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Home Assistant 2026.11 beta brings Matter camera entities and live video into the frontend, with two-way audio available as a Labs preview for supported cameras. The update also adds a built-in Marketplace and changes controls and behavior for several Matter devices. The public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, according to the report.
The Home Assistant 2026.11 beta adds frontend support for Matter cameras, bringing camera entities, snapshots and live video into the platform’s dashboard. It also introduces a Labs preview of two-way audio and makes the Home Assistant Community Store available as a built-in Marketplace, expanding what users can access without leaving the smart-home platform.
The camera support connects existing backend capabilities to Home Assistant’s main interface. With an updated Matter Server, compatible cameras can appear as standard camera entities, with snapshots and live feeds. The report says video streams use WebRTC between the browser and camera; the entity also reflects device state, including whether its privacy mode is enabled.
Two-way talk is a separate preview feature that users enable through the system’s Labs menu. A talk button then appears on supported live streams. At launch, the report identifies Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP as compatible. RTMP and FLV streams cannot carry the return audio described for the feature. Because browsers require a secure connection to access the microphone, talkback currently requires Home Assistant to be opened over HTTPS.
The release also brings the Home Assistant Community Store (HACS) into core as a Marketplace reachable from Settings. Users can browse, install and update custom integrations, dashboard cards and themes there. The report says existing HACS installations migrate automatically, but community projects remain maintained by their own developers and are not officially supported by Home Assistant.
Camera Feeds Reach the Dashboard
For Home Assistant users, the change shifts Matter camera support from a backend capability to something accessible in the everyday interface. Live feeds and snapshots can sit alongside other smart-home controls, while the talkback preview adds a way to speak through supported cameras or doorbells from a live stream. That may make compatible devices easier to use without relying on a separate camera app for those functions.
The limits matter: two-way audio is still a Labs preview, compatibility at launch is specific, and browser microphone access requires HTTPS. Users should not assume every Matter camera, stream type or Home Assistant access method will support talkback. The built-in Marketplace also lowers the friction of finding community add-ons, but it does not change who maintains or supports those projects.
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From Matter Server to Interface
The report describes the release as a bridge between a recent upgrade to the Matter.js server and Home Assistant’s main interface. Camera functions were already supported on the backend; 2026.11 exposes them to users through the frontend. That distinction explains why compatible camera hardware and an updated Matter Server are both relevant to the new experience.
Beyond cameras, the beta adjusts how several Matter device types behave. Climate entities now resume their last active heating or cooling mode when switched back on, rather than falling back to a default mode. The report warns that automations built around the old behavior may need changes to specify HVAC modes directly. Tilt-only window coverings now appear as tilt covers, and scripts or voice routines using standard open-and-close commands may need to be updated to use tilt actions.
Other listed changes include a reverse motor-direction switch for Matter window coverings, a travel-time mode selector for the WAGO Home Blind Control, a power-on color-temperature entity for lighting and support for Matter thermostat setpoint attributes. Matter air-quality sensors also use the unit reported by the device for specified gases and compounds, which can affect how existing sensor values or statistics appear.
“The update bridges the gap between the recent Matter.js server upgrade and the main Home Assistant interface.”
— Matter Alpha report
Compatibility and Beta Limits
The source does not provide a complete list of compatible Matter camera models or specify whether all camera features will be available across manufacturers. It also says the build is a beta, and cautions that features may not all be present in the beta if further work is needed before the final rollout.
Support for two-way talk in Home Assistant companion apps over HTTP is described as in development, with no delivery date given. The report also does not detail how the Marketplace catalog will be curated or what review standards apply. Users testing the update should account for possible changes before the final release and check whether their specific devices and automations are affected.
Public Release and App Support
The next scheduled milestone is the public Home Assistant 2026.11 release on Nov. 4, according to the source report. The beta is available through the beta channel for users who want to test the changes before that rollout. Beta availability does not establish that every described feature is already present or final.
Home Assistant users can also watch for further updates on companion-app support for talkback over HTTP, which the report says is in development. Before upgrading, users with climate automations or tilt-only coverings may want to check whether their scripts and routines depend on the previous mode or open-and-close behavior.
Key Questions
What camera features does Home Assistant 2026.11 add?
The beta exposes compatible Matter cameras as standard camera entities, with snapshots and live video feeds. The report says streams use WebRTC between the browser and camera and that the entity reflects device state, including privacy mode.
Which cameras can use two-way audio?
At launch, the report lists Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP. It says RTMP and FLV streams cannot carry return audio. The source does not provide a full model-by-model compatibility list.
Does two-way talk require HTTPS?
Yes, for browser use at present. The report says browsers require a secure connection for microphone access, so Home Assistant must be opened over HTTPS. Companion-app support over HTTP is in development, with no timeline stated.
When is Home Assistant 2026.11 due for public release?
The source report says the public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026. The version is available to test through the beta channel, but the report cautions that not every feature is guaranteed to appear in the beta build.
Will existing HACS installations keep working?
The report says existing HACS setups migrate automatically to the built-in Marketplace. Community integrations, cards and themes remain maintained by their respective developers and are not officially supported by Home Assistant.
Source: matteralpha.com
