Infrared proxy in Home Assistant

Home Assistant 2026.4+ Local signal

Home Assistant 2026.4 made infrared control a shared part of the platform. A small IR proxy can send commands to an existing TV, soundbar, or air conditioner without giving the appliance Wi-Fi or a cloud account.

A complete setup has three parts: an IR transmitter, the integration that connects it to Home Assistant, and a device-specific integration that knows the appliance’s commands.

Home Assistant → device integration → infrared entity → IR proxy → appliance

Infrared is usually one-way

A normal IR signal does not tell Home Assistant whether the appliance received the command. Many integrations must therefore use an assumed state. Add a separate power sensor or a proper network integration when reliable feedback matters.

What can you control?

Common candidates include:

• TVs and projectors;
• soundbars, receivers, and active speakers;
• fans;
• air conditioners and heat pumps with handheld IR remotes;
• older media equipment.

Home Assistant’s shared infrared layer is not a database of every remote. There still needs to be an integration that supports the appliance or a documented path for learning and transmitting the required codes.

Choose a proxy

Solution	Advantage	Watch for
ESPHome Ready-Made IR Proxy	Local, open, and adoptable in ESPHome	Requires compatible hardware and line of sight
Broadlink RM with official integration	Finished enclosure and learned commands	Features vary by model
Another supported IR adapter	May fit equipment you already own	Confirm it creates an infrared entity

Home Assistant and ESPHome use the Seeed Studio XIAO IR Mate as a ready-made example. Do not buy on product name alone; check the current compatibility list and the device-specific integration first.

Place it before configuring it

Infrared light normally does not travel through walls or closed cabinets.

• Give the transmitter a clear path to the appliance’s IR receiver.
• Do not hide it behind a TV unless its angle still reaches the receiver.
• Start testing at short range.
• Strong sunlight and some light sources can reduce reliability.
• Use separate proxies for appliances in different rooms.

A stronger transmitter cannot fix a physically blocked signal. Move the proxy and test again before changing software.

Set up an ESPHome IR proxy

1. Check the hardware and device integration

   Confirm the exact proxy board is supported and Home Assistant has an infrared integration for the appliance you want to control.

2. Flash the ready-made project

   Connect the board with a data cable and open ESPHome’s official Ready-Made Projects in a supported browser. Select the exact board.

3. Add network details

   Enter Wi-Fi details and wait for the device to come online. Home Assistant should then discover it as an ESPHome device.

4. Adopt it in ESPHome

   Adopt the configuration if you want to own and update its YAML. Save the working default before adding custom components.

5. Check the infrared entity

   Open the proxy device page. Confirm the transmitter is available and Settings → Infrared shows the adapter online.

6. Add the appliance integration

   Add the supported TV, speaker, or appliance integration. When setup asks for an IR transmitter, select the proxy’s infrared entity.

Verify a real command

Test one unambiguous command:

1. Point the proxy at the appliance from a short distance.
2. Send Volume up, a navigation command, or a discrete power command.
3. Watch the appliance respond physically.
4. Move the proxy to its intended position.
5. Repeat the test at least five times.
6. Check Activity and the last infrared transmission time.

Avoid using a toggle as the only test. A Power toggle can leave Home Assistant’s assumed state out of sync when a command is missed or someone uses the physical remote.

Automate carefully

Good first automations include:

• select a known TV input as part of a scene;
• turn off a media appliance at bedtime;
• lower volume at a set time;
• start an air conditioner when a separate temperature sensor crosses a limit.

Heating and cooling need independent temperature measurement and a safe stop path. Sending an IR command does not prove the appliance started.

Learned commands and codes

Some adapter integrations, including supported Broadlink devices, can learn a command from the physical remote and play it back. Give commands stable names and document:

• appliance and model;
• function;
• selected adapter and room;
• whether it is discrete or a toggle;
• how the physical result is verified.

Do not send random codes from the internet without confirming protocol and model. An incorrect code may invoke an unexpected service function.

Troubleshooting

The adapter does not appear under Infrared

Confirm the proxy integration is loaded, its firmware supports the infrared entity, and the device is online. A normal remote entity is not necessarily the new infrared building block.

Home Assistant sends but nothing happens

Test at short range with clear line of sight. Check appliance model, selected transmitter, and IR LED direction. A transmission timestamp only shows that Home Assistant attempted to send.

The displayed state is wrong

That is expected with one-way control and toggle commands. Use discrete commands where available or add independent feedback such as power measurement.

Several rooms are unreliable

IR does not travel through walls. Use one well-placed proxy per room or appliance group instead of increasing transmit power without evidence.

ESPHome foundation

Read ESPHome Advanced before changing the proxy configuration.

Home media

Continue with media and entertainment.

Official sources

• Infrared in Home Assistant
• Home Assistant 2026.4: Infrared never left the chat
• ESPHome Ready-Made Projects
• Broadlink integration