MQTT Duration Trigger: Smart Button Press Detection

Home Assistant integration for MQTT-based duration triggers

PythonHome AutomationMQTT

Overview

In home automation, many MQTT devices send simple on/off signals without distinguishing between a quick tap and a long press. This Home Assistant custom component bridges that gap by measuring signal duration and classifying button presses, enabling more sophisticated automation triggers.

The Problem

MQTT-connected devices often publish basic boolean states:

  • Button pressed → payload: “1”
  • Button released → payload: “0”

While functionally correct, this limits automation possibilities. You can’t differentiate between:

  • A quick tap (e.g., toggle lights)
  • A long press (e.g., trigger a scene)
  • Different button combinations

Without duration awareness, you’re forced into single-action automations or complex timing workarounds that are unreliable and difficult to maintain.

The Solution

MQTT Duration Trigger acts as an intelligent middleware layer. It:

  1. Subscribes to MQTT input topics
  2. Monitors state changes and measures duration
  3. Classifies presses as “short” or “long” based on configurable threshold
  4. Publishes contextual trigger messages to output topics

This transforms simple on/off signals into meaningful events that Home Assistant can use for advanced automations.

How It Works

Configuration

Define topic pairs and a duration threshold in YAML:

mqtt_duration_trigger:
  threshold_seconds: 1.0
  topics:
    - input: "zigbee/button1"
      output: "triggers/button1"
      name: "living_room_button"

Processing Logic

  1. Press Detection: When payload “1” arrives, record timestamp
  2. Duration Calculation: When payload “0” arrives, calculate elapsed time
  3. Classification: Compare duration against threshold
  4. Event Publishing: Send “{name}_short” or “{name}_long” to output topic

Example Automation

automation:
  - alias: "Living Room Button - Short Press"
    trigger:
      platform: mqtt
      topic: "triggers/button1"
      payload: "living_room_button_short"
    action:
      service: light.toggle
      entity_id: light.living_room

  - alias: "Living Room Button - Long Press"
    trigger:
      platform: mqtt
      topic: "triggers/button1"
      payload: "living_room_button_long"
    action:
      service: scene.turn_on
      entity_id: scene.movie_time

Technical Implementation

Tech Stack

  • Language: Python (100%)
  • Platform: Home Assistant Custom Component
  • Protocol: MQTT
  • Installation: HACS compatible

Architecture

The component integrates seamlessly with Home Assistant’s MQTT component:

  • Subscribes to configured input topics
  • Maintains state machines for each monitored button
  • Calculates durations with millisecond precision
  • Publishes results to separate output topics
  • Handles edge cases (missed messages, reconnections)

Key Features

  • Multiple topic pairs supported simultaneously
  • Configurable threshold per component instance
  • HACS integration for easy installation
  • No external dependencies beyond Home Assistant core
  • Lightweight resource usage

Use Cases

Smart Home Scenarios

Multi-Function Buttons:

  • Short press: Toggle lights
  • Long press: Activate scene

Doorbell Enhancements:

  • Short press: Normal chime
  • Long press: Emergency alert

Media Controls:

  • Short press: Play/pause
  • Long press: Skip track

Security Systems:

  • Short press: Arm home mode
  • Long press: Arm away mode

Installation

  1. Open HACS in Home Assistant
  2. Search for “MQTT Duration Trigger”
  3. Install and restart Home Assistant
  4. Add configuration to configuration.yaml

Manual Installation

  1. Download repository
  2. Copy to custom_components/mqtt_duration_trigger
  3. Restart Home Assistant
  4. Configure in configuration.yaml

Benefits

Simplified Automations:

  • Single component handles timing logic
  • Clean, readable automation rules
  • Centralized configuration

Enhanced Control:

  • More functionality from fewer physical buttons
  • Intuitive user interactions
  • Flexible threshold adjustment

Reliability:

  • Consistent behavior across devices
  • No race conditions or timing issues
  • Proper state handling

Real-World Experience

I use this component throughout my home automation setup:

  • Bedroom switches control lights (short) and scenes (long)
  • Garage button toggles door (short) or triggers alert (long)
  • Dashboard buttons have context-sensitive actions
  • Door sensors detect quick opening vs. prolonged states

The configurability means I can tune thresholds based on actual usage patterns—what feels “long” for a wall switch might differ from a handheld remote.

Future Enhancements

Potential additions include:

  • Double-press detection
  • Variable thresholds per topic
  • Statistics and timing analysis
  • Multiple duration tiers (short/medium/long)
  • Integration with Home Assistant UI for dynamic configuration

Conclusion

MQTT Duration Trigger demonstrates how a simple middleware component can unlock significant functionality. By adding intelligence to basic on/off signals, it enables richer automations without requiring hardware changes or complex timing logic in every automation rule.

Source Code: GitHub