Editor Workflow
The visual editor is where most dashboard work happens. It lets you add cards, move them, resize them, assign them to tabs and layers, edit settings, create connectors, import designs, and export your work.
Edit mode is meant to feel like a design tool inside Home Assistant. You can make layout decisions visually, while still keeping the result as a real Home Assistant dashboard configuration.
Typical editing flow
Enter edit mode
Add cards
Move and resize
Assign tabs or layers
Save
Preview
Editing habits that help
- Save before large changes.
- Export before importing another design.
- Use tabs for main dashboard sections.
- Use layers for temporary modes, overlays, and optional controls.
- Use connectors only when they explain a real relationship.
Keyboard and interaction notes
The editor supports common workflow shortcuts such as saving and leaving edit mode. These are especially useful on larger dashboards where moving back to the toolbar repeatedly becomes slow.
- Ctrl or Cmd + S: save where supported.
- Esc: leave or cancel edit interactions where supported.
- Long press, double click, or toolbar actions may be used for edit access depending on setup.
Settings reference
| Dashboard setting | YAML setting | What it does | Value possibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edit mode PIN | edit_mode_pin | Adds a simple PIN before edit mode can be opened. | Empty value or PIN text. |
| Auto-save | auto_save | Saves editor changes automatically. | true or false. |
| Auto-save delay | auto_save_debounce | Waits briefly before saving repeated changes while editing. | Delay in milliseconds. |
| Debug mode | debug | Shows extra diagnostic behavior while troubleshooting. | true or false. |
Image slotAdd annotated screenshots of the editor toolbar, card settings, and save controls.
Last updated 2026-05-27.