Why Won't My Home Assistant Mobile App Sync?
- HA not reachable remotely (no valid external URL)
- Location/notification permissions denied
- Battery optimization killing the app
Problem Description
The Home Assistant Companion app isn't syncing — sensors from your phone aren't updating, notifications don't arrive, or location isn't reporting. The app registers as a Mobile App integration and relies on a reachable HA URL plus the right permissions, so most issues are connectivity or phone permissions.
Why This Happens in Real Homes
The HA Companion app registers your phone as a Mobile App device and reports sensors, location, and receives notifications — all of which need HA reachable and the right phone permissions. Most sync failures are either HA not being reachable remotely or the phone throttling the app.
Start by confirming a reachable external URL (Nabu Casa is the easy route; otherwise DDNS/reverse proxy) and that internal/external URLs are set correctly. Grant the app location and notification permissions and exempt it from battery optimization, which silently kills background updates on Android; re-log in to refresh an expired session.
Symptoms
- Phone sensors not updating
- Notifications not arriving
- Location not reporting
- App cannot connect remotely
- Sync stalls
- Sensors show unavailable
- Delayed updates
- App logged out
Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.
Common Causes
- HA not reachable remotely (no valid external URL)
- Location/notification permissions denied
- Battery optimization killing the app
- Mobile App integration removed
- Push notification setup incomplete
- Wrong internal/external URL configured
- Session/token expired
- App out of date
Most fixes happen in the first 3 steps.
Do not factory reset your hub unless absolutely necessary as this removes all paired devices, automations, and settings. You will need to re-pair every single device from scratch which can take hours for a large setup. Always try a simple restart first.
Tools & Requirements
These tools will help you complete this fix.
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Step-by-Step Solution
Check the mobile app integration
The Home Assistant Companion app (iOS and Android) automatically registers as a Mobile App integration in Home Assistant. Go to Settings > Devices & Services > Mobile App. You should see your phone listed. If not, the app has not successfully connected to Home Assistant. Open the app, go to Settings > Connection, and verify the internal URL (your local HA address, like http://192.168.1.100:8123) and external URL (your Nabu Casa or DuckDNS address) are correct.
Fix notification sync
If push notifications from automations are not arriving: in the HA Companion app, go to Settings > Notifications > confirm notifications are enabled. On iPhone, also check iOS Settings > Notifications > Home Assistant > Allow Notifications. Test by going to Developer Tools > Services > call 'notify.mobile_app_yourphone' with a test message. If the test works, the issue is in your automation's notification action — check the service call and data payload.
Sync location tracking
The Companion app sends your phone's GPS location to Home Assistant for presence detection (home/away zones). On iPhone: check iOS Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Home Assistant > Always. On Android: Settings > Apps > Home Assistant > Permissions > Location > Allow all the time. In the HA app, go to Settings > Companion App > Location Sensors and enable location tracking. Disable battery optimization for the app on Android (Settings > Battery > Home Assistant > Unrestricted).
Fix sensor data not updating
The Companion app provides phone sensors to Home Assistant: battery level, WiFi SSID, steps, storage, connectivity. If sensor data is stale: open the HA app > Settings > Companion App > Manage Sensors. Check that the sensors you need are enabled. Disabled sensors do not send data. On Android, aggressive battery optimization kills the app in the background — whitelist the app from battery optimization. On iPhone, enable Background App Refresh for Home Assistant.
Fix connection errors
If the app shows 'Unable to connect' or 'Connection Failed': check your Home Assistant instance is running (try accessing the URL from a computer browser on the same network). For internal access, your phone must be on the same WiFi network as Home Assistant. For external access, you need either Nabu Casa, a VPN, or port forwarding with a valid SSL certificate. If the connection worked before and suddenly stopped: check if your local IP changed (assign a static IP to your HA device), if your DuckDNS domain renewed, or if your router's port forwarding rule was reset.
Quick Solutions
Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.
If pairing fails after multiple attempts, the device may still be registered to a previous account — factory-reset it before trying to add it to a new one.
Place your hub in a central location in your home, elevated off the floor and away from your WiFi router by at least 3 feet. This provides the best Zigbee and Z-Wave signal coverage to all corners of your house.
Pairing failures almost always come down to distance during the initial handshake — manufacturers seriously understate how close you actually need to be.
- HA not reachable remotely (no valid external URL)
- Location/notification permissions denied
- Battery optimization killing the app
- Mobile App integration removed
- Push notification setup incomplete
Before you go — try one of these (they fix most cases).
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Official Manufacturer Manual
Home Assistant provides official product documentation through their online manual rather than downloadable PDF. Access setup guides, troubleshooting steps, and product specifications for your Home Assistant.
Source: home-assistant.io
Need More Help? Home Assistant Support
Note: The contact information below connects you directly to Home Assistant's official customer support team, not Trunetto. They can help with warranty claims, device replacements, and advanced technical issues.
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