How to Install and Manage Home Assistant Apps

One of the most powerful features of Home Assistant OS (HAOS) and Supervised installations is the App system (formerly known as Add-ons). Apps allow you to run additional applications—like a Zigbee gateway, a Plex server, or a VPN—side-by-side with Home Assistant on the same hardware.

Apps vs. Integrations: What is the difference?

It is common for beginners to confuse these two:

Integrations: Connect Home Assistant to a device or service (e.g., Philips Hue bulbs, Spotify).
Apps: Separate software packages that run on your server to provide new functionality (e.g., a MQTT broker).

1. Navigating to the App Store

To get started, go to your Home Assistant dashboard and navigate to: Settings > Apps > App Store (the button in the bottom right corner).

2. Finding and Installing an App

The store is divided into official apps and community-contributed ones.

Search for the app you need (e.g., “File Editor”).
Click on the app card.
Click Install. This may take a minute or two depending on your internet speed and hardware.

3. Configuration and Startup

Most apps require a small amount of setup before they can run:

Click the Configuration tab at the top of the app page.
Adjust settings as needed (e.g., setting a password for a database).
Go back to the Info tab.
Toggle Start on boot and Watchdog (which restarts the app if it crashes).
Click Start.

4. Essential Apps for Every User

If you are just starting out, we recommend installing these three immediately:

File Editor: Allows you to edit your configuration.yaml file directly from your browser.
Samba share: Lets you access your Home Assistant files from your Windows or Mac computer like a network drive.
Mosquitto Broker: The industry standard for MQTT communication, essential for many smart devices.

5. Adding Third-Party Repositories

Can’t find what you’re looking for? You can add “Repositories” from developers like HACS or Zigbee2MQTT by clicking the three dots in the top right of the App Store and selecting Repositories.

With apps, your Intel NUC becomes a true all-in-one server for your entire digital life!