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Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 is in beta with a Matter.JS engine update, a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, and custom-cluster support for Aqara and IKEA devices. The release also changes offline detection and adds management tools, but stable availability and access to several features through Home Assistant Core remain pending.
Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, support for custom features in selected Aqara and IKEA devices, and the underlying engine changes needed for Matter 1.6.1. The update matters to users who rely on Matter cameras, sensors and heating controls, although the server release is not yet stable and some functions still need Home Assistant Core work to become easier to use.
The release upgrades the server to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine and introduces WebSocket Schema version 14 with an API for managing camera streams. According to the release details reported by Matter Alpha, clients can negotiate WebRTC sessions through the server rather than relying only on raw Matter cluster commands. A new talkback: true parameter allows compatible cameras and doorbells to send audio from a Home Assistant dashboard or integrated client back to the device. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example.
For the Aqara Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400, the server adds definitions for three manufacturer-specific clusters and Python client support. These additions are intended to expose radar-related features including detection zones and real-time target-position events over Matter. The report also says the update fixes transmission of zone-configuration byte lists. For IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat, the server adds a custom ValveCalibration cluster and a dashboard control panel for calibrating compatible valves without an IKEA hub.
Other changes include faster marking of devices as unavailable: the server removes a fixed three-minute grace period and reports a node offline once Matter.JS determines it cannot be reached. The update also adds clearer Thread network role labels, temporary guest PIN controls for supported door locks, and more information when opening a commissioning window. Older Eve Energy plugs get a command-line option to customize polling intervals for certain custom attributes. Interactive controls are also added to the server’s web interface for several device categories, including vacuums, ovens and EV chargers.
More Matter Devices, More Direct Control
The update could make Matter devices more useful inside Home Assistant by exposing functions that standard Matter controls do not cover. Camera talkback adds a way to speak through compatible cameras and doorbells, while the Aqara and IKEA cluster definitions target capabilities specific to those products. That can reduce reliance on a manufacturer’s separate hub or app for the features described in the report, though the actual user experience depends on device compatibility and support in Home Assistant clients.
The Matter 1.6.1 work addresses a different issue: how device groups communicate. The report says Home Assistant has handled group commands by sending separate messages to devices in sequence, which can make lights respond at different times. The server update establishes a foundation for native IPv6 multicast group messaging over Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The report does not establish that every group command will immediately use this method or quantify how much faster users will see devices respond.
Quicker offline detection may also help users and automations identify unreachable devices sooner. That is useful for troubleshooting, but an unavailable status does not by itself explain whether the cause is a device fault, a network problem or another interruption.
Home Assistant Matter camera talkback
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From Matter 1.6.1 to Device Support
The update is for the Matter Server add-on used by Home Assistant, the controller that manages Matter devices within the platform. Matter is a smart-home connectivity standard maintained by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. Manufacturers can also use custom clusters for product functions that go beyond the standard device controls, which is why server-side definitions are needed to make those features available to clients.
The source report says the CSA released Matter 1.6.1 in September, including the move of Groupcast out of provisional status and independent volume and mute controls for doorbell chimes. The Matter Server 1.5.0 release is described as laying groundwork for that specification; the report does not say the Home Assistant server itself has been upgraded to a version numbered 1.6.1. Its headline reference to Matter 1.6.1 concerns protocol support, while 1.5.0 is the server release in beta.
Camera support was introduced earlier, according to the report. Version 1.5.0 develops that work by adding server-managed WebRTC sessions and two-way audio, as well as fixes for some session drops and more specific stream error codes. These changes are part of a broader update to device support and server diagnostics rather than a standalone camera release.
“The server is upgrading to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine.”
— Matter Alpha, reporting on the Matter Server 1.5.0 changelog
Stable Release and Core Support
Matter Server 1.5.0 remains in beta, and the source report says stable rollout is expected soon without giving a date. It also does not identify which features will be available immediately in Home Assistant Core or when additional Core work will be completed. The report recommends enabling the beta option in Matter Server settings for testing; users should treat beta features as subject to change.
Compatibility details remain limited. The report gives examples of supported Aqara and IKEA hardware but does not provide a full device list, say whether all firmware versions are supported, or describe any required setup beyond the stated server changes. It is also unclear when the Groupcast foundation will translate into routine group commands using multicast, or what performance users will see across different networks.
Beta Testing Before Stable Rollout
The next milestone is the stable release of Matter Server 1.5.0. Until then, users who choose to test it can enable the beta option in the Matter Server settings, as described in the source report. They should check device compatibility and expect that some controls may not yet be surfaced fully in Home Assistant Core.
Further details to watch for include a stable-release date, Core changes that expose the camera and device-specific controls, and clearer guidance on which hardware and firmware combinations are supported. The source material does not provide a schedule for those developments.
Key Questions
Is Matter Server 1.5.0 available as a stable release?
No. The source report says version 1.5.0 is in beta and is expected to reach the stable add-on soon, but it gives no specific release date.
What does camera talkback add?
A new camera API supports WebRTC session management, and the talkback: true stream parameter is intended to let users speak through compatible Matter cameras and video doorbells from a dashboard or integrated client.
Which Aqara and IKEA devices are named?
The report names the Aqara Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400 and IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat. It describes support for Aqara radar and detection-zone features and calibration controls for compatible IKEA radiator valves.
Does the update mean all Matter group commands will be faster?
That is not confirmed. The update establishes a foundation for IPv6 multicast Groupcast, but the report does not say when all group commands will use it or quantify any speed improvement.
How can users try the beta?
The report says users can turn on the beta option in Matter Server settings. It also warns that most new features still need Home Assistant Core work to become more accessible.
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