Lock is open

The Lock is open condition helps you check whether a lock is currently open. Use it when an automation should continue only while a door is still open, like leaving a light on or delaying another action until the door is closed again.

Labs

Requires the Purpose-specific triggers and conditions Labs preview feature. Enable it at Settings > System > Labs.

Using this condition from the user interface

If you prefer building automations visually, Home Assistant walks you through this condition step by step. You pick what to check, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To use this condition in an automation:

  1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
  2. Open an existing automation, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
  3. In the And if section, select Add condition.
  4. Select what you want to check. Under By target (see Targets), pick the area your lock is in, like your front door or garage entry. You can also select a floor, a device, a specific entity, or a label.
  5. From the conditions shown for that target, select Lock is open.
  6. Under Condition passes if (see Behavior), pick Any or All to control how the check behaves when multiple locks are targeted.
  7. Under For at least, set how long the lock must stay open before the condition passes.
  8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Condition passes if (Optional)

When multiple locks are targeted, controls how results combine. Pick Any to pass if at least one targeted lock is open, or All to pass only when every targeted lock is open.

For at least (Optional)

How long the lock must stay open before the condition passes.

Using this condition 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 condition as lock.is_open. A basic example looks like this:

ConditionConditions are an optional part of an automation that will prevent an action from firing if they are not met. [Learn more]
condition: lock.is_open
target:
  entity_id: lock.front_door

This passes when lock.front_door is currently open.

Options in YAML

YAML sometimes provides additional options for more complex use cases that are not available through the UI.

behavior string

When multiple locks are targeted, controls how results combine. Accepts all or any.

for time

How long the lock must stay open before the condition passes. Accepts a duration like 00:01:00 for one minute.

Targets of the condition

This condition requires a target. The target is the object that Home Assistant will check. You can point the condition 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 evaluate every matching lock entity behind that target.

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

You can also select different target types in one condition. For example, you can add a specific entity and an area as targets in the same condition to check both of them at once.

Behavior with multiple targets

When you target more than one entity (or select an area, floor, or label that contains several), the Condition passes if option controls how the results combine:

  • Any (default): the condition passes if at least one of the targeted entities matches. For example, if you check three smoke sensors and only one of them detects smoke, the condition still passes. This is useful for questions like “is there smoke anywhere in the house?”
  • All: the condition passes only when every targeted entity matches. For example, if you check the same three smoke sensors, the condition passes only once all three report cleared. This is useful for “is the entire house safe now?” checks, so your automation does not send an all-clear while one room still has a reading.

Good to know

  • Locks in the unavailable or unknown state are ignored when Home Assistant evaluates the condition.
  • Not every lock reports an open state. Use this condition only with locks that support open-state reporting.
  • To check for the secure state instead, use Lock is locked.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Go to Settings > Automations & scenes, open an automation, and add this condition. Trigger the automation with and without the condition met, and watch whether it continues or stops.

More examples

Real scenarios where this condition gates an automation. 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: keep the hallway light on while the front door is open

If the front door stays open while you carry things inside, it helps to keep the hallway lit. This automation checks every minute and turns the light on while the door remains open.

  • Trigger: Time pattern: Every 1 minute
  • Condition: Lock is open
  • Target: Front door lock
  • Condition passes if: Any
  • For at least: 00:00:10
  • Action: Turn on
YAML example for keeping a light on while the door is open
AutomationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more]
alias: "Keep the hallway light on while the door is open"
triggers:
  - trigger: time_pattern
    minutes: "/1"
conditions:
  - condition: lock.is_open
    target:
      entity_id: lock.front_door
    options:
      behavior: any
      for: "00:00:10"
actions:
  - action: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.hallway

Automation: send a reminder if any patio door lock stays open

If you want a simple reminder before bed, check whether any patio door is still open. This automation runs at night and sends a message if any targeted patio lock has stayed open for 2 minutes.

  • Trigger: Time: 22:30
  • Condition: Lock is open
  • Target: Patio door locks (by label)
  • Condition passes if: Any
  • For at least: 00:02:00
  • Action: Send a notification via mobile_app_phone
YAML example for a patio door reminder
AutomationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more]
alias: "Remind me if a patio door is still open"
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "22:30:00"
conditions:
  - condition: lock.is_open
    target:
      label_id: patio_locks
    options:
      behavior: any
      for: "00:02:00"
actions:
  - action: notify.mobile_app_phone
    data:
      title: "Patio door still open"
      message: "A patio door has remained open for at least 2 minutes."

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the condition you’re using and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain conditions or suggest the right one when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related conditions

These conditions work well alongside this one: