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Home Assistant runs on your own hardware, and it can keep controlling compatible devices on your local network without an internet connection. You can choose whether to enable remote access; for most beginners, Home Assistant Cloud is the simplest route, while a VPN or self-managed network setup offers alternatives. To protect your setup, schedule encrypted backups, save the emergency-kit key, and keep a copy somewhere other than the Home Assistant device.
Is Home Assistant local or cloud-based?
Home Assistant is primarily a system you run on your own hardware. Its official FAQ says it stores data locally and describes privacy as a founding principle. A cloud service is optional: it can add features such as remote access, voice assistants, and off-site backup, but it is not required for local control.
That distinction matters when planning for an internet outage. If Home Assistant and the relevant devices are on your home network and communicate over a supported local protocol, those automations and controls can continue to work even when the household internet connection is down. Cloud-dependent features, by contrast, may be unavailable while the connection is out.
Which local protocols can work without internet?
The Home Assistant FAQ names Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter, Thread, and ESPHome as technologies that do not need an internet connection. This does not mean every device using those technologies is guaranteed to work locally: the specific device, integration, and any required hub or coordinator still matter. Check whether the device communicates locally before relying on it during an outage.
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For Zigbee, a compatible coordinator, often a USB radio connected to the Home Assistant host, can provide the local link to devices. If that radio is replaced during a hardware move, the Zigbee network may need its own migration steps; restoring Home Assistant alone does not guarantee that every radio or device relationship transfers unchanged.
How do I back up Home Assistant?
Use the Backups page to create a manual backup or configure automatic backups. Home Assistant backups are compressed .tar archives and are encrypted by default. The encryption key in the emergency kit is essential: without the needed key, an encrypted backup cannot be restored.
Set up automatic backups
- In Home Assistant, open Settings > System > Backups.
- Choose Set up backups. Download the emergency kit and store it somewhere secure and accessible even if the Home Assistant host is unavailable.
- Choose the recommended schedule or customize which content is included and how many backups to retain.
- Confirm where backups will be stored. If you are logged in to Home Assistant Cloud, the recommended setup stores them on the system and in Home Assistant Cloud.
The recommended setup backs up everything daily except media, the share folder, and the local apps folder, and retains the last three backups. Those exclusions and the three-backup retention are recommended settings, not a guarantee that every installation has identical needs. If you rely on excluded content, decide how you will protect it separately or adjust the backup selection.
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What does a backup include?
On Home Assistant OS, a full backup includes the configuration, share, manually installed or created apps, SSL files, and media. You can also create a partial backup that selects only certain directories or apps. The contents differ for Home Assistant Container installations; they do not include all of the folders and apps covered by a Home Assistant OS backup.
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Before depending on a backup for disaster recovery, confirm that its scope matches your installation and what you need to recover. In particular, do not assume that an archive made from a Container installation contains the same operating-system-level content as one made from Home Assistant OS.
Where should I store Home Assistant backups?
Keep a convenient copy on the Home Assistant system, but do not make that the only copy. If the host is lost or damaged, a backup stored only on that host may be lost with it. Keep another copy on a different system or network storage, and ideally keep an off-site copy as well.
Home Assistant Cloud can store one encrypted backup file, with the documentation describing a maximum size of 5 GB. That is a product limit, not a promise of unlimited backup history. If your backup exceeds the limit or you need more than one cloud-stored file, arrange another storage location and retention plan.
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How do I restore a backup or move Home Assistant to new hardware?
A backup can restore a current system or help move Home Assistant to a new device. During onboarding on a new or reset device, upload a local backup or select a Home Assistant Cloud backup, choose what to restore, provide the emergency-kit key, and let Home Assistant reinstall the selected content.
Restore during onboarding
- Start onboarding on the new or reset Home Assistant device.
- Choose the option to restore from a backup, then upload a backup file or choose an available Home Assistant Cloud backup.
- Select the parts you want to restore and provide the required emergency-kit key.
- Wait while Home Assistant reinstalls and restores the selected content. Avoid interrupting the process while it is running.
Restore on an existing installation
On the current system, open Settings > System > Backups, select the backup, and use the restore option. Review the backup and selected content before confirming, especially if your intention is to recover only certain components rather than replace the current setup.
What changes when the hardware changes?
Reconnecting controllers and radios is part of a hardware migration, not just a software restore. Reattach the relevant USB devices and other controllers to the new host, then check that Home Assistant can see them. A different Zigbee radio requires Zigbee migration steps; a Home Assistant backup does not by itself move the physical radio or guarantee that its network is ready on the new host.
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Can I access Home Assistant remotely?
Yes. Local-network access is the default, and remote access is optional. Home Assistant Cloud is the easiest route for most people; a VPN, reverse proxy, or port forwarding can also provide access, but they require different amounts of setup and security care.
| Approach | Setup and use | Security and internet considerations | Cost and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant Cloud | Generates a remote URL and does not require opening a router port. | Traffic is encrypted automatically. Remote access still depends on internet connectivity. | Optional subscription; Home Assistant continues to work without it. It is the simplest choice for most beginners. |
| VPN | Connect to the VPN before accessing Home Assistant from outside the home. Tailscale and ZeroTier are examples mentioned in Home Assistant guidance. | Provides a secure connection without making Home Assistant directly reachable through a forwarded router port. The VPN connection must be established first. | Self-managed setup; costs and terms depend on the VPN service and are not specified here. Companion app sensors also need the VPN connection to update while you are away. |
| Reverse proxy | Requires configuring the proxy and setting Home Assistant to trust it through the HTTP-server settings. | Requires careful configuration and encrypted traffic. A proxy is not secure merely because it sits in front of Home Assistant. | More setup and maintenance than the beginner route; recurring costs are not specified. |
| Port forwarding | Creates a router rule that directs outside traffic to Home Assistant. | Exposes a router port to Home Assistant. A dynamic IP address or carrier-grade NAT (CG-NAT) can prevent reliable access; opening a port alone is not secure, and encryption is recommended. | Requires the most security care of these choices. Costs are not specified. |
The comparison is about the general setup described by Home Assistant, not a guarantee for every router, internet provider, VPN, or proxy. Exact compatibility and service features depend on your own network and the services you choose.
Which option should a beginner choose?
If you want remote access with the least network configuration, Home Assistant Cloud is the straightforward choice. If you prefer to manage the connection yourself, a VPN keeps access behind a connection you establish first. A reverse proxy or port forwarding can work for people comfortable managing network exposure, but both demand a more deliberate security setup.
What security settings should I use?
Protect the account and the way you connect from outside your home. Home Assistant’s security guidance recommends enabling multi-factor authentication, limiting administrator accounts, and using a secure remote-access method.
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- Enable multi-factor authentication for accounts that support it.
- Keep administrator access limited to the people who need it.
- Do not treat an open router port as a complete remote-access security plan; use encryption.
- If you use a manual installation with SSH, disable root login and use SSH keys, as the security guidance recommends.
- If a reverse proxy is involved, configure Home Assistant to trust that proxy through its HTTP-server settings.
Remote access and local control are separate decisions. You can keep Home Assistant available only on your home network, or add a remote method while leaving local device communication in place. Choose based on who needs access and how much networking you are prepared to maintain.
What should I check if a backup or remote connection does not work?
Start with the failure point rather than changing several settings at once. These checks address the main limitations described in Home Assistant’s setup guidance.
- A restore rejects an encrypted backup: locate the emergency kit and use the required key. The archive cannot be restored without it.
- A restore is missing content: check whether the backup was partial and whether the installation type affects its scope. Home Assistant OS and Container backups do not contain identical content.
- A backup is too large for Cloud storage: the documented Cloud limit is one encrypted backup file of up to 5 GB. Keep or create a suitable copy in another storage location.
- Remote access fails through a VPN: establish the VPN connection before trying to connect. For Companion app sensors to update away from home, the VPN connection is also needed.
- A forwarded port is unreliable: dynamic IP addresses and CG-NAT can interfere with reliable access. Reconsider whether a different access method better fits the network.
- A proxy connection is not accepted: verify the HTTP-server settings that tell Home Assistant to trust the reverse proxy.
- Devices are missing after a hardware move: reconnect the relevant radios and controllers, then check whether a different Zigbee radio needs a separate Zigbee migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Home Assistant Cloud keep all my backups forever?
No such unlimited-retention guarantee is established here. The documented Cloud storage described for backups is one encrypted file, up to 5 GB, so plan a separate copy and retention approach if you need more history.
How long does Home Assistant keep sensor history?
The default Recorder retention described in Home Assistant documentation is 10 days. That is a history-retention setting, not the recommended automatic-backup retention of three backups.
Will Home Assistant stop working if I cancel Cloud?
Home Assistant continues to work without the optional Cloud subscription. Features that rely on Cloud, such as Cloud-based remote access, may no longer be available, so choose another remote method if you still need access away from home.
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