---
title: Image Processing
description: Instructions on how to setup image processing with Home Assistant.
ha_release: 0.36
---

Image processing enables Home Assistant to process images from [cameras](/integrations/#camera). Only camera entities are supported as sources.

<div class='note'>

If you are running Home Assistant over SSL or from within a container, you will have to setup a base URL (`base_url`) inside the [http component](/integrations/http/).

</div>

## ALPR

ALPR entities have a vehicle counter attribute `vehicles` and all found plates are stored in the `plates` attribute.

The `found_plate` event is triggered after OpenALPR has found a new license plate.

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml automation entry
automation:
- alias: Open garage door
  trigger:
    platform: event
    event_type: image_processing.found_plate
    event_data:
      entity_id: openalpr.camera_garage_1
      plate: BE2183423
...
```

The following event attributes will be present (platform-dependent): `entity_id`, `plate`, `confidence`

## Face

Face entities have a face counter attribute `total_faces` and all face data is stored in the `faces` attribute.

The `detect_face` event is triggered after a Face entity has found a face.

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml automation entry
automation:
- alias: Known person in front of my door
  trigger:
    platform: event
    event_type: image_processing.detect_face
    event_data:
      entity_id: image_processing.door
      name: 'Hans Maier'
...
```

The following event attributes will be present (platform-dependent): `entity_id`, `name`, `confidence`, `age`, `gender`, `motion`, `glasses`

## scan_interval and Optimising Resources

Image processing integrations process the image from a camera at a fixed period given by the `scan_interval`. This leads to excessive processing if the image on the camera hasn't changed, as the default `scan_interval` is 10 seconds. You can override this by adding to your config `scan_interval: 10000` (setting the interval to 10,000 seconds), and then call the `image_processing.scan` service when you actually want to perform processing.

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml
sensor:
- platform: _AN_IMAGE_PROCESSING_PLATFORM_
  scan_interval: 10000
...
automation:
- alias: Scan for faces when motion detected
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: sensor.door_motion_sensor
      to: 'on'
  action:
    - service: image_processing.scan
      data:
        entity_id: image_processing.door
...
```