• LIGHTING
  • CLIMATE
  • SHADES
  • MANUAL

How to control smart home devices with your AI

Connect ESPHome to your AI client to bridge the gap between conversation and physical action. Once linked, your agent handles the hardware logic for you.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

Can I use my AI to run my smart home?

Yes. Your AI translates your spoken or typed requests into direct commands for your ESPHome-connected hardware. You'll be able to manage lighting, climate, and window coverings through a single chat interface.

The outcomes

Where your commands land

Your AI maps your intent to specific hardware actions.

LIGHTING

Instant light control

Your agent sends commands to toggle switches or dim bulbs. You get immediate physical feedback in your room.

CLIMATE

Fan and air control

Adjust fan speeds or turn them on and off. The AI handles the specific state changes for your cooling setup.

SHADES

Automated blind movement

Move your window covers up or down. Your agent manages the position of blinds and shutters via hardware commands.

MANUAL

Human intervention needed

If a device isn't connected to ESPHome, the AI can't touch it. You'll need to use your physical switches for those items.

The workflow

What your AI does when <the thing arrives>.

The AI acts as a translator between your intent and the ESPHome API.

  1. Identify the device

    The AI looks at your request to find the right hardware in your home network.

    switch_action

  2. Adjust lighting

    The agent executes commands to change the state or brightness of your lights.

    light_action

  3. Control climate

    Your AI manages fan speeds or toggles power for cooling devices.

    fan_action

  4. Move window covers

    The agent handles blind positioning or updates specific numeric settings on your devices.

    cover_actionnumber_setselect_option

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these lines to test your connection.

Starting points

Replace the bracketed text with your actual device names, like 'living room light' or 'bedroom fan'.

ESPHome Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_5SHbIX7z5rQfgbeYq11JB03GdUqXJkasteub5KtB/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — ESPHome capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "esphome-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_5SHbIX7z5rQfgbeYq11JB03GdUqXJkasteub5KtB/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Turn on the kitchen lights.

  • Set the bedroom fan speed to medium.

  • Close the living room blinds.

  • Switch off the hallway light.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect ESPHome once, then ask.

Just link your ESPHome instance to Vinkius. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can immediately start talking to your hardware.

Connect ESPHome to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI install new ESPHome firmware?

    No. The AI can only send commands to devices that are already running and connected.

  • 02

    Can I use this to control non-ESPHome devices?

    No. The AI can only interact with hardware that is exposed through the ESPHome connector.

  • 03

    Will the AI delete my ESPHome configurations?

    No. The AI only has permission to trigger specific actions like switching or dimming.

  • 04

    Can the AI see my camera feeds?

    No. This connector is limited to the specific action tools provided in the manifest.

  • 05

    Does the AI decide when to turn things off automatically?

    No. The AI only acts when you give it a direct command or instruction.

  • More questions about ESPHome? See everything the ESPHome Connector can do

Connect ESPHome to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more