How to Install Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi

Your step-by-step guide to building a smart home hub with open-source software.

What Is Home Assistant?

Home Assistant is a free, open-source platform that runs on devices like the Raspberry Pi. It lets you control and automate smart home devices — from lights and thermostats to sensors and security systems — all in one place.

It’s privacy-focused (no cloud dependency) and integrates with hundreds of brands and services.

What You’ll Need

Before you start, make sure you have:

Item	Description
Raspberry Pi 4 (recommended)	Model 3B+ or newer will work, but Pi 4 with 2–4 GB RAM is ideal
Power supply	Official Raspberry Pi PSU (5V 3A minimum)
microSD card	At least 32 GB, Class 10 or better
Computer	To flash the Home Assistant image
Network	Wired Ethernet is preferred; Wi-Fi also works
Optional extras	Case, heatsinks, and fan for cooling

Step 1: Download Home Assistant OS

Go to the official Home Assistant website.
Download the correct image for your Raspberry Pi model.
- Example: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 64-bit Image

Step 2: Flash the microSD Card

You’ll need a tool to write the image to your microSD card. The easiest way is using Raspberry Pi Imager:

Download and install Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com/software.
Open Imager and choose:
- Operating System → “Other specific-purpose OS” → “Home Assistant and Home Automation” → “Home Assistant OS”
- Storage → your microSD card
Click Next, then configure network and SSH settings if desired (press Ctrl+Shift+X in Imager for advanced options).
Click Write and wait for the process to complete.

Step 3: Insert and Boot

Insert the flashed microSD card into your Raspberry Pi.
Connect Ethernet (recommended) or Wi-Fi.
Power it up.

First Boot: It can take 20–30 minutes for the initial setup. Be patient while Home Assistant installs updates and dependencies.

Step 4: Access Home Assistant

Once the setup finishes:

On your computer, open a web browser.
Visit:
- http://homeassistant.local:8123
  or
- Find your Pi’s IP address in your router and go to http://<IP>:8123
Follow the on-screen instructions to:
- Create a user account
- Set your location, time zone, and unit preferences

Step 5: Add Integrations

Once logged in, you can start adding integrations (devices and services):

Click Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration
Search for integrations like:
- Philips Hue
- TP-Link Kasa
- MQTT
- RAYNET or APRS gateways (for amateur radio automation)

Optional: Enable SSH & Terminal Access

To enable command-line access:

Go to Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store
Install Terminal & SSH
Configure access (with keys or password)

Now you can log in to your Pi from another computer using:

ssh root@homeassistant.local

Bonus: Automate Your Home!

You can create automations and scripts to make your home smarter:

Example:

Turn on a lamp when your ham radio transceiver powers up.

Go to Settings → Automations & Scenes → Create Automation
Choose a trigger (e.g., “device state changes”)
Set an action (e.g., “turn on light”)

Maintenance Tips

Keep Home Assistant updated via Settings → System → Updates
Make regular backups (Settings → System → Backups)
Use a reliable power supply to prevent SD card corruption
Optionally install Home Assistant Cloud (Nabu Casa) for remote access

Amateur Radio Applications

If you’re into amateur radio (like many readers of 2E0XFD.com), you can integrate Home Assistant with:

APRS data (via MQTT)
Weather station telemetry
RAYNET station status monitoring
Smart shack power management

This opens the door to automated shack control — lights, fans, power supplies, and more.

Summary

Step	Action
1	Download Home Assistant OS
2	Flash microSD using Raspberry Pi Imager
3	Boot your Pi and wait for setup
4	Access Home Assistant at `http://homeassistant.local:8123`
5	Add integrations and start automating

Final Thoughts

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed Home Assistant on your Raspberry Pi. Now, you can automate your smart home with powerful features.