Presence detection for home assistant always feels like the holy grail. With your presence you can trigger actions and set variables. I am not spinning around this one so let’s get started

Prerequisites

In order to get this to work the fastest and easiest way we need to have the following in place.

• Home assistant up and running
• node-red up and running
• The people you want to track need Homeassistant companion app installed

Home assistant side

Navigate to your Homeassistant setup > configuration > people. Click the plus icon to get the following screen.

Give the new person the same name as your user to keep things simple.

Next, we need to navigate to configuration > helpers and add 4 input_booleans

• user1_home
• user2_home
• anyone_home
• guests

Obviously you can choose your own naming for me it’s dennis_home and so forth.

Next restart Homeassistant and go to Node-red

Node-red side

To keep things super simple I have made an export for you which you can import in your setup. Please note: You need to change my values to yours with the booleans you made!

[
    {
        "id": "6b46b849.592a48",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_on",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.tineke_thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "",
        "output_location_type": "none",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 340,
        "y": 20,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "7ac0df01.b2b0a",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Tineke",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "person.tineke",
        "entityidfiltertype": "exact",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "home",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 100,
        "wires": [
            [
                "6b46b849.592a48"
            ],
            [
                "16114d4f.9f9cc3"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "4e43134b.d7f35c",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Dennis",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "person.dennis",
        "entityidfiltertype": "exact",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "home",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 160,
        "wires": [
            [
                "52da1ea8.5e542"
            ],
            [
                "8f282fb8.45cf8"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "16114d4f.9f9cc3",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_off",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.tineke_thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "",
        "output_location_type": "none",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 340,
        "y": 80,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "52da1ea8.5e542",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_on",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.dennis_thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "",
        "output_location_type": "none",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 360,
        "y": 140,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "8f282fb8.45cf8",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_off",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.dennis_thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "",
        "output_location_type": "none",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 360,
        "y": 200,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "8ea80f7b.91ad3",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Dennis Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "input_boolean.dennis_thuis",
        "entityidfiltertype": "substring",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "on",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "76ff614c.e3aa3"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "5e7a5281.9bb07c",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Tineke Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "input_boolean.tineke_thuis",
        "entityidfiltertype": "substring",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "on",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 360,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "576fef00.7e22e"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "76ff614c.e3aa3",
        "type": "api-current-state",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Tineke Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "outputs": 2,
        "halt_if": "on",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "override_topic": false,
        "entity_id": "input_boolean.tineke_thuis",
        "state_type": "str",
        "state_location": "payload",
        "override_payload": "msg",
        "entity_location": "data",
        "override_data": "msg",
        "blockInputOverrides": false,
        "x": 330,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "806802c8.fe5f1"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "576fef00.7e22e",
        "type": "api-current-state",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Dennis Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": "1",
        "outputs": 2,
        "halt_if": "on",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "override_topic": false,
        "entity_id": "input_boolean.dennis_thuis",
        "state_type": "str",
        "state_location": "payload",
        "override_payload": "msg",
        "entity_location": "data",
        "override_data": "msg",
        "blockInputOverrides": false,
        "x": 340,
        "y": 360,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "806802c8.fe5f1"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "68a06492.f9578c",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Dennis Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "input_boolean.dennis_thuis",
        "entityidfiltertype": "substring",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "off",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 440,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "c5c67c30.e01db"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "fc058f87.982e9",
        "type": "server-state-changed",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Tineke Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "exposeToHomeAssistant": false,
        "haConfig": [
            {
                "property": "name",
                "value": ""
            },
            {
                "property": "icon",
                "value": ""
            }
        ],
        "entityidfilter": "input_boolean.tineke_thuis",
        "entityidfiltertype": "substring",
        "outputinitially": true,
        "state_type": "str",
        "haltifstate": "off",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "outputs": 2,
        "output_only_on_state_change": true,
        "for": "",
        "forType": "num",
        "forUnits": "minutes",
        "ignorePrevStateNull": false,
        "ignorePrevStateUnknown": false,
        "ignorePrevStateUnavailable": false,
        "ignoreCurrentStateUnknown": false,
        "ignoreCurrentStateUnavailable": false,
        "x": 110,
        "y": 520,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "c5c67c30.e01db"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "21916f6b.480ab",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Away",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": "1",
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_off",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "payload",
        "output_location_type": "msg",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 790,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "c5c67c30.e01db",
        "type": "api-call-service",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "Home",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "debugenabled": false,
        "service_domain": "input_boolean",
        "service": "turn_on",
        "entityId": "input_boolean.thuis",
        "data": "",
        "dataType": "json",
        "mergecontext": "",
        "output_location": "payload",
        "output_location_type": "msg",
        "mustacheAltTags": false,
        "x": 290,
        "y": 440,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "806802c8.fe5f1",
        "type": "api-current-state",
        "z": "a5e1f88b.118eb8",
        "name": "House Guests",
        "server": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "version": 1,
        "outputs": 2,
        "halt_if": "on",
        "halt_if_type": "str",
        "halt_if_compare": "is",
        "override_topic": false,
        "entity_id": "input_boolean.gasten",
        "state_type": "str",
        "state_location": "payload",
        "override_payload": "msg",
        "entity_location": "data",
        "override_data": "msg",
        "blockInputOverrides": false,
        "x": 540,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": [
            [],
            [
                "21916f6b.480ab"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "d886c793.f0a088",
        "type": "server",
        "z": "",
        "name": "Home Assistant",
        "addon": true
    }
]

Select and copy the above code.

Paste it into node-red by going to the hamburger menu and select import

In the next windows paste and click import

It will look like the following:

After you changed to your configuration and you have pressed deploy presence detection will work as it should be.

Don’t forget to follow my other tutorial; for example node-red and philips hue in HA

If you have any further question, ask them in the comments.