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The Open Home Foundation has released the Home Assistant 2026.11 beta, exposing compatible Matter cameras in the interface with snapshots and live video. The update also adds a Labs preview of two-way audio, brings HACS into the core platform as a Marketplace, and changes controls for several Matter devices.
The Open Home Foundation has released the Home Assistant 2026.11 beta, adding interface support for compatible Matter cameras and a Labs preview of two-way audio. The update also makes the Home Assistant Community Store available as a built-in Marketplace, expanding how users can access community integrations, dashboard cards and themes.
With an updated Matter Server, compatible cameras can appear in Home Assistant as standard camera entities, with snapshots and live video. The report says streams use WebRTC between the camera and the user’s browser, and the entity reflects hardware state such as whether the camera’s privacy mode is on. The camera capability was already available in the Matter.js server; this release brings it into Home Assistant’s main interface.
Two-way audio is a separate preview feature that users must enable from the Labs menu in system settings. A talk button appears on live streams. At launch, the feature supports Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP; RTMP and FLV streams do not carry return audio, according to the report. Using a browser currently requires opening Home Assistant over HTTPS to grant microphone access. Companion-app support over HTTP is in development.
Version 2026.11 also places HACS in the core platform as the built-in Marketplace, reachable from the main settings menu. The report says existing HACS setups migrate automatically. Community projects remain maintained by their individual developers and are not thereby officially supported by Home Assistant.
Camera Feeds Move Into Home Assistant
Bringing Matter camera feeds into the main interface gives users a way to view supported cameras alongside their other Home Assistant devices, rather than relying only on the backend’s Matter support. The preview talk control adds a path to speak through some cameras or doorbells from a live stream, though its protocol limits and HTTPS requirement mean it is not available in every setup.
The Marketplace change also affects users who install community-built extensions. Putting catalog browsing and installation inside Home Assistant may simplify access, while the distinction between inclusion in the Marketplace and official support remains important: project maintenance still rests with the community developers.
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From Matter Server to Dashboard
The update connects an earlier backend capability to the Home Assistant interface. The Matter.js server, which underpins the platform’s Matter integration, already supported camera functions; 2026.11 exposes those functions as entities that users can access through the frontend. The report describes this as the step that makes compatible cameras more practical to use within Home Assistant.
The release also changes how several Matter devices behave. Climate entities resume their last active heating or cooling mode when turned back on, rather than reverting to a default. Tilt-only window coverings are represented as tilt covers, with dedicated tilt actions; users may need to revise scripts, automations or voice routines that used standard open and close commands. Other listed additions include a reverse motor-direction switch for Matter coverings, lighting color-temperature controls and thermostat setpoint attributes.
Additional changes cover air-quality sensor units, bridged devices in the Matter network map and translated firmware release notes. The beta release is available for testing, with the source report listing Nov. 4, 2026 as the scheduled public release date.
““Video streams run over WebRTC directly between your browser and the camera.””
— Matter Alpha report
Compatibility and Beta Limits
The report does not identify which Matter camera models have been tested or provide a complete compatibility list. Support depends on a compatible camera and an updated Matter Server, and two-way audio is limited to the stated camera and stream types. The Reolink statement refers to main-powered cameras with speakers, but the report does not name specific models.
Because 2026.11 is still a beta, features may be absent or change before the public release. The report also does not give a date for companion-app talk support over HTTP. Users should check device behavior before changing existing automations, particularly those affected by the revised climate and tilt-cover controls.
Public Release Set for Nov. 4
The next milestone is the scheduled public release of Home Assistant 2026.11 on Nov. 4, 2026, following the beta period. The source report cautions that not every feature is guaranteed to be present in the beta build, so availability in the final release should be checked against the published release details.
For users testing the beta, the practical next steps are to confirm camera compatibility, use HTTPS for browser-based talk, and review automations that depend on the changed climate or window-covering behavior. The timing and scope of companion-app audio support remain unannounced in the supplied report.
Key Questions
What camera features does Home Assistant 2026.11 add?
With an updated Matter Server, compatible Matter cameras can appear as Home Assistant camera entities with snapshots and live video. The report says streams use WebRTC between the browser and camera.
How does two-way talk work in the beta?
Two-way audio is a Labs preview that users enable in system settings. A talk button appears on live streams. The reported launch support covers Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP.
Does browser-based talk require HTTPS?
Yes. The report says browsers require a secure connection for microphone access, so browser-based two-way talk currently requires opening Home Assistant over HTTPS. Companion-app support over HTTP is still in development.
Is HACS officially supported now?
HACS is being added to the core platform as a built-in Marketplace, and existing setups are reported to migrate automatically. However, community projects remain maintained by their developers and are not officially supported just because they appear there.
When is Home Assistant 2026.11 expected to be released?
The source report says the public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026. The version is currently available through the beta channel, where features may still change or be missing.
Source: matteralpha.com
