home-assistant/core · warning · ValueError

{self.entity_id} doesn't support learning RF commands

Error message

{self.entity_id} doesn't support learning RF commands

What it means

ValueError('<entity_id> doesn't support learning RF commands') from _async_learn_command: when command_type is RF but the device API has no sweep_frequency method, there is no way to learn RF and the service raises before attempting anything. IR learning is unaffected because it is selected first when command_type == COMMAND_TYPE_IR.

Source

Thrown at homeassistant/components/broadlink/remote.py:300

            _LOGGER.warning(
                "%s canceled: %s entity is turned off", service, self.entity_id
            )
            return

        if not self._storage_loaded:
            await self._async_load_storage()

        async with self._lock:
            if command_type == COMMAND_TYPE_IR:
                learn_command = self._async_learn_ir_command

            elif hasattr(device.api, "sweep_frequency"):
                learn_command = self._async_learn_rf_command

            else:
                err_msg = f"{self.entity_id} doesn't support learning RF commands"
                _LOGGER.error("Failed to call %s: %s", service, err_msg)
                raise ValueError(err_msg)

            should_store = False

            for command in commands:
                try:
                    code = await learn_command(command)
                    if toggle:
                        code = [code, await learn_command(command)]

                # pylint: disable-next=home-assistant-action-swallowed-exception
                except (AuthorizationError, NetworkTimeoutError, OSError) as err:
                    _LOGGER.error("Failed to learn '%s': %s", command, err)
                    break

                except BroadlinkException as err:
                    _LOGGER.error("Failed to learn '%s': %s", command, err)
                    continue

View on GitHub (pinned to 58a3fdb3ea)

Solutions

1. Use an RF-capable Broadlink model (RM Pro / RM4 Pro) to learn RF commands.
2. Double-check command_type — leave it as the default IR unless you truly need RF.
3. If the device is RF-capable but unrecognized, update the broadlink library and HA core.
4. Consider an SDR or dedicated RF tool for non-Broadlink-band protocols.

Example fix

# before
data:
  command_type: rf
  command: doorbell
# on an RM mini 3

# after: learn as IR, or target RF-capable entity
data:
  command_type: ir
  command: doorbell

def can_learn_rf(device) -> bool:
    """Verify RF learning capability before invoking remote.learn_command."""
    return hasattr(device.api, "sweep_frequency")

def is_rf_capable_remote(entity) -> bool:
    """Narrow remote entities to those with RF learning hardware."""
    api = getattr(getattr(entity, "_device", None), "api", None)
    return api is not None and hasattr(api, "sweep_frequency")

try:
    await hass.services.async_call("remote", "learn_command", data, blocking=True)
except ValueError as err:
    if "doesn't support learning RF commands" in str(err):
        data["command_type"] = "ir"  # fall back to IR learning if that is the intent
        await hass.services.async_call("remote", "learn_command", data, blocking=True)
    else:
        raise

When it happens

Trigger: Calling remote.learn_command with command_type: rf on an IR-only Broadlink device (e.g. RM mini 3): hasattr(device.api, 'sweep_frequency') is False.

Common situations: Following guides written for RM Pro/RM4 Pro while owning an IR-only model, misreading device specs, mixed fleets of Broadlink devices in one HA install.

Related errors

• {self.entity_id} doesn't support sending RF commands
• You need to specify a device
• Command not found: {cmd!r}
• Invalid code: {code!r}
• No radiofrequency code received within {LEARNING_TIMEOUT.tot

AI-assisted analysis of home-assistant/core@58a3fdb3ea (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e90eeaa0b5068bbb. Report an issue: GitHub.