2026.6.3
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Set lock state

Use this action to change the locking state of a cat or pet flap.

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 set the lock state 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. From the search box, search for and select Sure Petcare: Set lock state.
  6. Enter the Flap ID and select a Lock state.
  7. Select Save.

This action does not support targets. In the UI, you are not prompted to choose an area, device, entity, or label.

Options in the UI

Flap ID (Required)

The ID of the flap to lock or unlock.
Lock state (Required)

The new lock state: locked_all, locked_in, locked_out, or unlocked.

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 surepetcare.set_lock_state. 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: surepetcare.set_lock_state
data:
  flap_id: 123456
  lock_state: locked_in

This sets the flap to “in only”, so pets can come in but not go back out.

Options in YAML

flap_id integer Required

The ID of the flap to lock or unlock.

lock_state string Required

The new lock state. One of unlocked (pets are allowed both in and out), locked_in (pets can come in but not go back out), locked_out (pets can go out but not back in), or locked_all (the flap is locked both ways).

Good to know

  • To find a flap’s ID, log in to surepetcare.io, open the sidebar, and select your flap. The flap ID is the last part of the URL, for example https://surepetcare.io/control/device/FLAP-ID.

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.

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.

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.