Infrared (IR) remote controls have been commonplace since the early 1980s, and are still around today.Despite the development of Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter, my TV still works using this old technology.Infrared has some important benefits that modern protocols still can't match.
Infrared doesn't need a network to work No Wi-Fi, hubs, controllers, or pairing needed A traditional IR remote works by sending a pattern of infrared pulses that represent a specific command.An IR receiver on the target device detects the pulses, identifies the pattern, and performs the appropriate action.The remote and target device communicate directly without the need for an intermediary.
This is in stark contrast to other modern smart home protocols.Wi-Fi devices require a Wi-Fi network in order to communicate, even if they're being controlled locally.If your home network goes down, your Wi-Fi controls won't work.
Zigbee and Z-Wave generally need a coordinator or controller to create a network that devices can use to communicate.It's possible to pair some devices directly so that they can communicate even without a coordinator, but this is the exception rather than the rule.Thread also uses a mesh network, while Matter relies on Thread, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet to communicate.
All of these methods require some kind of supporting network or device in order to work.An infrared remote doesn't.As long as there's a clear line of sight between the remote and the device's receiver, an IR remote can control it.
Related Home Assistant 2026.5 has arrived with native RF support, and it changes everything Home Assistant can now talk to your RF-controlled devices.Posts By Moulik Mathur Infrared can control devices that aren't smart Your old appliances don't need replacing Close Another major benefit of IR being such old tech is that if your devices predate modern protocols, or just don't support them, they may still work with infrared.For example, you might have an old stereo that came with an IR remote, but that doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Infrared has been used on consumer electronics for decades.In my living room, for example, I have a hi-fi, a TV, a surround sound system, a set-top box, an Apple TV, a projector, an air purifier, a disco light, and an HDMI switch, all of which can be controlled using infrared.For some of the devices, such as the surround sound system, IR is the only way to control them remotely.
While other smart home protocols are supported by many modern devices, the chances are that you have a lot of IR devices that you still use.Infrared can allow you to control dumb devices that don't include any built-in smart capabilities.Home Assistant can make infrared even more useful Native IR bridges old and new tech The good news is that you don't need to carry around 75 infrared remotes to control all the IR devices in your home.
Using Home Assistant, you can make these devices part of your smart home, even if the devices themselves aren't smart.Instead of relying on a collection of remotes, you can replace them with an IR blaster.This device contains an infrared transmitter that can reproduce the infrared signals sent out by your remote controls.
Some models can learn codes directly from your remotes while others can use libraries of known commands, and you can even build your own IR blaster using an ESP32 and an infrared LED.In the past, controlling infrared devices via Home Assistant usually meant setting up a specific IR blaster, finding the relevant codes for your device, and creating scripts to send the codes.That was exactly how I first added my TV to Home Assistant.
That all changed in Home Assistant 2026.4, when native infrared support was introduced.The native support means that Home Assistant can treat compatible IR blasters as infrared proxies.With a suitable integration, supported devices that use infrared remotes can then appear in Home Assistant with controls such as power, volume, play/pause, and more.
There's no need to create a script for each button.IR has some obvious limitations Simplicity comes at a price That's not to say that infrared is perfect.New methods of remote control for devices have been developed for a reason.
One of the biggest issues is that infrared requires a clear line of sight between the remote or IR blaster and the receiver.If someone walks in front of the TV when you're trying to use the remote, the signal may not be received.Another issue is that communication is usually one way.
Your remote or blaster sends out a signal, but it doesn't get a response back from the device to acknowledge that it was received.If you use an IR blaster to turn on your AC, for example, there's no way to know for sure whether or not the device actually started, and power toggle commands can get out of sync so that you're turning your TV on instead of turning it off.Despite these limitations, infrared can still be a useful tool in your smart home arsenal.
It's a cheap and effective way to control devices that otherwise would have to remain dumb.Sometimes the old ways are the best Modern options such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter offer features that traditional infrared can't provide.IR still wins in many ways, despite being half a century old.
The good news is that you don't need to stick to a single option; you can use the most suitable tools for the job, and sometimes infrared is still that tool.
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