Set text value

Use this action to set a text entity to a specific value, for example a label, a message, or any other text a device exposes.

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 a text value 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 text entity you want to set.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Set text value.
7. Set the Value you want to apply.
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 text.set_value. A basic example looks like this:

action: text.set_value
target:
  entity_id: text.display_message
data:
  value: "Welcome home"

This sets text.display_message to Welcome home.

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 text entity behind that target.

• Entity: one specific text entity, such as text.living_room.
• Device: every text entity that belongs to a device.
• Area: every text entity in a room or area.
• Floor: every text entity on a floor.
• Label: every text 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 text entities.
• The value must match the entity’s pattern, if one is set, and respect its minimum and maximum length. A value outside those limits is rejected.

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: show a welcome message when someone arrives

Set a text entity to a message whenever a person comes home, for example to update a display.

• Trigger: State: Person arrives home
• Action: Set text value
  • Target: Display message
  • Value: Welcome home

- alias: "Show a welcome message"
  triggers:
    - trigger: state
      entity_id: person.your_name
      to: "home"
  actions:
    - action: text.set_value
      target:
        entity_id: text.display_message
      data:
        value: "Welcome home"

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.