Recently, the developers behind Home Assistant undertook a comprehensive redesign of the application's configuration menu. Last December, they replaced the long list of settings and drab icons with a more vibrant and user-friendly interface. Some users were not pleased with the redesign, as it required more clicks to reach certain frequently used settings. If you were among those users, the changes in Home Assistant Core 2022.5 might not fully satisfy you. However, you might agree that the new layout is more logically organized.
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The most used element for me is restart the server. I dont get why this is hidden under literally the last item in the list.
Changes to Home Assistant's Top-Level Configuration Menu
To help you prepare for the upcoming changes, I've reviewed the new configuration menu and compared it to the latest stable release of Home Assistant Core. In the screenshots below, I've used light mode for Core 2022.5 and dark mode for Core 2022.4 to easily distinguish between the two versions.


Home Assistant Blueprints Are No Longer a Top-Level Item
One of the most noticeable changes in the top-level configuration menu is the reorganization of Blueprints. Blueprints, which are primarily used for automations and scripts, have been moved and grouped with automations and scenes. This change makes sense, as Blueprints aren't accessed frequently enough to warrant a top-level position. In my opinion, scenes should have been placed higher, given their distinct role from scripts and automations.

Reshuffling Zones, Areas, and People
Previously, Home Assistant grouped zones with people, which made sense as zones are often used to track people’s locations. However, since the map can also be used by other devices, it is logical to group zones with areas. Zones represent areas outside your smart home, such as offices and schools, while areas are for rooms within your smart home.
Home Assistant System Settings Indicate Future Directions
The most significant change in the new configuration menu is found under system. Instead of a single screen or tabs, you now find a submenu. This submenu follows the same design language as the top-level menu, with large icons and ample space, making it touch-friendly.
If you're looking for the configuration validator, it's now located in the developer tools, alongside the option to reload YAML files.
These changes suggest a move towards a more organized and user-friendly configuration menu, which should make managing your Home Assistant setup more intuitive.
