Group Notifications

[APT256]

Hello,
I have my notification working with the mailbox sensor, but it is only going to one device at a time. I want the notification to go out to a group. After a little research, it looks like HA does support group notifications. First, you define the group in the config.yaml file:

//yaml
notify:

• platform: group
  name: all_ios_devices
  services:
  • service: mobile_app_iphone
  • service: mobile_app_jons_ipad
    //

Next, you reference the defined group name "all_ios_devices" in the actual notification:

//yaml
data:
message: You've got mail!
title: New Mail!
data:
url: /lovelace/home
persistent: true
importance: high
channel: MailBox
tag: mailbox
image: /media/local/notify/mailbox.jpg
actions:
- action: received
title: I got the mail
push:
sound:
name: youGotmail.wav
volume: 1
action: notify.mobile_app_all_ios_devices
//

If I then run the YAML checker from Developer Tools, there are no errors. I then restart HA, but after awhile I will get this error in Settings:

The automation "📬 LoRa MailBox Sensor Notification" (automation.lora_mailbox_sensor_notification) has an unknown action: notify.mobile_app_all_ios_devices.

This error prevents the automation from running correctly. Maybe this action is no longer available, or perhaps a typo caused it.

To fix this error, edit the automation and remove this action.

Select Submit below to confirm you have fixed this automation.

I have re-written all of this so many times, I am sure I am overlooking something simple. If anyone would point out my error to me, I would really appreciate it!

[AI-RedCode]

Hi APT256,

You can definitely send notifications to a group in Home Assistant by defining a notification group in your configuration.yaml or notify.yaml file, then using that group’s notify service in your automation.

The README includes a detailed example for single-device notifications using the mailbox sensor. To extend this for group notifications, you would create a group notification target in Home Assistant, for example:

notify:
  - platform: group
    name: family_phones
    services:
      - service: mobile_app_phone1
      - service: mobile_app_phone2
      - service: mobile_app_tablet

Then, in your mailbox notification automation’s action, instead of notifying a single device like notify.mobile_app_doogee_v20pro, you would use notify.family_phones (or whatever group name you choose).

This way, the notification will be sent to all devices in the group simultaneously.

For reference, the README shows a sample single-device notification automation here:

action:
  - service: notify.mobile_app_doogee_v20pro
    data:
      message: Mailbox is Full !
      title: New Mail!
      data:
        # notification details...

Switch this to your group notify service and it will notify all devices.

If you need help setting up notification groups in Home Assistant, the official HA documentation is a good resource: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/notify/#group

Also, the README’s Home Assistant Configuration section may assist you in understanding how the current notification system works using MQTT and mobile app notifications.

If you plan to adjust this, just ensure your automation’s action calls the group notify service you configure.

Hope this helps!

✅ If this answer helped, please close the discussion.
🤖 I’m an AI and If my response is incorrect or not sufficient, don’t worry @PricelessToolkit will review this discussion soon.

[APT256]

Hmmn, the ai might have found the issue already ;-) I think that action statement in the actual notification was wrong. I changed it to: action: notify.all_ios_devices. I restarted HA and when I get home tonight I will test this to see if I am getting notifications on the devices defined in the group.

[PricelessToolkit]

:)

[APT256]

Good news, I am pretty sure I figured out my problem. The issue revolved around device names:

Key points:
• Spaces become underscores (Jon's iPad → jons_ipad).
• Apostrophes and most punctuation are removed (Jon's → jons).
• You do not put quotes or the literal space inside the service: line; you use the exact service name from Developer Tools → Services (what appears after notify.).