2026.4.1
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Wrap text at a line width: wordwrap

The wordwrap filter inserts line breaks into a string so that each line is no longer than the specified width. By default, it wraps at word boundaries so words are not split. This is useful when you need to format long text for display in contexts that do not automatically wrap, such as fixed-width notification templates or text-based displays. For example, you might wrap a long status message to a specific width for a text-only notification.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

As a filter 
{{ "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" | wordwrap(20) }}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
The quick brown fox
jumps over the lazy
dog

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically. Function parameters without a default are required.

wordwrap(
    value: str,
    width: int = 79,
    break_long_words: bool = True,
    break_on_hyphens: bool = True,
    wrapstring: str | None = None,
) -> str

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this function.

value string Required

The string to wrap.

width integer (Optional, default: 79)

The maximum number of characters per line. Defaults to 79.

break_long_words boolean (Optional, default: true)

If true, words longer than the width will be broken. If false, long words are kept intact and may exceed the width. Defaults to true.

break_on_hyphens boolean (Optional, default: true)

If true, wrapping can occur at hyphens in compound words. Defaults to true.

wrapstring string (Optional)

The string to use for line breaks. Defaults to a newline character.

Using a custom wrap string

Use an HTML <br> tag instead of a newline for wrapping in HTML contexts.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more]: Wrap with HTML line breaks 
{{
  "A long message that needs wrapping for HTML display"
  | wordwrap(25, wrapstring="<br>")
}}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
A long message that needs<br>wrapping for HTML<br>display

Good to know

  • Existing newlines in the input are preserved and treated as paragraph breaks.
  • With break_long_words set to false, words longer than the width stay intact on their own line, potentially exceeding the target width.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own 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].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Format a notification for a text display

Wrap a message so it fits within a fixed-width display.

TemplateA template is an automation definition that can include variables for the action or data from the trigger values. This allows automations to generate dynamic actions. [Learn more] 
{{ states("sensor.daily_summary") | wordwrap(40) }}
Result (stringA piece of text, like a name, message, or entity ID. In templates, wrap strings in quotes, like "living_room" or "lights are on".) 
Today was sunny with a high of 28
degrees. Expected to cool down
overnight.

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain or fix templates when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one: