---
title: "MQTT Camera"
description: "Instructions on how to use an MQTT image message as a Camera within Home Assistant."
ha_category:
  - Camera
ha_release: 0.43
ha_iot_class: Configurable
ha_domain: mqtt
---

The `mqtt` camera platform allows you to integrate the content of an image file sent through MQTT into Home Assistant as a camera. Every time a message under the `topic` in the configuration is received, the image displayed in Home Assistant will also be updated.

This can be used with an application or a service capable of sending images through MQTT.

## Configuration

To enable this camera in your installation, add the following to your `configuration.yaml` file:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
camera:
  - platform: mqtt
    topic: zanzito/shared_locations/my-device
```

{% configuration %}
availability:
  description: A list of MQTT topics subscribed to receive availability (online/offline) updates. Must not be used together with `availability_topic`.
  required: false
  type: list
  keys:
    payload_available:
      description: The payload that represents the available state.
      required: false
      type: string
      default: online
    payload_not_available:
      description: The payload that represents the unavailable state.
      required: false
      type: string
      default: offline
    topic:
      description: An MQTT topic subscribed to receive availability (online/offline) updates.
      required: true
      type: string
availability_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic subscribed to receive availability (online/offline) updates. Must not be used together with `availability`.
  required: false
  type: string
device:
  description: "Information about the device this camera is a part of to tie it into the [device registry](https://developers.home-assistant.io/docs/en/device_registry_index.html). Only works through [MQTT discovery](/docs/mqtt/discovery/) and when [`unique_id`](#unique_id) is set."
  required: false
  type: map
  keys:
    connections:
      description: 'A list of connections of the device to the outside world as a list of tuples `[connection_type, connection_identifier]`. For example the MAC address of a network interface: `"connections": ["mac", "02:5b:26:a8:dc:12"]`.'
      required: false
      type: list
    identifiers:
      description: 'A list of IDs that uniquely identify the device. For example a serial number.'
      required: false
      type: [list, string]
    manufacturer:
      description: The manufacturer of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    model:
      description: The model of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    name:
      description: The name of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    sw_version:
      description: The firmware version of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    via_device:
      description: 'Identifier of a device that routes messages between this device and Home Assistant. Examples of such devices are hubs, or parent devices of a sub-device. This is used to show device topology in Home Assistant.'
      required: false
      type: string
json_attributes_template:
  description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#processing-incoming-data) to extract the JSON dictionary from messages received on the `json_attributes_topic`."
  required: false
  type: template
json_attributes_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic subscribed to receive a JSON dictionary payload and then set as sensor attributes. Implies `force_update` of the current sensor state when a message is received on this topic.
  required: false
  type: string
name:
  description: The name of the camera.
  required: false
  type: string
topic:
  description: The MQTT topic to subscribe to.
  required: true
  type: string
unique_id:
  description: An ID that uniquely identifies this camera. If two cameras have the same unique ID Home Assistant will raise an exception.
  required: false
  type: string
{% endconfiguration %}
