2026.10.1
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Sun

The Sun condition checks whether the current time is before or after sunrise or sunset. You can move these times earlier or later with an offset. For example, the condition can pass from one hour before sunset.

This is an older condition. When you select Add condition, it isn’t in the list anymore, but automations that use it keep working. For new automations, use the conditions in the Sun group, such as Sun is up or Sun elevation. This page helps you read and change automations that already use the Sun condition.

Choosing a sun condition for new automations

For new automations, use these conditions instead:

  • During the day, from sunrise until sunset: Sun is up
  • During the night, from sunset until sunrise: Sun is set
  • Around sunrise or sunset, instead of an offset: Sun elevation
    • An angle follows the light outside through the seasons better than a fixed offset in time.
  • From sunset until midnight: Sun is set, together with a Time condition with After set to 12:00
    • This works wherever the sun rises before 12:00 and sets after 12:00.
  • From midnight until sunrise: Sun is set, together with a Time condition with Before set to 12:00
    • This works wherever the sun rises before 12:00 and sets after 12:00.

Editing this condition in the UI

When you open an automation that uses the Sun condition, the editor shows its options:

Condition type (Required)

Whether the condition checks the time before an event, after an event, or between two events.
After (Optional)

For After and Between. The condition passes from this event on. Select Sunrise or Sunset.
After offset (Optional)

Moves the After time. By default, there is no offset. A positive duration makes the time later, and a negative duration makes it earlier.
Before (Optional)

For Before and Between. The condition passes until this event. Select Sunrise or Sunset.
Before offset (Optional)

Moves the Before time. By default, there is no offset. A positive duration makes the time later, and a negative duration makes it earlier.

To switch to a newer condition, delete the Sun condition, then add one from the Sun group.

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, the condition uses condition: sun. A basic example looks like this:

ConditionConditions check whether something is true at that moment, for example, whether a door is closed. You can use them in automations and scripts. If a condition is not met, the actions that come after it in the same sequence do not run. At the top level of an automation or script, this stops the automation or script. [Learn more] 
condition: sun
after: sunset
after_offset: "-01:00:00"

This passes from one hour before sunset until midnight.

Options in YAML

The options in YAML are the same as in the UI. Instead of Condition type, you set before, after, or both.

condition string Required

The condition type. For this condition, use sun.

after string (Optional)

The event from which the condition passes. Use sunrise or sunset. You must set after, before, or both.

after_offset string | integer | map (Optional, default: 00:00:00)

Moves the after time. Use HH:MM:SS, a number of seconds, or a duration with days, hours, minutes, and seconds. A negative value makes the time earlier, for example, "-01:00:00".

before string (Optional)

The event until which the condition passes. Use sunrise or sunset. You must set after, before, or both.

before_offset string | integer | map (Optional, default: 00:00:00)

Moves the before time. Use the same formats as for after_offset.

Good to know

  • The condition uses the sunrise and sunset of the current day. The day starts and ends at midnight.
    • If only Before is set, the condition passes from midnight until that time.
    • If only After is set, the condition passes from that time until midnight.
  • With After set to sunrise and Before set to sunset, the condition passes during the day.
  • With After set to sunset and Before set to sunrise, the condition passes during the night. In this combination, it passes from sunset until midnight, and from midnight until sunrise.
  • The following chart shows when each combination passes. In this example, sunrise is at 06:00, and sunset is at 18:00. The green areas show when the condition passes. Chart that shows when the sun conditions pass, with sunrise at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00
  • Near the poles, there are days without a sunrise or a sunset. On those days, a condition that uses the missing event doesn’t pass. Sun is up and Sun elevation work on those days too.

Examples

These examples show automations that use the Sun condition, and what to use instead in a new automation.

Automation: turn on the porch light at night when there is motion

When the porch motion sensor detects motion, this automation turns on the porch light, but only between sunset and sunrise.

  • Trigger: State changed
    • Entity: Porch motion (binary_sensor.porch_motion)
    • To: Detected
  • Condition: Sun
    • Condition type: Between
    • After: Sunset
    • Before: Sunrise
  • Action: Turn on light
    • Target: Porch light (light.porch)

In a new automation, use Sun is set instead.

YAML example for a porch light at night
AutomationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more] 
alias: "Porch light on motion at night"
triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.porch_motion
    to: "on"
conditions:
  - condition: sun
    after: sunset
    before: sunrise
actions:
  - action: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.porch

Automation: open the blinds at 07:00, but only after sunrise

At 07:00, this automation opens the bedroom blinds, but only if the sun rose at least 30 minutes ago. In winter, when the sun rises later, the automation doesn’t open the blinds.

  • Trigger: Time
    • At time: 07:00:00
  • Condition: Sun
    • Condition type: After
    • After: Sunrise
    • After offset: 00:30:00
  • Action: Open cover
    • Target: Bedroom blinds (cover.bedroom_blinds)

In a new automation, use Sun elevation instead. Pick an angle that matches the light you want, for example, above 5°. The time when the sun reaches that angle changes with the seasons. If you need exactly 30 minutes after sunrise, keep the Sun condition in YAML.

YAML example for opening the blinds after sunrise
AutomationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more] 
alias: "Open the blinds after sunrise"
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "07:00:00"
conditions:
  - condition: sun
    after: sunrise
    after_offset: "00:30:00"
actions:
  - action: cover.open_cover
    target:
      entity_id: cover.bedroom_blinds

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.

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