I’m just a month new to HA and I’m still running it in a VM (Hyper-V) to test it, but i found it amazing so far, I even managed to create my first sensor using an ESP32 chip following the forum, i admit it’s super exciting.
Sadly i ran on an issue with the android app I have been trying to solve all day without success, and I hope some of you could point me to the right direction, as i’m out of options. I’ve searched this section about it but i couldn’t find anything for 2025.12 version.
I’ve happily used the HA App for android for over a month without hassle but yesterday morning it started, when connected to my home wifi, to time out and ask to refresh the URL ALMOST every time i fire it up: when i hit the refresh button, it loads the dash instantly. It works perfectly when outside my home network, tho. It’s not a deal breaking issue but it’s quite annoying because it takes 5-7 seconds to access the dashboard from my phone. And sadly it doesn’t happens constantly but only after the app isn’t used for, say… 5 minutes. If i keep the app opened in the background the issue doesn’t show. Note: I doubt it’s a network problem alone: all tiles and quick actions work perfectly and instantly, moreover if i use them, the first time i fire the app it loads flawlessly just to break again the next time.
Scenario:
I run a split DNS config, and the internal dns server returns the local IP of the HA instance correctly. (double checked)
HA IPv4 network is static, IPv6 is disabled.
The FQDN is temporarily on duckdns.org but since the problem happens on the internal lan, I’d rule out a problem on their side.
I’m using HTTPS with letsencrypt cert, and it’s still valid.
Internally, HA is reachable using its FQDN from the web browser without hassle, both from android and my windows pc: it seems related to something the app does.
No network changes have been made in the last weeks.
What i tried:
I checked the log on the HA instance and nothing pops up, not even enabling the debug for the HTTP (I suppose that’s the right log since it’s the only protocol exposed on the internet)
I downloaded and examined the logs from the android app but they’re very chatty and I wasn’t able to find anything relevant to my problem. Is there a way to enable some verbose connection logs?
Restarted my phone, a Samsung S23+ with latest updates. No help, but it was worth a shot, with Windows sometimes it works.
Restarted unbound (no help) and then my entire PFSENSE (which hosts the service). No Help.
Restarted my AP. No help.
I tried setting up external and internal urls (although they’re the same and it’s not needed), it recognizes my WiFi SSID and instead of asking to refresh my external URL now it asks me to refresh the internal one. (LOL)
Deleted the cache of the app. It works perfectly the first time i set it up, then it goes off again.
Reset the app (cleared both cache and storage from android options). It works perfectly the first time i set it up, then goes off again.
The only change is the installation of the latest core update: 2025.12.
HA, running on an Hyper-V VM
Core: 2025.12.0
Supervisor: 2025.12.2
Operating System: 16.3
Frontend: 20251203.0
The Android App is still on 2025.11.4-full (19134)
Model: Samsung Galaxy S23+
Android: 16
Security patch: Nov 2025
OneUI: 8.0
Play Update: 1st Jul 2025
I’ve recently started to get the same problem, but unfortunately I didn’t make a note of when it started.
With the phone app connected to my home wifi opening the app it will time out most of the time and ask to refresh the URL. As soon as I click refresh it connects without a problem. Note that the internal and external URL are identical and it never used to time out. The phone is connected to the wifi which is on the same lan segment as the Home Assistant server and nothing has changed on my lan / router or phone settings since it was last working.
I can’t remember exactly when this started happening but there has been a least 1, and I think 2, updates to the Companion app recently that may have caused it. I also updated to Home Assistant 2025-11-3 from 2025-10-4 at the end of November, but I think the problem was also happening on version 2025-10-4.
It’s annoying but I haven’t had time to try rolling back versions to see if / when it starts working again. I’ll have to do this as soon as I get time if no one comes up with an answer before then.
Oh good! Well, not good, but I’m happy I’m not alone, this issue has driven me nuts and i tried everything on my lan to make it work without success.
It happened to me 2 days ago but there wasn’tany update on the app lately. I’m gonna try tomorrow to update core to 2025.12.1 but i’m not sure it’s something server side.
I couldn’t try if the WiFi connection on causes the issue by connecting to a remote AP, have you?
I only connect to my home wifi. If I’m away from home I connect using a VPN which is set up on my router. So effectively the phone appears to be on the same lan when on the VPN as when I’m at home connected via the wifi. If I open the Companion app when connected via the VPN it opens immediately as it used to, without the timeout and needing to use the Refresh option. Which is odd as the Companion app should be using the same URL!
Ok, thank you. I’ll try to connect to a remote AP to see if the problem arises every time i’m connected connected to WiFi and eventually post a question on the relevant Github section.
Has anyone of you tried with an external WiFi?
I would like to rule out a WiFi issue on the connection manager before opening an issue on Github. Unfortunately i’m out for work this week.
Seems to be the same but it happens also in 5G, our scenario is a subset, at least for me, it happens with Home Wifi Only (didn’t try external WiFi yet).
Split DNS, so not using Internal URL (HA Internal and External URLs are the same, just LAN DNS resolves to local IP).
Android
To reproduce is just “Force Stop” Companion APP and reopen it. Takes few seconds to see the message proposing to Wait or open External URL. Choosing External URL (which is supposed to be exactly same) it works.
If I close app and reopen immediately, it works.
Tried delete cache, then delete data, then reinstall as mentioned in the Companion App support link. No good.
Check the companion App logs, didn’t see anything relevant (no related errors)
I’ve had the same problem for a week or so (Pixel 9a, Android 16) and have found that changing the Companion app setting under Home network (Your home SSID) at the bottom of the screen is an option “When loading dashboard and unknown if connected to home network” select the option “Use internal connection URL” instead of “Use Home Assistant URL (recommended)”.
Changing this has made my dashboard open reliably fast when I’m home and hasn’t impacted my remote use.
I tried but had no luck, problem comes back after 1 or 2 reloads.
Actually given what the option is for, i really hoped it didn’t work because it would have meant it was broken.
It seems to be a WebView component bug introduced in 143.xx
EDIT: I uninstalled WV updates and reverted to rom’s default and it’s working like a charm.
