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Choose a tablet if you want a fixed, shared Home Assistant control panel; choose a phone if you mainly want personal control while moving around or away from home. The right choice depends less on a model or screen-size rule—none is established in the official guidance cited here—and more on placement, kiosk behavior, supported software, power, and network access.
Start with where and how you will use the dashboard
| Consideration | A phone is a better fit when… | A tablet is a better fit when… |
|---|---|---|
| Placement | You carry it and open the dashboard when needed. | It will stay in a visible spot, such as a wall, kitchen, or bedside table. |
| Who uses it | It is mainly for your own controls. | Household members need a shared, glanceable touch panel. |
| Kiosk behavior | You do not need a dedicated, always-visible display. | You want it to open a selected dashboard and remain available as a panel. |
| Power and installation | Ordinary mobile charging meets your needs. | You can plan charging, cable routing, heat, mounting, and access to device controls. |
| Connectivity | You need to use Home Assistant both at home and away. | It will usually stay on your home network; remote access is optional. |
A tablet is the natural starting point for a dedicated household display, while a phone is convenient for personal, portable access. These are use-case recommendations, not a claim that one category performs better. The official guidance does not set a minimum screen size, processor, memory, or battery-life threshold.
Check the kiosk options for your platform
iPhone and iPad: Home Assistant Kiosk mode
Home Assistant’s native iOS Kiosk mode is intended for dedicated displays, including wall-mounted tablets, kitchen displays, and bedside panels. Its documented requirements are iOS or iPadOS 2026.7.0 or later, the Home Assistant Companion App, and the Kiosk mode Labs feature. Hiding sidebar and top-bar controls also requires a frontend version that supports kiosk mode. See the iOS Kiosk mode documentation.
The feature can select a server and dashboard, keep the screen awake, reload periodically, and show a screensaver. It changes behavior inside the Home Assistant app; it does not prevent someone from leaving the app. If you need to lock the device to one app, use Apple’s Guided Access separately.
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iPhone and iPad: Kiosker
Kiosker is a separate iOS kiosk-app option with a Home Assistant integration. Home Assistant documents a requirement for Kiosker Pro or a valid subscription, and Kiosker version 26.4.1 or later for full integration functionality. The integration cannot control physical device functions such as the screen or sleep behavior. Check the current Kiosker integration requirements before choosing this route.
Android: Home Assistant launcher
The Home Assistant Companion App can be set as Android’s default home app. That makes the device open Home Assistant as its launcher, a straightforward route for a dedicated control panel. Follow the Android Home App launcher documentation for the setup details.
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Android: Fully Kiosk Browser
Fully Kiosk Browser is an alternative Android kiosk browser, not a requirement for displaying a dashboard. Home Assistant’s integration uses Fully Remote Admin, which requires the paid Fully Plus license; a free trial is available with a watermark. Review the Fully Kiosk Browser integration page if you need its remote-administration features.
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The device needs a working route to your Home Assistant server. A panel used only at home has different needs from a phone that must also connect away from home. Home Assistant’s Companion App networking guide explains local addresses, remote access, dynamic DNS, and split DNS considerations; your use case determines which setup is appropriate.
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Do not treat an unencrypted public connection as a safe default. The Companion App’s security documentation says that, beginning with version 2025.11, users may be asked to choose a security level when their setup has an unencrypted HTTP URL. It warns that selecting “Less secure” may expose credentials when connecting over a public network. Review the connection security level guidance when setting up access.
Make sure the chosen dashboard works as a kiosk
Hiding app controls can make a panel cleaner, but it can also remove controls people expect. For example, Home Assistant says the top-right Assist icon is inaccessible in kiosk mode; its documented workaround is to add a dashboard button to start Assist. See Starting Assist from your dashboard.
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Before mounting a device permanently, try your actual dashboard on it. Include camera cards and custom cards if you use them, and check readability, touch targets, loading, and the controls household members need. This is a practical compatibility check, not a published hardware benchmark.
Check operating-system support, especially on older devices
In a July 7, 2026 announcement, Home Assistant said Companion App 2026.8.0 would end support for iOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS 11; 2026.7.1 was identified as the final supported version for those platforms. The announcement said iOS Companion App support would require iOS 16.4 or later after the change and noted that the Home Assistant frontend remains accessible in a device browser. This is an app-support statement, not a guarantee that an older device will render your dashboard well. Check the Home Assistant announcement and the candidate device’s current software support before repurposing it.
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Use this final decision checklist
- Choose a phone for portable, personal control when you do not need a dedicated display.
- Choose a tablet for a fixed, shared panel if its placement, charging, and installation are practical.
- Confirm the operating system and kiosk method meet their documented requirements.
- Decide whether the device needs local-only access or secure remote access as well.
- Test the actual dashboard and any camera or custom cards before committing to a mount or permanent setup.
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