Install update

Use this action to install an available update for a device or service, for example to update a light bulb’s firmware or an add-on at a time that suits you.

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 install an update 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 update you want to install.
6. From the actions shown for that target, select Install update.
7. Optionally, set a specific version or request a backup if your update supports them.
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 update.install. A basic example looks like this:

action: update.install
target:
  entity_id: update.my_light_bulb

This installs the latest available update for update.my_light_bulb.

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 update entity behind that target.

• Entity: one specific update entity, such as update.living_room.
• Device: every update entity that belongs to a device.
• Area: every update entity in a room or area.
• Floor: every update entity on a floor.
• Label: every update 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 update entities that support installing updates.
• The version and backup options only work if your update entity supports them. Check the documentation of the integration that provides the update.
• Even if you previously skipped an update, this action still installs the latest available version.

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: install an update in the evening if it is still available

Install an update at a quieter time, after checking that one is still available.

• Trigger: Time: 21:00
• Condition: Update is available
• Action: Install update
  • Target: Office router update

- alias: "Install an update during the evening if it is still available"
  triggers:
    - trigger: time
      at: "21:00:00"
  conditions:
    - condition: state
      entity_id: update.office_router_firmware
      state: "on"
  actions:
    - action: update.install
      target:
        entity_id: update.office_router_firmware

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:

• Skip update: Marks a currently available update as skipped.

• Clear skipped update: Removes the skipped version marker from an update.