---
layout: page
title: "MQTT Device Tracker"
description: "Instructions on how to use MQTT to track devices in Home Assistant."
date: 2015-09-19 20:41
sidebar: true
comments: false
sharing: true
footer: true
logo: mqtt.png
ha_category: Presence Detection
ha_iot_class: depends
---


The `mqtt` device tracker platform allows you to detect presence by monitoring an MQTT topic for new locations. To use this platform, you specify a unique topic for each device.

To use this device tracker in your installation, add the following to your `configuration.yaml` file:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
device_tracker:
  - platform: mqtt
    devices:
      paulus_oneplus: 'location/paulus'
      annetherese_n4: 'location/annetherese'
```

{% configuration %}
devices:
  description: List of devices with their topic.
  required: true
  type: list
qos:
  description: The QoS level of the topic.
  required: false
  type: integer
{% endconfiguration %}

Example JSON you can publish to the topic (e.g., via mqtt.publish service):

```json
{
  "topic": "location/paulus",
  "payload": "home"
}
```
