---
title: "MQTT Switch"
description: "Instructions on how to integrate MQTT switches into Home Assistant."
ha_category:
  - Switch
ha_release: 0.7
ha_iot_class: Configurable
ha_domain: mqtt
---

The `mqtt` switch platform lets you control your MQTT enabled switches.

## Configuration

In an ideal scenario, the MQTT device will have a `state_topic` to publish state changes. If these messages are published with a `RETAIN` flag, the MQTT switch will receive an instant state update after subscription, and will start with the correct state. Otherwise, the initial state of the switch will be `unknown`. A MQTT device can reset the current state to `unknown` using a `None` payload.

When a `state_topic` is not available, the switch will work in optimistic mode. In this mode, the switch will immediately change state after every command. Otherwise, the switch will wait for state confirmation from the device (message from `state_topic`). The initial state is set to `False` / `off` in optimistic mode.

Optimistic mode can be forced, even if the `state_topic` is available. Try to enable it, if experiencing incorrect switch operation.

To enable this switch in your installation, add the following to your {% term "`configuration.yaml`" %} file:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
mqtt:
  - switch:
      command_topic: "home/bedroom/switch1/set"
```

{% 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
    value_template:
      description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-value-templates-with-mqtt) to extract device's availability from the `topic`. To determine the devices's availability result of this template will be compared to `payload_available` and `payload_not_available`."
      required: false
      type: template
availability_mode:
  description: When `availability` is configured, this controls the conditions needed to set the entity to `available`. Valid entries are `all`, `any`, and `latest`. If set to `all`, `payload_available` must be received on all configured availability topics before the entity is marked as online. If set to `any`, `payload_available` must be received on at least one configured availability topic before the entity is marked as online. If set to `latest`, the last `payload_available` or `payload_not_available` received on any configured availability topic controls the availability.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: latest
availability_template:
  description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-value-templates-with-mqtt) to extract device's availability from the `availability_topic`. To determine the devices's availability result of this template will be compared to `payload_available` and `payload_not_available`."
  required: false
  type: template
availability_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic subscribed to receive availability (online/offline) updates. Must not be used together with `availability`.
  required: false
  type: string
command_template:
  description: Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-command-templates-with-mqtt) to generate the payload to send to `command_topic`. The switch command template accepts the parameters `value`. The `value` parameter will contain the configured value for either `payload_on` or `payload_off`.
  required: false
  type: template
command_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic to publish commands to change the switch state.
  required: true
  type: string
device:
  description: "Information about the device this switch is a part of to tie it into the [device registry](https://developers.home-assistant.io/docs/en/device_registry_index.html). Only works when [`unique_id`](#unique_id) is set. At least one of identifiers or connections must be present to identify the device."
  required: false
  type: map
  keys:
    configuration_url:
      description: 'A link to the webpage that can manage the configuration of this device. Can be either an `http://`, `https://` or an internal `homeassistant://` URL.'
      required: false
      type: string
    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
    hw_version:
      description: The hardware version of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    identifiers:
      description: A list of IDs that uniquely identify the device. For example a serial number.
      required: false
      type: [string, list]
    manufacturer:
      description: The manufacturer of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    model:
      description: The model of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    model_id:
      description: The model identifier of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    name:
      description: The name of the device.
      required: false
      type: string
    serial_number:
      description: "The serial number of the device."
      required: false
      type: string
    suggested_area:
      description: 'Suggest an area if the device isn’t in one yet.'
      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
device_class:
  description: The [type/class](/integrations/switch/#device-class) of the switch to set the icon in the frontend. The `device_class` can be `null`.
  required: false
  type: device_class
enabled_by_default:
  description: Flag which defines if the entity should be enabled when first added.
  required: false
  type: boolean
  default: true
encoding:
  description: The encoding of the payloads received and published messages. Set to `""` to disable decoding of incoming payload.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: "utf-8"
entity_category:
  description: The [category](https://developers.home-assistant.io/docs/core/entity#generic-properties) of the entity.
  required: false
  type: string
entity_picture:
  description: "Picture URL for the entity."
  required: false
  type: string
icon:
  description: "[Icon](/docs/configuration/customizing-devices/#icon) for the entity."
  required: false
  type: icon
json_attributes_template:
  description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-value-templates-with-mqtt) to extract the JSON dictionary from messages received on the `json_attributes_topic`. Usage example can be found in [MQTT sensor](/integrations/sensor.mqtt/#json-attributes-template-configuration) documentation."
  required: false
  type: template
json_attributes_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic subscribed to receive a JSON dictionary payload and then set as sensor attributes. Usage example can be found in [MQTT sensor](/integrations/sensor.mqtt/#json-attributes-topic-configuration) documentation.
  required: false
  type: string
name:
  description: The name to use when displaying this switch. Can be set to `null` if only the device name is relevant.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: MQTT Switch
object_id:
  description: Used instead of `name` for automatic generation of `entity_id`
  required: false
  type: string
optimistic:
  description: Flag that defines if switch works in optimistic mode.
  required: false
  type: boolean
  default: "`true` if no `state_topic` defined, else `false`."
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
payload_off:
  description: The payload that represents `off` state. If specified, will be used for both comparing to the value in the `state_topic` (see `value_template` and `state_off` for details) and sending as `off` command to the `command_topic`.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: "OFF"
payload_on:
  description: The payload that represents `on` state. If specified, will be used for both comparing to the value in the `state_topic` (see `value_template` and `state_on`  for details) and sending as `on` command to the `command_topic`.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: "ON"
platform:
  description: Must be `switch`. Only allowed and required in [MQTT auto discovery device messages](/integrations/mqtt/#device-discovery-payload).
  required: true
  type: string
qos:
  description: The maximum QoS level to be used when receiving and publishing messages.
  required: false
  type: integer
  default: 0
retain:
  description: If the published message should have the retain flag on or not.
  required: false
  type: boolean
  default: false
state_off:
  description: The payload that represents the `off` state. Used when value that represents `off` state in the `state_topic` is different from value that should be sent to the `command_topic` to turn the device `off`.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: "`payload_off` if defined, else `OFF`"
state_on:
  description: The payload that represents the `on` state. Used when value that represents `on` state in the `state_topic` is different from value that should be sent to the `command_topic` to turn the device `on`.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: "`payload_on` if defined, else `ON`"
state_topic:
  description: The MQTT topic subscribed to receive state updates. A "None" payload resets to an `unknown` state. An empty payload is ignored.By default, valid state payloads are `OFF` and `ON`. The accepted payloads can be overridden with the `payload_off` and `payload_on` config options.
  required: false
  type: string
unique_id:
  description: An ID that uniquely identifies this switch device. If two switches have the same unique ID, Home Assistant will raise an exception. Required when used with device-based discovery.
  required: false
  type: string
value_template:
  description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-value-templates-with-mqtt) to extract device's state from the `state_topic`. To determine the switches's state result of this template will be compared to `state_on` and `state_off`."
  required: false
  type: template
{% endconfiguration %}

{% important %}
Make sure that your topic matches exactly. `some-topic/` and `some-topic` are different topics.
{% endimportant %}

## Examples

In this section, you will find some real-life examples of how to use this sensor.

### Full configuration

The example below shows a full configuration for a switch.

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
mqtt:
  - switch:
      unique_id: bedroom_switch
      name: "Bedroom Switch"
      state_topic: "home/bedroom/switch1"
      command_topic: "home/bedroom/switch1/set"
      availability:
        - topic: "home/bedroom/switch1/available"
      payload_on: "ON"
      payload_off: "OFF"
      state_on: "ON"
      state_off: "OFF"
      optimistic: false
      qos: 0
      retain: true
```

For a check, you can use the command line tools `mosquitto_pub` shipped with `mosquitto` to send MQTT messages. This allows you to operate your switch manually. First, we can simulate the availability message sent for the switch:

```bash
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -t home/bedroom/switch1/available -m "online"
```

We can simulate the switch being turned on by publishing the `ON` command message:

```bash
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -t home/bedroom/switch1/set -m "ON"
```

Finally, we can simulate the switch reporting back the changed state to Home Assistant:

```bash
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -t home/bedroom/switch1 -m "ON"
```

### Set the state of a device with ESPEasy

Assuming that you have flashed your ESP8266 unit with [ESPEasy](https://github.com/letscontrolit/ESPEasy). Under "Config" is a name ("Unit Name:") set for your device (here it's "bathroom"). A configuration for a "Controller" for MQTT with the protocol "OpenHAB MQTT" is present and the entries ("Controller Subscribe:" and "Controller Publish:") are adjusted to match your needs. In this example, the topics are prefixed with "home". There is no further configuration needed as the [GPIOs](https://espeasy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Controller/C005.html) can be controlled with MQTT directly.

Manually you can set pin 13 to high with `mosquitto_pub` or another MQTT tool:

```bash
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -t home/bathroom/gpio/13 -m "1"
```

The configuration will look like the example below:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
mqtt:
  - switch:
      name: bathroom
      state_topic: "home/bathroom/gpio/13"
      command_topic: "home/bathroom/gpio/13"
      payload_on: "1"
      payload_off: "0"
```