Input number

The Input number integrationIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more. [Learn more] lets you create a number helperA helper is a virtual entity you create inside Home Assistant. It is not backed by a physical device. Helpers store values, track state, or do calculations that your automations and dashboards need. [Learn more]: an entity that stores a numeric value you can set yourself. Because the value is not tied to a physical device, you can use it as an adjustable setting for your automations, scripts, and dashboards. For example, you can create a number helper for a target temperature, a brightness level, or a delay in minutes, then read or change that value from anywhere in Home Assistant.

On a dashboard, a number helper appears as a slider or a numeric input box, so you can adjust the value directly. Each time the value changes, Home Assistant records a new stateThe state holds the information of interest of an entity, for example, if a light is on or off. Each entity has exactly one state and the state only holds one value at a time. However, entities can store attributes related to that state such as brightness, color, or a unit of measurement. [Learn more], which you can use as a trigger or a condition in your automations. Your automations and scripts can also change the value, which makes a number helper a convenient way to share a setting between the UI and your automations.

Creating a number helper

1. Go to Settings > Devices & services > Helpers, and select Create helper.
2. Select Number.

YAML configuration

Input numbers can also be configured via configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more]:

# Example configuration.yaml entry
input_number:
  slider1:
    name: Slider
    initial: 30
    min: -20
    max: 35
    step: 1
  box1:
    name: Numeric Input Box
    initial: 30
    min: -20
    max: 35
    step: 1
    mode: box

List of actions

The Input number integrationIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more. [Learn more] provides the following actions. Each link below opens a dedicated page with examples, parameters, and a step-by-step UI walkthrough.

• Decrement input number (input_number.decrement) Decrements the value of an input number by 1 step.

• Increment input number (input_number.increment) Increments the value of an input number by 1 step.

• Reload input numbers (input_number.reload) Reloads the input number helpers from the YAML configuration.

• Set input number value (input_number.set_value) Sets the value of an input number.

For an overview of every action across all integrations, see the actions reference.

Restore state

If you set a valid value for initial this integration will start with the state set to that value. Otherwise, it will restore the state it had before Home Assistant stopping. initial is only available in a YAML configuration and not via the Home Assistant user interface.

Scenes

To set the value of an input_number in a Scene:

# Example configuration.yaml entry
scene:
  - name: Example Scene
    entities:
      input_number.example_number: 13

Automation examples

Here’s an example of input_number being used as a trigger in an automation.

# Example configuration.yaml entry using 'input_number' as a trigger in an automation
input_number:
  bedroom_brightness:
    name: Brightness
    initial: 254
    min: 0
    max: 254
    step: 1

automation:
  - alias: "Bedroom Light - Adjust Brightness"
    triggers:
      - trigger: state
        entity_id: input_number.bedroom_brightness
    actions:
      - action: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.bedroom
        data:
          brightness: "{{ trigger.to_state.state | int }}"

Another code example using input_number, this time being used in an action in an automation.

# Example configuration.yaml entry using 'input_number' in an action in an automation
input_select:
  scene_bedroom:
    name: Scene
    options:
      - Select
      - Concentrate
      - Energize
      - Reading
      - Relax
      - 'OFF'
    initial: "Select"

input_number:
  bedroom_brightness:
    name: Brightness
    initial: 254
    min: 0
    max: 254
    step: 1

automation:
  - alias: "Bedroom Light - Custom"
    triggers:
      - trigger: state
        entity_id: input_select.scene_bedroom
        to: "CUSTOM"
    actions:
      - action: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.bedroom
        data:
          brightness: "{{ states('input_number.bedroom_brightness') | int }}"

Example of input_number being used in a bidirectional manner, both being set by and controlled by an MQTT action in an automation.

# Example configuration.yaml entry using 'input_number' in an action in an automation
input_number:
  target_temp:
    name: Target Heater Temperature Slider
    min: 1
    max: 30
    step: 1
    unit_of_measurement: step  
    icon: mdi:target

# This automation script runs when a value is received via MQTT on retained topic: setTemperature
# It sets the value slider on the GUI. This slides also had its own automation when the value is changed.
automation:
  - alias: "Set temp slider"
    triggers:
      - trigger: mqtt
        topic: "setTemperature"
    actions:
      - action: input_number.set_value
        target:
          entity_id: input_number.target_temp
        data:
          value: "{{ trigger.payload }}"

# This second automation script runs when the target temperature slider is moved.
# It publishes its value to the same MQTT topic it is also subscribed to.
  - alias: "Temp slider moved"
    triggers:
      - trigger: state
        entity_id: input_number.target_temp
    actions:
      - action: mqtt.publish
        data:
          topic: "setTemperature"
          retain: true
          payload: "{{ states('input_number.target_temp') | int }}"

Here’s an example of input_number being used as a delay in an automation.

# Example configuration.yaml entry using 'input_number' as a delay in an automation
input_number:
  minutes:
    name: minutes
    icon: mdi:clock-start
    initial: 3
    min: 0
    max: 6
    step: 1
    
  seconds:
    name: seconds
    icon: mdi:clock-start
    initial: 30
    min: 0
    max: 59
    step: 10
    
automation:
  - alias: "turn something off after x time after turning it on"
    triggers:
      - trigger: state
        entity_id: switch.something
        to: "on"
    actions:
      - delay: "00:{{ states('input_number.minutes') | int }}:{{ states('input_number.seconds') | int }}"
      - action: switch.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: switch.something

Troubleshooting

The Number helper option is missing from the user interface

Symptom

When you go to Settings > Devices & services > Helpers to add a helper, the Number option is not listed.

Description

Number helpers are provided through default_config:, which is part of your configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more] by default. If you removed default_config:, the option is no longer available.

Resolution

1. Add input_number: to your configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more].
2. Restart Home Assistant.
3. After the restart, create your number helpers from the user interface.