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The safest Home Assistant Container update is deliberate: back up the configuration and Compose file, read every release note between your current and target versions, pin the image tag you intend to run, then execute docker compose pull homeassistant followed by docker compose up -d. Watch the container logs and verify the dashboard and critical integrations before you consider the update complete.
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The safe update path in one view
This procedure assumes Home Assistant is managed by Docker Compose and that the Compose service is named homeassistant. If your service has another name, use that name in the commands. The image is normally declared in a Compose file, for example with a fully qualified Home Assistant image and a tag.
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| Stage | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare | Back up the configuration directory and Compose file. | Those files contain your settings, automations, credentials references, mounts and image choice. |
| Review | Read release notes for every version between the running version and the target. Search for Backward-incompatible changes. | A change in an intermediate release can affect you even when you skip that release. |
| Select | Use an explicit version tag when you need predictable updates. | A floating tag can point to a different image the next time it is pulled. |
| Update | Run docker compose pull homeassistant, then docker compose up -d. |
The first command downloads the selected image; the second recreates the container from it. |
| Validate | Follow logs and test the user interface, automations and essential integrations. | A container can be running while an integration or configuration migration still needs attention. |
Before changing the image
Confirm where Compose and the configuration live
Run the update from the directory containing your Compose file, or pass the file explicitly with -f. Confirm the service name and mounted configuration path in the file before making a backup. Do not assume that a directory called config is in the same location on every installation; the host path on the left side of the volume mapping is the directory that must be protected.
cd "$HOME/homeassistant"
docker compose config --services
docker compose psdocker compose config --services prints the service keys. The update command in the official Container procedure uses homeassistant; substitute the service key shown by your file if it differs.
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Make a restorable backup
Back up both the mounted Home Assistant configuration and the Compose file before pulling an image. Keep the copy outside the live configuration directory and on storage that will not disappear if the host fails. The following example creates a timestamped directory under your home directory; change the first variable to the directory that contains your installation.
export HA_DIR="$HOME/homeassistant"
export BACKUP_DIR="$HOME/homeassistant-backups/$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
cp -a "$HA_DIR/config" "$BACKUP_DIR/"
cp -a "$HA_DIR/compose.yaml" "$BACKUP_DIR/"If your file is named docker-compose.yml, copy that filename instead. If the configuration is mounted from another host directory, copy that actual directory rather than the example path. Preserve permissions and hidden files. A backup that exists only inside the same container or on the same failing disk is not a useful safety net, so copy it to separate storage as well.
Record which version you are running and which tag is in the Compose file. docker compose images homeassistant shows the image associated with the service, while docker compose ps shows the current container state. These checks give you a before-and-after reference without changing anything.
Choose a target and read all intervening release notes
Do not read only the newest release note when jumping several versions. Home Assistant’s Container guidance specifically says to check every release note between the version you run and the version you want, using your browser’s search function for Backward-incompatible changes. Treat an entry in any skipped release as relevant until you have confirmed that it does not affect your configuration, integrations or deployment.
Write down the current tag and the target tag before editing the file. If you have a maintenance window, allow time for a first start, log review and an application-level test; the container must be recreated when the image changes.
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Image tags: pinned, floating and beta choices
| Tag strategy | Behavior when you pull again | Best fit | Risk or limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
Explicit release, such as :2026.10.1 |
Continues to request that exact release until you edit the Compose file. | Controlled production updates, change windows and easy identification of the intended version. | You must edit the tag deliberately to receive a later release. |
Floating :stable |
The tag can point to a newer stable image after the registry is updated; a later pull may therefore change what runs. | Installations that accept moving to the current stable image when an operator chooses to pull. | The tag itself does not tell you the precise release that was deployed at an earlier time. |
:beta |
Requests the Home Assistant beta image documented for testing before wider availability. | Testing a forthcoming release in a disposable or carefully isolated environment. | Pre-release software can expose changes before the stable channel; do not treat it as an ordinary production update. |
Pinning does not eliminate the need for backups or release-note review. It makes the decision explicit and prevents an unrelated future pull from silently selecting a different release. If you use :stable, inspect the resulting image and record the deployed version after each planned update.
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Step-by-step update procedure
1. Stop and verify the pre-update state
From the Compose directory, check that the service is healthy enough to back up and that the file you are about to edit is the one actually used by the running project.
docker compose ps
docker compose images homeassistantResolve obvious existing errors first. Updating while the service is already failing makes it difficult to tell whether a problem was introduced by the new image.
2. Finish the backup and release-note review
Confirm that the timestamped backup contains the complete configuration and Compose file, and that the backup is readable from the separate storage location. Then complete the review of every release between the current and target tags. Do not proceed merely because the target release is the latest one listed in a dashboard.
3. Set the image tag in Compose
Edit the Home Assistant service’s image value. For a controlled update, replace the old explicit tag with the target explicit tag, such as ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:2026.10.1. If you intentionally use :stable or :beta, verify that this is a conscious channel choice rather than an accidental leftover from an earlier setup.
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Validate the rendered Compose configuration before contacting the registry:
docker compose configThis command renders the project and reports syntax or interpolation problems. Fix those errors before pulling an image.
4. Pull only the Home Assistant image
docker compose pull homeassistantThe command downloads the image selected by the service definition. Read its output: a completed pull does not mean the running container has changed yet. If the image is already present, Compose may report that it is up to date.
5. Recreate the container
docker compose up -dCompose compares the project definition and image, then recreates the Home Assistant container when necessary and starts it in detached mode. Do not remove the configuration directory as part of a normal image update; the point of the container workflow is to replace the container while retaining the mounted data.
6. Follow the startup logs
docker compose logs -f homeassistantLeave the log stream running long enough to see the initial startup settle, then stop following it with Ctrl+C; that key combination stops log viewing, not the detached container. Look for repeated crashes, configuration parsing errors, failed migrations or an integration that cannot initialize. The command is a practical community troubleshooting convention; if your Compose project uses a different service key, substitute it.
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7. Test Home Assistant itself
- Open the dashboard and confirm that the frontend loads.
- Check that the expected areas, devices and entities are present.
- Run or observe one important automation rather than assuming all automations loaded.
- Check the integrations that matter most to your household or installation.
- Confirm that the container remains running with
docker compose psafter the initial startup.
Keep the backup and the old tag information until these checks are complete and you are satisfied that the installation is operating normally.
What changes when Docker Compose itself was upgraded?
Updating Compose can trigger a container recreation on the first subsequent docker compose up, even if you did not intentionally change the Home Assistant tag. Compose release notes explain that existing containers may be recreated when image digests are re-evaluated under newer Compose logic. Treat that first run as an expected deployment event: plan for a restart, watch the logs and perform the same application checks. An unexpected recreation immediately after a Compose upgrade is not, by itself, evidence that Home Assistant’s image update failed.
Troubleshooting common update problems
The pull command cannot download the image
Read the complete error before changing the Compose file. A registry, DNS, network or authentication problem prevents the new image from being downloaded; it does not require deleting the existing container or configuration. Restore connectivity or registry access, rerun the pull, and verify that the image tag is spelled exactly as declared. If the pull never completed, docker compose up -d cannot deploy that new image.
The container exits or restarts repeatedly
Inspect the service status and logs:
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail=200 homeassistantCapture the error, compare it with the release notes you reviewed, and keep the current configuration intact while diagnosing. A restart loop is a reason to pause, not to repeatedly run up without reading the output.
The container runs but an integration is missing or broken
Check the Home Assistant logs and the integration’s configuration. A successful container start does not guarantee that every integration accepted a change in the target release. Use the release-note entry for the affected version to determine whether a backward-incompatible change requires a configuration adjustment. Make one change at a time so you can identify what resolved the issue.
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The update appears to have done nothing
Confirm the image tag in the Compose file, then compare the service image shown by docker compose images homeassistant with the tag you intended. A floating tag may still resolve to the same digest, while a pinned tag will not move until you edit it. Also check that you ran both commands from the correct Compose project; running pull in another directory updates a different project definition.
Rollback and restore: what is safe to assume
A universal, officially verified rollback sequence is not established for every Docker Home Assistant installation. The exact recovery depends on whether the previous image is still available locally, whether the configuration changed during startup, how your database is stored and how your backup was made. Do not assume that changing an image tag alone can undo every application-level migration.
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- Preserve the current Compose file, configuration copy and relevant logs before making further changes.
- If the previous image was explicitly pinned, change the Compose file back to that known tag rather than guessing a version.
- Run
docker compose pull homeassistantfor that tag if it is not already available, then rundocker compose up -d. - If the configuration itself must be restored, stop making ad-hoc edits and restore the backed-up configuration using the method that created your backup. Keep the post-update copy so you can compare files and recover any legitimate changes.
- Start the service and inspect logs and the dashboard before declaring the recovery successful.
These steps describe a cautious operational pattern, not a guarantee that every release can be downgraded cleanly. When the previous tag is unknown or the backup is incomplete, document the failure and obtain version-specific guidance rather than deleting data in an attempt to force a rollback.
Manual updates versus automatic image updates
| Approach | Control point | What you must provide |
|---|---|---|
| Manual pull and recreate | You choose the maintenance time, target tag and release-note review. | A backup routine, an explicit decision about tags and a post-update health check. |
| Automated updater | The updater may pull and recreate when it detects a changed image. | Independent backups, alerting, a tested recovery plan and a way to review breaking changes before deployment. |
The documented update path is the manual pull-and-recreate sequence. Automation does not remove the need to read release notes or preserve a known-good configuration; it can simply move those decisions outside the maintenance window. If you automate, retain version information and logs so you can identify exactly what changed.
Quick Recap
A repeatable checklist
- Compose directory and service name confirmed.
- Configuration directory copied to separate storage.
- Compose file copied to the same backup set.
- Current image tag recorded.
- Target tag selected deliberately: pinned release,
:stableor documented:betatesting. - Every release note between current and target reviewed for Backward-incompatible changes.
docker compose configcompletes without errors.docker compose pull homeassistantcompletes.docker compose up -drecreates and starts the service.- Logs show a stable startup rather than a crash loop.
- Dashboard, important entities, automations and critical integrations tested.
- Backup and previous-version information retained until validation is finished.
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