets one at a time.

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 select the previous option 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 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), select the select entity you want to step back.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Select previous option.
7. Optionally, turn off Cycle if you do not want the first option to wrap back to the last.
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 select.select_previous. A basic example looks like this:

action: select.select_previous
target:
  entity_id: select.washing_machine_program

This moves select.washing_machine_program to its previous option.

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 select entity behind that target.

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

• This action only works with select entities.
• If the current option is unknown, the last option is selected.
• By default, moving past the first option wraps back to the last. Set cycle to false to stop at the first option instead.

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: step to the previous option with a button

Move a select entity to its previous option each time you press a button.

• Trigger: Button is pressed
• Action: Select previous option
  • Target: Light scene preset

- alias: "Step to the previous light scene preset"
  triggers:
    - trigger: state
      entity_id: input_button.previous_scene
  actions:
    - action: select.select_previous
      target:
        entity_id: select.light_scene_preset

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:

• Select first option: Selects the first option of a select entity.

• Select last option: Selects the last option of a select entity.

• Select next option: Selects the next option of a select entity.

• Select option: Selects a specific option of a select entity.