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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAn old Android phone can become a convenient, fixed control panel for a Home Assistant smart home. The phone runs the official Home Assistant Companion app as a dashboard and optional Android launcher; it does not replace the separate Home Assistant server that manages your setup. The steps below show how to check compatibility, connect the phone, and make it behave more like a dedicated wall panel.
What the old phone does—and what it doesn’t
The Companion app connects to an existing Home Assistant instance and displays its dashboard. That instance must be hosted elsewhere, such as on a device or server already running Home Assistant. The phone is a client and control interface, not a Home Assistant server in this documented setup. Home Assistant’s Android documentation describes the app’s role and capabilities.
Think of the result as a dedicated screen for controlling lights, climate, scenes, and other entities already exposed by your Home Assistant setup. The controls available depend on how you have configured Home Assistant.
Check whether the phone can run the app
Android support changes over time, so check the current Home Assistant app listing and try the specific handset before planning a permanent installation. Home Assistant’s developer documentation lists API level 21 as the app’s main target minimum, but a July 2025 project update said Android 5.0 and 5.1 would stop receiving app updates as dependencies raised the minimum to Android 6.0/API 23. The project reported that less than 0.3% of its installs were on versions below API 23; that figure describes Home Assistant installs, not Android users generally. Developer documentation · July 2025 Android app update
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- On the phone, open Android Settings and look for the device’s Android version. The exact menu wording varies by manufacturer.
- Check whether the official Home Assistant Companion app can be installed and updated on that device.
- Open the app and confirm that it can connect to your existing Home Assistant instance before mounting the phone.
Install and connect the Companion app
- Install the official Home Assistant Companion app from the app store available on the phone.
- Open it and follow the prompts to connect to your Home Assistant instance. After setup, the app takes you to that instance’s dashboard.
- If you want location-based automations to update while the app is in the background, grant the requested background location access. Home Assistant’s Android setup documentation specifies Location: Allow all the time and Nearby devices permissions for background location updates. These permissions are not required merely to view a dashboard. Companion app setup documentation
Make the phone open Home Assistant from the Home button
The Companion app can be set as Android’s default home app, so pressing Home returns to the Home Assistant dashboard and the app can reopen after a restart. This changes the phone’s home-screen experience: the usual app drawer is no longer in the Home-button flow, and Home and Back navigation behave differently.
- In the Home Assistant app, open Settings > Companion app > Device home screen.
- Enable Use as Home app (launcher).
- When Android asks for the default home app, select Home Assistant. If you need to choose later, use Android’s home-app settings; the exact path depends on the phone manufacturer and Android version.
To return to the normal Android launcher, change the default home app in Android settings. Keep in mind that a launcher-style setup makes ordinary phone functions less convenient to reach, so test navigation before fixing the handset in place. Home Assistant Companion documentation
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Prepare a dashboard for a fixed control panel
A wall panel works best when it opens directly to the controls needed in that room rather than a general-purpose dashboard. Create a focused dashboard, set it as the default for the phone’s Home Assistant user, and consider using a dedicated user account for the kiosk device. A separate account can keep the panel’s view and access distinct from your personal app session.
The Companion app also has a Keep screen on setting. Enable it if you want the display to stay awake while the phone is in use as a panel. A wall mount is optional; choose one that fits both the handset and the mounting surface. Home Assistant documents the wall-panel use case, but does not endorse a particular mount. Home Assistant Companion documentation
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Choose between the built-in launcher and Fully Kiosk Browser
For a straightforward Home Assistant dashboard, the official Companion app’s launcher is the simplest documented starting point. If you want more kiosk-oriented device monitoring and controls, Fully Kiosk Browser is an alternative Android app with a Home Assistant integration. The integration requires Fully Remote Admin, which in turn requires the paid Fully Plus license; the app can be tried free with a watermark. Check the current licensing terms before choosing it. Home Assistant Fully Kiosk integration documentation
| Option | Useful when | Device controls and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant Companion launcher | You mainly need a Home Assistant dashboard that opens from the Home button. | Supports setting the app as the default home app and keeping the screen on. The usual app drawer is absent from the Home-button flow, so returning to ordinary Android apps takes extra steps. Home Assistant documentation |
| Fully Kiosk Browser with Home Assistant integration | You also want kiosk-device monitoring or controls exposed in Home Assistant. | Provides sensors including plugged-in state, battery level, current page, available storage, and RAM; controls include brightness, screen on/off, screensaver, and app restart. Camera entity availability depends on motion detection being on. It does not report device volume or media playback status. Fully Remote Admin requires the paid Fully Plus license; free testing includes a watermark. Home Assistant integration documentation |
This is a feature-based choice, not a performance comparison: the cited documentation does not establish comparative latency, uptime, or reliability.
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Don’t confuse this with Google Home’s Android controls
Google’s built-in home controls are separate from the Home Assistant Companion launcher. Google says its home controls require Android 11 or later, while the home panel requires Android 14 or later. Google’s Hub Mode is available only on Pixel Tablets attached to a Charging Speaker Dock. Those requirements do not determine whether the Home Assistant Companion app can act as the phone’s launcher. Google Home controls documentation
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Before mounting the phone
- Confirm the app installs, connects to your Home Assistant instance, and opens the intended dashboard.
- Try the launcher and Android navigation changes before relying on the phone as a fixed panel.
- Choose a mount and power arrangement suited to the handset and installation location.
- Inspect the phone during use. The available documentation does not establish long-term charging safety, heat behavior, battery health, screen-burn-in risk, or reliability for a particular model.
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