How to Fix an Integration That Broke After a Home Assistant Update

You update Home Assistant, restart, and suddenly a device you rely on shows as unavailable or throws an error. Before rolling anything back in a panic, start where the answer usually is. An integration that broke after a Home Assistant update is most often explained by the release notes, which list every breaking change for that version and tell you whether you need to adjust your config or simply wait for a custom component to catch up.

Quick Answer

Read the release notes on home-assistant.io for the version you updated to. They list every breaking change, so they tell you whether the fix is a config edit on your side or a wait for the affected custom component to be updated. If the notes do not explain it, restore the pre-update backup and try again once the component is patched.

Start with the release notes

Every Home Assistant release ships with detailed notes that include a dedicated breaking-changes section. When an integration stops working right after an update, this is the first and most useful thing to check, because it spells out exactly what changed. Maybe a configuration option was renamed, a service call was restructured, or an integration was deprecated. The notes name it directly.

This single habit resolves most post-update breakage. If the notes show a breaking change affecting your integration, you usually just update your YAML or settings to match the new format and restart. If the integration is a built-in one, the fix is almost always documented there with the new syntax.

Built-in versus custom integrations

The cause differs depending on what kind of integration broke. For a built-in, official integration, a break after an update is usually an intentional breaking change documented in the notes, and the fix is to adjust your configuration to the new requirements.

For a custom integration, often installed through HACS, the story is different. A core update can change something the custom component depended on, and that component then breaks until its developer releases an update of their own. In that case there may be nothing to fix on your side except waiting for, and then installing, the updated custom component. Checking the component's own project page often shows whether a fix is already out or in progress.

Checking HACS components

When a HACS integration breaks, open HACS and look for an available update for that component. Developers frequently push a fix soon after a core breaking change. If an update is waiting, installing it and restarting often clears the problem entirely. If none is available yet, the component is not yet compatible with the new core version.

When you need to roll back

If the integration is essential and there is no quick fix, the cleanest recovery is restoring the backup taken before the update. Home Assistant can create a backup automatically before updates, and restoring it returns you to the working state so your home keeps running while you wait for the component to catch up. This is exactly why taking a backup before every update is worth the few seconds it costs.

Once the affected component has been updated for the new core version, you can update again and install the fixed component. The order that works reliably is: back up, update, check the notes, fix config or wait, and restore if needed. Build a system around dependable hardware and keep a known-good backup, and an update rarely costs you more than a few minutes. For the hubs, sensors, and devices that make up a resilient setup, the smart home and tech range at Evetech is a solid reference, and the cables and small extras a build runs through are in the best-selling accessories at Evetech.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly do I find the breaking changes?

In the release notes for the version you updated to, published on home-assistant.io, under a dedicated breaking-changes section. It lists every change that could affect an integration, so it is the first place to look when something stops working.

My HACS integration broke, what do I do?

Open HACS and check whether an update is available for that component, since developers often patch quickly after a core breaking change. If an update is waiting, install it and restart. If not, the component is not yet compatible with the new core version.

How do I roll back a Home Assistant update?

Restore the backup taken before the update. Home Assistant can create one automatically before updating, and restoring it returns you to the working state. This is why backing up before every update is worth the few seconds it takes.

Why did an official integration break but my others did not?

Breaking changes target specific integrations, usually because a config option, service, or dependency changed for that one. The release notes name which integrations are affected, so the others continue working while the changed one needs adjusting.

How do I avoid this next time?

Take a backup before every update, then read the breaking-changes section of the release notes before restarting. That two-step habit means you either fix the config quickly or restore cleanly, so an update never leaves your home stuck.