Toggle switch

Use this action to flip a switch between on and off. It’s handy when you want a single action that handles both directions, for example a button that controls a fan heater no matter what state it’s in.

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 a switch 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 switch you want to toggle. You can also select an area, a floor, a device, or a label.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Toggle switch.
7. Select Save.

Options in the UI

This action has no additional options beyond the target.

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 switch.toggle. A basic example looks like this:

action: switch.toggle
target:
  entity_id: switch.desk_lamp_plug

This flips switch.desk_lamp_plug from off to on, or from on to off.

Options in YAML

This action has no additional YAML options beyond the target.

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 switch entity behind that target.

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

• Because this action flips the current state, use it when you don’t need to know in advance whether the switch is on or off.
• If you target several switches at once, each one is flipped individually. Switches that were on turn off, and switches that were off turn on.
• If you need a specific result, use Turn on switch or Turn off switch instead.

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.

Automation: use a wall button to toggle a smart plug

Let a physical button control a smart plug, whatever state the plug is in.

• Trigger: Event received
  • Target: Office button
  • Event type: Single press
• Action: Toggle switch
  • Target: Desk lamp plug

- alias: "Toggle the desk lamp plug with the wall button"
  triggers:
    - trigger: event.received
      target:
        entity_id: event.office_button
      options:
        event_type:
          - single_press
  actions:
    - action: switch.toggle
      target:
        entity_id: switch.desk_lamp_plug

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 switch: Turns a switch on.

• Turn off switch: Turns a switch off.