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The Open Home Foundation’s Home Assistant 2026.11 beta adds frontend support for Matter camera entities and a Labs preview of two-way audio. The beta also brings the community store into Home Assistant as a built-in Marketplace, alongside Matter device controls and fixes; the planned public release is Nov. 4.
The Home Assistant 2026.11 beta adds frontend support for Matter camera feeds and a Labs preview of two-way audio, letting users view compatible cameras and, in supported setups, speak through them from Home Assistant. The Open Home Foundation’s update also makes the Home Assistant Community Store a built-in Marketplace and includes additional Matter device changes.
With the update, compatible Matter cameras can appear as standard camera entities in Home Assistant when paired with an updated Matter Server. The entities support snapshots and live video, with streams delivered over WebRTC between the browser and camera. Home Assistant also tracks device state, including whether a camera’s privacy mode is on. Camera support was already present in the Matter.js backend; the beta brings it into the main interface.
Two-way audio remains a Labs preview that users must enable in system settings. A talk button appears on supported live streams. The source report says the feature works at launch with Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP; RTMP and FLV streams do not support return audio. Browser microphone access requires a secure connection, so users currently need to open Home Assistant over HTTPS. Support for companion apps over HTTP is described as in development.
The release also integrates the Home Assistant Community Store (HACS) as a Marketplace accessible from the settings menu. Users can browse, install and update community integrations, dashboard cards and themes there. Existing HACS setups are expected to migrate automatically, but community projects remain maintained by their own developers and are not thereby officially supported by Home Assistant.
Camera Feeds Move Into the Dashboard
The camera change closes a gap between Matter support in Home Assistant’s backend and what users can operate through its interface. Rather than relying only on backend capabilities, users with compatible devices can access live video and snapshots as camera entities. Adding talkback could make doorbells and cameras more useful for responding to someone at the door, though availability depends on camera compatibility, stream type and a secure browser connection.
The built-in Marketplace is a separate usability change: it puts access to community-made extensions inside Home Assistant’s settings rather than requiring a separate manual setup. That may simplify discovery and installation, but it does not change who develops or supports those projects. The release also contains device-control changes that may affect existing automations, so upgrading can require more than simply enabling the new features.
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From Matter Server to Home Assistant
The report describes the camera feature as a frontend addition built on capabilities previously available in the Matter.js server, which underpins Home Assistant’s Matter integration. The 2026.11 beta connects that backend support to Home Assistant’s standard camera entities and dashboard experience. Users need an updated Matter Server as well as a compatible camera.
Other Matter updates adjust how devices and measurements are represented. Climate entities now resume their last active heating or cooling mode when turned back on, rather than defaulting to a mode such as Heat. Tilt-only window coverings are represented as tilt covers, and the update adds options including reverse motor direction for Matter coverings and power-on color temperature for lights. The report warns that automations using the old climate fallback behavior or standard open-and-close actions for tilt-only covers may need revision.
Additional changes address air-quality sensor units, display bridged devices in the Matter network map, and add Matter thermostat setpoint attributes. These changes accompany the camera and Marketplace additions in a beta release, not a final build.
““Video streams run over WebRTC directly between your browser and the camera.””
— Matter Alpha report
Beta Features Still May Change
The source identifies 2026.11 as a beta and cautions that not every feature may be present in the beta build, as work may continue before the final rollout. The report does not provide a complete list of supported Matter camera models or confirm whether all camera functions will be available across browsers and devices.
Two-way talk has specific constraints: it is limited to the stated camera and stream configurations, and browser use requires HTTPS. Companion-app support over HTTP is still in development, according to the report. The precise timing and scope of that support are not specified. Users should also check their automations after upgrading because some climate and covering behavior changes can require edits.
Public Release Set for Nov. 4
The report says Home Assistant 2026.11 is available through the beta channel, with the public release scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. Features may change or be missing from the beta before that rollout. The source does not give further release milestones or a detailed final compatibility list.
Users testing the beta can check whether their Matter Server and cameras are compatible, open Home Assistant over HTTPS to test browser talkback, and review scripts or automations that use climate modes or window-covering commands. Community Marketplace listings should be treated as third-party projects with support provided by their respective developers.
Key Questions
What does Home Assistant 2026.11 add for Matter cameras?
With an updated Matter Server and a compatible camera, users can access camera entities with snapshots and live WebRTC video in Home Assistant.
How do users enable two-way talk?
It is a Labs preview that must be enabled in system settings. Browser microphone access currently requires opening Home Assistant over HTTPS.
Which cameras and streams are reported to support two-way audio?
The source reports support for Matter cameras and Reolink cameras configured over RTSP. RTMP and FLV streams cannot carry return audio.
Does the built-in Marketplace mean community projects are officially supported?
No. The Marketplace brings HACS into Home Assistant’s settings, but community projects remain maintained by their developers and are not thereby officially supported by Home Assistant.
When is Home Assistant 2026.11 expected to be released publicly?
The report schedules the public release for Nov. 4, 2026. The current build is a beta, and features may change before release.
Source: matteralpha.com
