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The Home Assistant 2026.11 beta adds frontend support for Matter cameras, including snapshots and live video, and a Labs preview of two-way audio. It also brings the Home Assistant Community Store into the core interface as a built-in Marketplace, alongside device-control changes and Matter fixes. The public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, according to the source report.
The Open Home Foundation has released the Home Assistant 2026.11 beta, adding support for Matter camera snapshots and live video in the Home Assistant interface, plus a Labs preview of two-way audio. The update also incorporates the Home Assistant Community Store (HACS) as a built-in Marketplace, bringing camera and community add-on features into the main platform.
With an updated Matter Server, compatible cameras can appear in Home Assistant as standard camera entities. Users can view snapshots and live streams, which run over WebRTC between the browser and camera. The entity also reflects device state, including whether the camera’s privacy mode is enabled. The change connects camera functions already supported by the Matter.js server to Home Assistant’s main interface.
Two-way audio is an optional Labs preview, not a general feature enabled by default. Once switched on in system settings, a talk button appears on supported live streams. At launch, the feature works with Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured through RTSP; RTMP and FLV streams cannot carry return audio. The source report says Home Assistant must be accessed over HTTPS for microphone access in a browser. Companion-app support over HTTP is in development.
The beta also makes the HACS Marketplace accessible from Settings, where users can browse, install and update community integrations, dashboard cards and themes. The report says existing HACS setups migrate automatically. Community projects remain maintained by their own developers and are not officially supported by Home Assistant. Other changes cover climate modes, tilt-only blinds, lighting controls, air-quality sensor units and Matter network maps.
Matter Cameras Reach the Dashboard
Making Matter camera features available as regular Home Assistant entities could make compatible cameras easier to use alongside other smart-home devices. Users can see live video in the dashboard and, with supported hardware and the Labs preview enabled, speak through a camera or doorbell without relying on a separate camera interface. The HTTPS requirement and limited stream compatibility mean the feature will not work the same way in every setup.
The built-in Marketplace is a separate but related platform change: community integrations and interface additions become easier to find and manage from Home Assistant itself. That may reduce setup steps for users, but it does not change who supports those projects. The update’s device changes may also affect established configurations: climate automations and scripts for tilt-only covers may need revision to match the new behavior.
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From Matter Server to Home Assistant
According to Matter Alpha, the camera functions were already available in the Matter.js server, which underpins Home Assistant’s Matter integration. The 2026.11 beta’s change is to expose those capabilities through the frontend, where users can access them as camera entities. An updated Matter Server is required for compatible cameras to appear with the described features.
The report also describes changes to other Matter devices. Climate entities now resume their last active heating or cooling mode when switched back on, rather than defaulting to a mode that may not suit the user’s automation. Tilt-only covers now appear as tilt covers and use dedicated tilt actions, so scripts that use standard open and close commands may need updating. Matter air-quality sensors will use the measurement units reported by devices, with some existing entities requiring settings or statistics adjustments.
““Video streams run over WebRTC directly between your browser and the camera.””
— Matter Alpha report
Beta Limits and Compatibility
The release is a beta, and the source report cautions that some features may not be present in the beta build if they need more work before final rollout. It does not identify which features, if any, might be delayed. The final release could also differ from the beta.
The report does not provide a full list of compatible Matter cameras or hardware requirements beyond the need for an updated Matter Server. It also does not state when companion-app support for two-way talk over HTTP will arrive. Users should check device and integration compatibility before relying on the new camera or audio functions.
Public Release Set for Nov. 4
The source report says the public release is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, following the beta period. Home Assistant users can test the beta through the beta channel, but should expect changes before the final version and account for the possible need to update automations involving climate modes or tilt-only covers.
Further details to watch for include the final feature set, the range of supported cameras and any announcement on companion-app access to two-way audio. The report does not give a specific timetable for that companion-app work.
Key Questions
What camera features are new in Home Assistant 2026.11?
The beta exposes compatible Matter cameras as standard camera entities, with snapshots and live video over WebRTC when paired with an updated Matter Server.
How does two-way talk work?
It is a Labs preview that adds a talk button to supported live streams. The source report lists Matter cameras and Reolink cameras using RTSP, and says browser microphone access currently requires Home Assistant over HTTPS.
Does the update include HACS?
Yes. The HACS Marketplace is built into the core interface for browsing, installing and updating community integrations, dashboard cards and themes. Community projects remain maintained by their developers.
When is the full release expected?
The source report says the public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026. The beta is available to test beforehand, and its features may change before release.
Source: matteralpha.com
