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Convert to local time zone: as_local

The as_local template function converts a datetimeA value representing a specific moment in time, including the date, time, and time zone. For example, 2026-04-05 14:30:00+00:00. Used for timestamps, scheduling, and time-based calculations. object to your local time zone, as configured in Home Assistant. If you have a datetime in UTC or any other time zone, as_local shifts it to your local time so it displays correctly for you.

Many entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] in Home Assistant store their timestamps in UTC. When you display these values on a dashboard or use them in a notificationYou can use notifications to send messages, pictures, and more, to devices. [Learn more], you usually want to show the time as it appears on your clock, not in UTC. as_local handles this conversion. For example, if a sensor reports its last update as 13:30 UTC and you live in CET (UTC+1), as_local converts it to 14:30. It also correctly handles daylight saving time changes.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

As a function

As a filter

Template

{{ as_local(utcnow()) }}

Result (datetime)

2024-03-15 14:30:00.123456+01:00

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically.

Function parameters without a = are usually required. A few optional parameters have no default value, so the signature shows them without a = as well. To check whether a parameter is required, look at the parameter list below the signature. Each parameter is marked as Required or Optional.

The most common optional parameter without a default value is default. The default parameter sets the value a function returns when the function can’t produce a result, for example, when float gets text that isn’t a number. If you leave out default, there is no fallback value, so most functions raise an error and the template fails. The parameter list of each function says what happens. If you set default, the function returns your value instead.

How to read a signature

Here is the signature of the round filter as an example:

round(
    value: Any,
    precision: int = 0,
    method: str = "common",
    default: Any,
) -> float | int | Any

round is the name of the function.
Between the parentheses are the parameters. Each parameter has a name, followed by a colon and the type of value the parameter expects. The type only tells you what kind of value to pass. For default: Any, you pass a value of any type, such as 0 or "unknown", not the word Any.
= 0 and = "common" are default values. You can leave out precision and method, and round uses these default values.
default has no =, but the parameter list marks default as optional. If you leave out default and round gets a value that isn’t a number, round raises an error.
-> shows the type of value the function returns.
Inside a signature, | means “or”. This function returns a decimal number, a whole number, or the value you passed as default.

round is a filter, so the first parameter, value, is the value before the |. For example, {{ 3.14159 | round(2) }} returns 3.14.

The types you’ll see most often:

str: text, such as "hello"
int: a whole number, such as 5
float: a decimal number, such as 3.14
bool: true or false
list: a list of values, such as [1, 2, 3]. list[str] is a list of texts.
dict: a set of keys and values, such as {"name": "Kitchen"}
datetime and timedelta: a date and time, and a duration. For details, refer to Dates and times.
None: no value
Any: any type of value

Some signatures use special forms:

*args means you can pass any number of values, separated by commas. For example, average(1, 2, 3).
value | name(...) means the function is a filter. The value before the | is passed to the filter as its first parameter. Some filter signatures, like the round example, show this value as the first parameter between the parentheses instead.

as_local(
    value: datetime,
) -> datetime

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this function.

value datetime Required

The datetime object to convert to the local time zone. Must be a datetime object, not a string. Use as_datetime first if you have a string.

Converting UTC entity timestamps

Entity attributes like last_changed and last_updated are stored in UTC. Convert them to local time for display.

Template

{{ states.binary_sensor.front_door.last_changed | as_local }}

Result (datetime)

2024-03-15 14:30:00.123456+01:00

Good to know

The input must be a datetime object, not a string. Pipe through as_datetime first if you have a string.
Naive datetimes (without time zone info) are treated as local time in your Home Assistant time zone. as_local adds that time zone without changing the time.
Daylight saving transitions are handled automatically based on the Home Assistant configured time zone.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Settings > Tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Display last changed time in local format

Show when a sensor last changed, formatted in local time.

Template

{{ (states.sensor.temperature.last_changed | as_local).strftime("%H:%M") }}

Result (string)

14:30

Convert a UTC datetime string to local time

First parse the string with as_datetime, then convert to local time.

Template

{{ as_datetime("2024-03-15T13:30:00+00:00") | as_local }}

Result (datetime)

2024-03-15 14:30:00+01:00

Show the local time of the next scheduled event

Convert a UTC event time from a sensorSensors return information about a thing, for instance the level of water in a tank. [Learn more] to your local time zone for display in a notification.

Action

action:
  - action: notify.mobile
    data:
      message: >
        Next appointment at
        {{
          (as_datetime(states("sensor.next_appointment")) | as_local)
          .strftime("%H:%M")
        }}

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain or fix templates when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one:

Current local date and time: now - Returns the current date and time in your local time zone.
Current UTC date and time: utcnow - Returns the current date and time in UTC.
Convert to datetime: as_datetime - Converts a string or timestamp to a datetime object.
Convert to UNIX timestamp: as_timestamp - Converts a datetime object or string to a UNIX timestamp.

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