ZHA in Home Assistant: Setup, Coordinators, and Troubleshooting

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Reviewed August 27, 2026. ZHA remains Home Assistant’s native way to build a Zigbee network, but the hardware recommendations, network management interface, and coordinator migration workflow have changed. This guide explains what to choose and how to upgrade without re-pairing every device.

Quick answer: Home Assistant recommends Connect ZBT-2 for a new network. If your Connect ZBT-1, Home Assistant Yellow, ZBDongle-E/P, or another supported coordinator is stable, there is no reason to replace it simply because a newer adapter exists.

What ZHA is and when to use it

ZHA stands for Zigbee Home Automation. It is the built-in Home Assistant integration powered by the open-source zigpy library. It can replace many proprietary bridges while keeping devices and automations under Home Assistant.

Choose ZHA for native UI setup, integrated network backups, and straightforward maintenance.
Consider Zigbee2MQTT when a specific device exposes important features there that ZHA does not, or when you prefer its converter ecosystem. See our Zigbee2MQTT guide.
Never connect one coordinator to ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT at the same time. A coordinator belongs to one application and one Zigbee network.

Current coordinator recommendations

Coordinator	Status	Recommendation
Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2	Current official EFR32MG24 adapter	Best default for a new ZHA network.
Connect ZBT-1 / SkyConnect	Replaced by ZBT-2 but fully supported	Keep it if it works; no preventive migration needed.
Home Assistant Yellow	Built-in Zigbee radio	A solid choice for existing Yellow owners.
Sonoff ZBDongle-E, SLZB-07	Supported Silicon Labs radios	Good options; use vendor tools for firmware.
CC2652/CC1352, ZBDongle-P	Supported Texas Instruments radios	Proven options with coordinator firmware.
ConBee III	Supported through zigpy-deconz	Valid alternative; keep firmware current.

Home Assistant Green does not contain a Zigbee radio, so it needs a USB or compatible network coordinator. Avoid serial-over-IP coordinators across Wi-Fi, a WAN, or a VPN. Coordinator serial protocols need a stable, low-latency link.

Install ZHA step by step

Connect the coordinator through a USB extension cable, preferably to USB 2.0 or a powered USB 2.0 hub. Keep it away from the host, SSDs, USB 3.0 devices, and Wi-Fi access points.
Restart Home Assistant if the adapter is not discovered. Open Settings → Devices & services.
Accept the discovered Zigbee Home Automation integration or select Add integration and search for ZHA.
Choose the correct serial port and radio type. Do not guess among radio protocols.
Let ZHA create the network, then make a full Home Assistant backup before pairing a large number of devices.

Zigbee channels and Wi-Fi interference

Zigbee and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi share spectrum. A poor channel choice or a coordinator next to USB 3.0 hardware can create dropouts that look like bad sensors. Pick the channel before the network becomes large; changing it later may require waking or rejoining some devices.

Place the coordinator at least several feet from the host, router, and USB 3.0 storage.
Choose a Zigbee channel based on the Wi-Fi channels actually used around your home.
Add several mains-powered Zigbee routers first, then battery end devices.
Pair devices in their final location or near the router expected to serve them.

Pair devices and build a healthy mesh

Go to Settings → Zigbee and select Add device.
Factory-reset the device, even if it appears new. A device still joined to another bridge cannot join ZHA.
Wait for discovery, assign a clear name and area, and verify every entity.
If features are missing, re-pair near a router. Non-standard devices may require a ZHA device handler, commonly called a quirk.

There is no absolute official device compatibility list. Zigbee defines standard clusters, but vendors frequently add proprietary behavior. Check recent reports for the exact model and firmware before buying.

Back up and migrate the coordinator

ZHA creates Zigbee network backups and can migrate a network across supported Silicon Labs, Texas Instruments, and ConBee/RaspBee radios. A proper migration preserves the network and avoids pairing every device again.

Open Settings → Zigbee → Migrate.
Connect the new adapter while the old one is still available.
Allow ZHA to make an automatic backup and choose Migrate automatically unless you need a specific backup.
Approve transferring the radio IEEE address if prompted. Do not operate the old adapter nearby with the same address afterward.
Give devices time to rejoin. Wake battery devices or power-cycle routers before treating them as lost.

OTA updates, groups, and binding

ZHA can expose firmware update entities when a manufacturer publishes compatible images. Read the release information first: an OTA may change features, break a binding, or require a newer ZHA version. Zigbee groups and direct binding reduce traffic and can let a remote control a light even while Home Assistant restarts.

Troubleshooting checklist

Will not pair: factory-reset it, move it closer, and reopen joining.
Randomly drops: inspect interference, coordinator power, and router density before blaming the battery.
No entities: pair again, update Home Assistant, and check for a quirk.
EZSP/NCP errors: investigate the serial link, cable, power, or a remote coordinator connection.
Mesh degraded after moving the dongle: restore an extension cable and allow the mesh time to heal.

Bottom line

ZHA is the most direct choice for most Home Assistant installations. A well-positioned coordinator, sensible channel, and enough router devices matter more than buying the most expensive dongle. Back up before migration and switch platforms only to solve a specific requirement.

Primary source: official ZHA documentation.