Best device_class for HomeKit notification message

Configuration
,
1

I’ve created a custom event-based sensor, so that I can trigger an alert in HomeKit when a package is delivered. I need the notification to be via HomeKit, not Telegram or Home Assistant etc.

The sensor and event are all working fine, I just wonder if there is a better type I can use to give me a nicer notification message. This is my sensor currently:

template:
  - trigger:
      platform: event
      event_type: package_delivered
    binary_sensor:
      - name: Package
        auto_off: 5
        state: "true"
        device_class: motion

Which gives me this notification in HomeKit:

IMG_5ED8C43852BE-1
IMG_5ED8C43852BE-11170×295 57.7 KB

It’s fine, but I wonder if there is a different type that would give a nicer message. If I use presence or occupancy then the “delivery” sensor name doesn’t get included at all. Does anyone have a suggestion that would give a better notification message through HomeKit?

2

It’s often missed because it doesn’t show up as a device in HomeKit, it shows up at the top in the summaries, but they are there. I have 200+ devices in HomeKit right now and quite a few occupancy and other sensors as part of that.

You could use any number of sensors, depending on what you want to do. You could also just leave it as a switch and then use the Shortcuts app on your phone/tablet to trigger when that comes on to give you whatever friendly message you desire.

3

I don’t want to configure phones individually. I’m using HomeKit because everyone in the house is already using it and they don’t want to be installing other apps for one notification.

The question is if there is a sensor type that will give me a nicer notification message, for example, if I switch to device_class: presence then I get this:

IMG_76A3F066AF7B-1
IMG_76A3F066AF7B-11170×267 51.2 KB

Again, it’s not bad, but I’m wondering if there’s a sensor that will give a better message, more suited to a package delivery notification.

4

You don’t have to. Shortcuts is part of Apple and it should be there already and you can set it up on one, share it to the others and be done.

Regardless, the message you get from HomeKit alone is always going to resemble that because you are using sensors that aren’t designed for your specific need, so be it occupancy or a leak sensor or anything else that you might want to notify you then you will get similar responses. You can also just use a switch called “Package Delivery” and have everyones HomeKit configure getting notifications for that and it will say “Package Delivery was turned on”.

5

Darren did you figure out an answer to this?