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You can reuse an old Android phone as a dedicated Home Assistant display by installing the official Companion app, choosing a focused dashboard, and—if you want it to open like an appliance—setting Home Assistant as the phone’s home app. The Companion app can also keep its WebView screen awake while that activity is active, but this does not guarantee that every older phone will stay lit or wake reliably in every locked or power-saving state.
Choose the right setup for how you’ll use the phone
There are two different Android approaches. Use the Companion app as the home app when you want a dedicated panel that opens to Home Assistant from the Android Home button. Use Android’s device-controls interface when you want quick access to controls rather than a continuously visible dashboard.
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| Approach | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Companion app as the home app | A fixed display that opens to a Home Assistant dashboard | You can set Home Assistant as the Android launcher and choose a default dashboard for the kiosk user. The app’s Keep screen on option applies while its WebView activity is active. Home Assistant launcher documentation; Android WebView documentation. |
| Android device controls | Quick controls from Android’s device-controls interface | Available on Android 14 and supported devices; it is not a continuous wall-display mode. Home Assistant Android Device Controls documentation. |
Set up the Companion app and dashboard
- Install the official Home Assistant Companion app on the phone and connect it to your Home Assistant server.
- Create or select a dashboard suited to the phone’s location. Put the most-used controls up front; a small fixed screen usually works better with a focused view than with every page intended for a desktop.
- Choose the default dashboard for the Home Assistant user that will use the phone. A separate Home Assistant user for each kiosk device lets you assign a different default dashboard to each one. See the launcher setup documentation.
Make Home Assistant open from the Android Home button
To use the phone as a dedicated launcher, open the Companion app and go to Settings > Companion app > Device home screen. Tap Change home app and select Home Assistant. The selected home app is what Android opens when you use the Home button; Home Assistant documents this as an option for a dedicated control panel.
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Menu wording and the route back to your previous launcher can vary by Android version and manufacturer. Before committing the phone to a fixed location, confirm you can still reach Android settings and switch the home app back if needed.
#1 Best Overall
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- Warm Tips: Please set your device(4"-6") in landscape or portrait mode, and set the device (6"-8") in landscape mode, which will provide more stability.
Keep the dashboard screen on
In the Companion app’s settings, enable Keep screen on. Home Assistant says this keeps the display awake while the WebView activity is active; it does not mean the screen will remain on in every app or state. See Android WebView settings.
The WebView settings also include orientation and pinch-to-zoom preferences. Adjust them if the dashboard is mounted in portrait or landscape, or if the controls need to be easier to tap from where the phone will sit.
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Mount and test the phone before relying on it
A phone mount can turn the handset into a practical wall, kitchen, or bedside display, but the Home Assistant documentation supports wall-mounted displays generally—not a particular phone mount or handset fit. Check the exact phone and mounting surface before buying.
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- Check that the charging port remains accessible and that the cable can be routed safely.
- Make sure the phone can dissipate heat and that the wall, stand, or adhesive is suitable for the installation.
- Test the actual phone’s sleep, lock-screen, wake, charging, and Wi-Fi reconnect behavior in its intended location.
Do not assume that a notification command will unlock the phone. Home Assistant’s notification documentation says commands may turn on the screen, but they do not bypass or disable the lock screen. Remote kiosk commands also require the Companion app to be open in the foreground and remote kiosk commands to be enabled. Those conditions do not guarantee that every older phone will wake from every locked or battery-saving state. Details: Notification Commands.
Rank #3
- Height & Angle Adjustable - The universal adjustable phone stand can be titled to vertical, and height can be extended up to 3.2 inches. It allows you to get a more comfortable viewing angle and height. Reduce the frequency of looking down at the phone screen to avoid hurting your back and neck. A perfect desktop accessory that frees your hands to watch online class, do live stream.
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When Android device controls are a better fit
If you mainly want to trigger a few controls without leaving a dashboard open, Android device controls are a separate option on Android 14 and supported devices. They surface controls through Android’s device-controls interface; they are not the same as setting Home Assistant as the home app or keeping a full dashboard continuously visible. See the Android Device Controls documentation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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