The Home Assistant team is getting 2025 off to a flying start with an update that focuses on security and simplicity. And what an update it is! The backup system introduced in January was already impressive, but version 2025.2 takes it to the next level!
A backup system that adapts to your needs
Gone are the days when backups were a chore! The new system introduced in January has been revamped with improvements that will put a smile on your face. First major change: encryption becomes optional (at last!). While still recommended for security, you can now disable encryption to suit your needs.
(A word of advice: keep encryption enabled for your cloud backups – you can never be too careful!)
A new feature that's sure to please! Home Assistant now natively integrates Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive as backup destinations. No need to fiddle with custom integrations, it's all done in a few clicks.
Tired of 4:45 a.m. backups? Good news: you can now choose your own schedule! And that's not all: for weekly backups, you even have the luxury of choosing your preferred days.
For the more demanding, a new backup.automated_backup action has been added, enabling you to create customized backup automations. Want to back up only when the moon is full and your cat is asleep? Now you can! (Well, almost…)
Home Assistant also gets smarter with pre-updated backups. The system now shows you when the last backup was made, allowing you to decide whether a new one is needed. And for modules, the system automatically keeps a backup version, just in case (you can't be too careful, can you?).
Finally, cryptic file names are a thing of the past! Backups now bear comprehensible names, including the date and time of creation. A small change that makes all the difference when looking for a specific backup.
A voice assistant that takes off
But let's talk about the icing on the cake: the Assist voice assistant is making spectacular progress! The most surprising new feature? It can now make phone calls via an analog telephone. Imagine: your house calling to tell you that you've left the garage open for 30 minutes. Not sure how much use this will get, but it could be fun if you still have such a phone at home :)
Another feature that will revolutionize your daily life is the ability to broadcast messages throughout the house. A simple “Broadcast that dinner's ready” and all your voice assistants relay the message. No more shouting down the stairs to call everyone to the table!
Artificial intelligence takes a leap forward
The integration of LLMs (Large Language Models) into Home Assistant also takes another step forward with version 2025.2. Interaction between your voice assistant and AI models becomes more natural and fluid than ever.
No more disjointed conversations! From now on, the default conversation agent and the LLM-based agent share the same command history. In concrete terms, if you ask to turn on a light and then say “turn it off”, your assistant will perfectly understand which light you're talking about. An improvement that makes exchanges much more natural.
Home Assistant introduces the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open protocol that standardizes the way applications provide context to LLMs. Think of it as a USB-C port for AI applications: a universal interface for connecting AI models to different data sources and tools.
Finally, LLM-based agents can now access your calendars without complex configuration. You can now naturally ask your assistant to list your appointments for the day or the week. (Just make sure that your calendar entities are accessible to the assistant!)
This 2025.2 update clearly demonstrates Home Assistant's determination to fully exploit the potential of AI while maintaining local control and a privacy-centric approach. The possibilities offered by these new LLM features have only just begun!
And there's more to come!
The team promises even more surprises in the weeks to come. Don't miss the YouTube live on February 12, 2025, dedicated to the new voice features, or theESPHome 2025.2 release party on February 19.
This 2025.2 update proves once again that Home Assistant listens to its community, transforming user feedback into concrete, useful features. That's the strength of this project: its ability to evolve while remaining simple to use.
So what are you waiting for? (After making a backup, of course!)
You can find all the details of this update in the official post.
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