Frequently asked questions

Do I need Home Assistant?

Yes. HAPanel shows your existing Home Assistant dashboard, which you point it at once during setup.

How does setup work?

On first power-up the panel makes its own Wi-Fi network. You join it from a phone or laptop, pick your home Wi-Fi, and point the panel at Home Assistant. It sorts out rotation, brightness and the rest from there.

Does it need an account or the cloud?

No. There is no account and no cloud sign-in. The panel talks to your Home Assistant on your own network. It only reaches out to download signed software updates and to report basic status so we can support it.

Is there a battery?

No. It runs from a single USB-C supply (not included), so there is nothing to charge or replace.

What can Home Assistant do with it?

With MQTT enabled the panel becomes a device in Home Assistant. You can set screen, brightness, volume, zoom and rotation, push it to any dashboard, play a sound, or show a doorbell camera, all from automations.

Does the microphone send audio anywhere?

No. The microphone stays entirely local. Its audio never leaves the panel.

Which size should I get?

The 7-inch is the compact one, good by a door or in a hallway. The 10-inch gives more dashboard at a glance and tends to live in the living room. Both run the identical software.