How to Create a Smart Welcome Home Automation in Home Assistant

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One of the most powerful features of Home Assistant is its ability to create intelligent presence detection automations. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to build a smart “Welcome Home” automation that triggers when you arrive, adjusting lights, climate, and more based on your preferences.

What You’ll Need

Before we begin, make sure you have:

  • Home Assistant installed and running (see our Getting Started guide)
  • Home Assistant Companion app installed on your phone
  • Smart devices to control (lights, thermostats, switches, etc.)

Recommended Devices

For this automation, I recommend these Home Assistant-compatible devices:

Step 1: Set Up Device Tracking

First, ensure your mobile device is being tracked by Home Assistant. The Companion app creates a device_tracker entity automatically when installed.

To verify, go to Developer Tools → States and search for device_tracker.your_phone_name. The state should show either home or not_home.

Step 2: Create the Automation

Navigate to Settings → Automations & Scenes → Create Automation.

Option 1: Using the UI (Easiest)

  1. Trigger: Select “State” trigger
    • Entity: device_tracker.your_phone_name
    • From: not_home
    • To: home
  2. Condition: (Optional) Add time-based condition
    • Only trigger after sunset or before sunrise
  3. Action: Add actions to control your devices
    • Turn on entry lights
    • Set thermostat to comfortable temperature
    • Send notification

Option 2: Using YAML (Advanced)

For more control, you can edit automations.yaml directly:

automation:
  - alias: "Welcome Home Automation"
    description: "Turn on lights and adjust climate when arriving home"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: device_tracker.your_phone_name
        from: "not_home"
        to: "home"
    condition:
      - condition: sun
        after: sunset
    action:
      - service: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.entry_lights
        data:
          brightness_pct: 80
          color_temp: 370
      - service: climate.set_temperature
        target:
          entity_id: climate.main_floor
        data:
          temperature: 72
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "Welcome home! Lights and climate adjusted."
          title: "Home Assistant"

Step 3: Add Smart Conditions

Make your automation even smarter by adding conditions:

  • Only trigger after sunset: No need to turn on lights during daytime
  • Check if anyone else is home: Skip the automation if family members are already there
  • Weather-based adjustments: Set different climate temperatures based on outdoor conditions

Step 4: Test Your Automation

Before relying on your automation, test it thoroughly:

  1. Use the “Run Actions” button in the automation editor
  2. Manually change your device tracker state in Developer Tools
  3. Actually leave and return home to test real-world behavior

Troubleshooting Tips

Automation Not Triggering?

  • Check that device tracking is enabled in the Companion app
  • Verify location permissions are granted on your phone
  • Review automation traces in Settings → Automations → [Your Automation] → Traces

Lights Not Responding?

  • Ensure your smart devices are online and connected
  • Test manual control through the Home Assistant UI
  • Check entity IDs match exactly (case-sensitive)

Taking It Further

Once you have the basic automation working, consider these enhancements:

  • Multi-user tracking: Create different welcome scenes for each family member
  • Context-aware actions: Different behaviors based on time of day, season, or calendar events
  • Voice announcements: Use a smart speaker to welcome you home
  • Security integration: Disarm security system when arriving

Recommended Products

To expand your presence detection and automation capabilities, check out these products:

Conclusion

Presence detection automations are just the beginning of what’s possible with Home Assistant. By combining device tracking with smart conditions and actions, you can create a truly intelligent home that responds to your daily routines.

Have questions about this automation or ideas for other Home Assistant tutorials? Drop a comment below!

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