Out of the box, Home Assistant only shows you the integrations Nabu Casa ships in each release. HACS, the Home Assistant Community Store, unlocks the rest: thousands of community-built integrations, Lovelace dashboard cards, and themes that never make it into the core product. Installing it takes a few minutes and one GitHub account, and from then on it sits in your sidebar like any other part of Home Assistant.

Quick Answer

On Home Assistant OS, the supported way to install HACS in 2026 is to add the HACS add-on repository, install and run the Get HACS add-on, then add the HACS integration and link it to your GitHub account. It takes a few minutes, needs a free GitHub login, and once finished gives you access to thousands of community integrations, cards, and themes.

Step 1: Back up before you touch anything

Before installing any custom component, take a full Home Assistant backup. HACS itself is well-behaved, but you are about to open the door to third-party code, and a clean restore point means any future experiment that misbehaves costs you minutes, not your whole configuration. Go to Settings, then System, then Backups, and create one now.

You also need a GitHub account, which is free. HACS uses GitHub to fetch and update community repositories, so the setup will ask you to authorise a connection partway through. Create the account first if you do not have one, so the install does not stall halfway.

Step 2: Add the HACS add-on (Home Assistant OS)

For the most common setup, Home Assistant OS or Supervised, the current method uses an add-on rather than the old manual script.

  1. Open Settings, then Add-ons, then the Add-on Store.
  2. Click the three-dot menu in the top right and choose Repositories.
  3. Add the HACS add-on repository URL, then close the dialog.
  4. Find and install the Get HACS add-on, then start it.
  5. Open the add-on's Log tab and follow the instructions shown there. This step downloads HACS into your configuration.

If you run Home Assistant in Docker or a Core install instead, the add-on route is not available, so you download the HACS files manually into your custom_components folder. The rest of the setup after that is identical for every install type.

Step 3: Add the integration and link GitHub

Once the add-on has finished its work, restart Home Assistant so it picks up the new component. Then go to Settings, then Devices and Services, click Add Integration, and search for HACS. Tick the acknowledgement boxes, and Home Assistant will give you a code and a GitHub link. Open the link, sign in, paste the code, and authorise the connection. After a moment HACS finishes loading and appears in your left-hand sidebar.

That sidebar entry is your store. Open it to browse and search community integrations, install one, and restart Home Assistant when prompted so the new component loads. For ideas on what is worth adding, and the physical devices these integrations actually control, Evetech's smart home and appliances section lists compatible lights, sensors, and hubs that pair cleanly with Home Assistant. If you are still building out your setup, the accessories that sell best at Evetech cover the hubs, sensors, and cables most home-automation builds rely on.

Step 4: Use HACS responsibly

HACS is a launchpad for third-party code, so treat new installs with a little caution. Read what an integration does before installing, stick to well-maintained repositories with active communities, and update through HACS rather than ignoring the notifications, since outdated custom components are a common cause of breakage after a Home Assistant core update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a GitHub account to install HACS?

Yes. HACS uses GitHub to fetch and update community repositories, and the setup asks you to authorise a connection during installation. The account is free, so create one before you start so the install does not stall.

What is the current way to install HACS in 2026?

On Home Assistant OS, add the HACS add-on repository, install and run the Get HACS add-on, then add the HACS integration and link GitHub. Docker and Core installs instead copy the HACS files into the custom_components folder, after which the steps are the same.

Will HACS break my Home Assistant?

HACS itself is safe, but it installs third-party components that can misbehave, especially after a core update. Take a backup first, install only well-maintained integrations, and keep them updated through HACS to avoid problems.

Why is HACS not in the official store?

HACS is a separate community project, not part of the Nabu Casa core release, so it must be installed manually. Once added, it gives you community integrations and cards that are not shipped with Home Assistant out of the box.

Where does HACS appear after installation?

It appears as an entry in your Home Assistant left sidebar once the integration is added and linked to GitHub. From there you browse, install, and update community integrations, dashboard cards, and themes.

With HACS installed, the next step is the hardware it controls, from sensors to smart plugs and hubs. Explore compatible devices in the Evetech smart home section to build out a Home Assistant setup that genuinely responds to your home.