2026.8.0
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Send message

The Send message action sends an email notification. You can use plain text or HTML content, embed images inline in the HTML body, and attach images or other files.

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 SMTP: Send message.
  6. Under Target, select the notification device to send the message to (see Targets).
  7. In Message, enter a message for the notification.
  8. Optional: enter the message subject in Title, add HTML content in HTML message, or attach files in Attachments.
  9. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Title (Optional)

Subject for your email notification.
Message (Required)

The plain text message body of the email notification.
HTML message (Optional)

The HTML body of the email notification. Use HTML to create rich email content with formatting, images, links, tables, and custom styling.
Attachments (Optional)

Attach images or other files from camera, image, TTS, or local media source. When selecting a camera entity, a snapshot of the current view will be captured and attached to the email.

Attachment options

Attachments are configured in the Attachments field. Each item supports:

Media source (Required)

Select a camera, image, TTS, or local media source to attach to the email. If a camera source is selected, a snapshot of its current view is captured when the email is sent.
Filename (Optional)

Specify the filename for the attachment. This is required for camera, image, and TTS media sources, and optional for local media sources.
Content-ID (Optional)

A unique identifier used to embed this image directly inside an HTML email body.

Tip

To embed an attachment in the HTML body, assign it a Content-ID and reference it using the cid: URL scheme. For example, to embed an image:

<img src="cid:bird_feeder_snapshot">

The value after cid: must match the attachment’s Content-ID.

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 smtp.send_message. A basic example looks like this:

ActionActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called *sequence*. [Learn more] 
action: smtp.send_message
target:
  entity_id: notify.recipient
data:
  title: "Reminder"
  message: "Have you considered frogs?"

Options in YAML

title string

Subject for your email notification.

message string Required

The plain text message body of the email notification.

html string

The HTML body of the email notification. Use HTML to create rich email content with formatting, images, links, tables, and custom styling.

attachments list

Attach images or other files from camera, image, TTS, or local media source. When selecting a camera entity, a snapshot of the current view will be captured and attached to the email.

Attachment options in YAML

Attachments are configured in the attachments field. Each item supports:

media_source map Required

Select a camera, image, TTS, or local media source to attach to the email. If a camera source is selected, a snapshot of its current view is captured when the email is sent.

filename string

Specify the filename for the attachment. This is required for camera, image, and TTS media sources, and optional for local media sources.

content_id string

A unique identifier used to embed this image directly inside an HTML email body.

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 Settings > 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.

Tip

You don’t need to edit YAML to use these examples. Copy a YAML snippet from this page, open the automation editor in Home Assistant, and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on Mac). Home Assistant automatically converts the pasted YAML into the visual editor format, whether it’s a full automation, a single trigger, a condition, or an action.

Automation: send a bird feeder activity notification with an embedded camera snapshot

When motion is detected at the bird feeder, send an email notification with the latest camera snapshot embedded in the HTML message.

  • Trigger: Motion detected (motion.detected)
  • Action: SMTP: Send message (smtp.send_message)
    • Target: Recipient (notify.recipient)
AutomationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more] 
alias: "Email bird feeder motion snapshot"
triggers:
  - trigger: motion.detected
    target:
      entity_id: binary_sensor.bird_feeder
actions:
  - action: smtp.send_message
    target:
      entity_id: notify.recipient
    data:
      title: "🐦️ Bird feeder activity detected"
      message: "Motion was detected at the bird feeder."
      html: |
          <html>
            <body>
              <h2>🐦️ Bird feeder activity detected</h2>
              <p>Motion was detected at the bird feeder. See the captured snapshot below.</p>
              <img src="cid:bird_feeder_snapshot" alt="Bird feeder snapshot">
            </body>
          </html>
      attachments:
          - media_source:
              media_content_id: media-source://camera/camera.bird_feeder
              media_content_type: image/jpeg
            filename: bird_feeder_snapshot.jpg
            content_id: bird_feeder_snapshot

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.

Tip

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: