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The Home Assistant 2026.11 beta exposes Matter camera feeds in the main interface and adds a Labs preview for two-way audio. The update also incorporates HACS as a built-in Marketplace and changes controls for several Matter devices. The public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, according to the report.
The Open Home Foundation has released the Home Assistant 2026.11 beta, adding Matter camera feeds to the platform’s main interface and a Labs preview of two-way audio. The update also brings the Home Assistant Community Store into the core platform as a built-in Marketplace, giving users a new way to find and manage community integrations, dashboard cards and themes.
With an updated Matter Server, compatible cameras can appear in Home Assistant as standard camera entities, with snapshot and live-video support. The report says video is delivered over WebRTC between the camera and the user’s browser, and the entity reflects device state such as whether its privacy mode is enabled. The camera functionality had been supported by the Matter.js server; this release makes it available in Home Assistant’s frontend.
Two-way audio is an optional preview in the system’s Labs menu. Once enabled, a talk button appears on supported live streams. At launch, the feature works with Matter cameras and Reolink cameras set up over RTSP; RTMP and FLV streams cannot carry return audio, according to the report. Because browsers require a secure connection to access a microphone, users currently need to open Home Assistant over HTTPS to use talkback. Companion-app support over HTTP is described as in development, not as available now.
The release also makes HACS a built-in Marketplace, accessible from the main settings menu. Existing HACS installations are expected to migrate automatically, the report says. Community projects remain maintained by their own developers and are not thereby officially supported by Home Assistant. Other changes affect Matter climate controls, window coverings, lighting and air-quality sensors, as well as network-map visibility and developer tools.
Camera Feeds Reach the Main Interface
The camera change closes a gap between Matter support in Home Assistant’s backend and what users can operate directly in its interface. Instead of relying only on the Matter server’s underlying capability, users with compatible hardware can see camera entities and live video alongside other smart-home controls. Adding a talk button also makes supported cameras and doorbells more useful for interaction, although the feature remains a preview and depends on the stream type and a secure browser connection.
The Marketplace change also affects how users discover and maintain community-built additions. Bringing HACS into the core interface may reduce setup friction, while the distinction between inclusion in the Marketplace and official support remains important: responsibility for community projects stays with their respective developers.
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From Matter Server to Home Assistant
The report describes the 2026.11 update as a frontend follow-through on a recent Matter.js server upgrade. Camera capabilities were already present on the server side; the beta makes them accessible through Home Assistant’s user-facing entities and dashboards. That distinction matters: having support in a backend does not necessarily mean users can view or control the feature through the normal interface.
The beta includes changes beyond cameras. Climate entities now resume their last heating or cooling mode when switched back on, rather than defaulting to a mode such as Heat. Tilt-only Matter blinds are represented as tilt covers, while Matter window coverings gain a motor-direction option. Those changes may require users to revise existing automations: scripts using standard open and close commands for tilt-only covers may need dedicated tilt actions, and automations relying on the old climate fallback may need to call a specific HVAC mode.
For sensor users, the update changes how certain Matter air-quality readings handle units, using the unit reported by the device. Some existing sensor entities may need a statistics update or cleanup after their device class changes. These details make the release relevant to established installations as well as people adding new cameras.
““Video streams run over WebRTC directly between your browser and the camera.””
— Matter Alpha report
Compatibility and Beta Limits
The report does not list every compatible Matter camera or specify the camera models tested, so users should not assume that all Matter cameras will work with the new entities or talkback. Reolink support is described for cameras configured over RTSP, and the company’s statement refers to main-powered models with speakers; individual model compatibility is not detailed.
The feature set may also change before general availability: the source cautions that not every feature is guaranteed to be present in the beta build. Two-way audio remains a Labs preview, browser access requires HTTPS, and companion-app support over HTTP is still in development. The report does not provide a complete final-release feature list or confirm whether these limitations will change by release day.
Beta Testing Before Nov. 4
Home Assistant 2026.11 is available through the beta channel for testing. The source report gives Nov. 4, 2026, as the scheduled date for the public release; users should treat that as the reported schedule, since dates and beta features can change. Before upgrading, people with automations that use climate fallback behavior or standard open-and-close commands for tilt-only blinds may want to check whether those routines need adjustments.
Further details to watch for include the final camera compatibility information, any changes to two-way audio and whether companion-app support advances beyond development. The report does not say which beta changes will be revised before the general release.
Key Questions
When is Home Assistant 2026.11 expected to be released?
The source report says the public release is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026. The beta is available now, but its features may change before general availability.
How do I enable two-way audio?
In the beta, two-way audio is a Labs preview that must be enabled in system settings. A talk button then appears on supported live streams. Browser access currently requires Home Assistant over HTTPS.
Which cameras support talkback in the beta?
The report names Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP. It says RTMP and FLV cannot carry return audio. It does not provide a full list of compatible camera models.
Does the built-in Marketplace mean HACS projects are officially supported?
No. HACS is being incorporated as a built-in Marketplace, but the report says community projects remain maintained by their individual developers and are not officially supported by Home Assistant.
Will existing automations need changes?
Some may. Users with climate automations that rely on the previous fallback behavior may need to specify an HVAC mode. Scripts and routines for tilt-only blinds may also need to use dedicated tilt actions instead of standard open and close commands.
Source: matteralpha.com
