---
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 `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-templates-with-the-mqtt-integration) 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-templates-with-the-mqtt-integration) 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_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
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
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-templates-with-the-mqtt-integration) 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"
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.
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: false
type: string
value_template:
description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#using-templates-with-the-mqtt-integration) 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 %}
<div class='note warning'>
Make sure that your topic matches exactly. `some-topic/` and `some-topic` are different topics.
</div>
## 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"
```