ESP32 LD2410 mmWave Presence Sensor with Home Assistant

The LD2410 is one of the most useful sensors you can connect to an ESP32 for Home Assistant. It is a 24GHz mmWave presence sensor, which means it can detect small human movement and stationary presence much better than a basic PIR motion sensor.

A PIR sensor is good at detecting movement. Walk into a room and it turns the lights on. But sit still at a desk, on a sofa, or in bed, and the PIR may think the room is empty after a few minutes.

The LD2410 solves that problem. It can detect both moving and still targets, so it is much better for real room occupancy.

ESPHome has built-in support for the Hi-Link LD2410 family, including LD2410, LD2410B and LD2410C. The ESPHome component uses UART communication and exposes presence, moving target, still target, distance, energy values, thresholds and tuning options directly to Home Assistant.

Why use LD2410 instead of a PIR sensor?

A PIR sensor detects changes in infrared radiation. It is cheap, simple and low-power, but it mainly detects movement.

The LD2410 uses mmWave radar. It can detect small movements such as breathing, typing, slight body motion or someone sitting still. That makes it much better for rooms where people remain in one place.

Good use cases include:

Office presence detection
Desk occupancy
Living room lighting
Bathroom fan automation
Bedroom night automations
Kitchen presence detection
Stair or hallway lighting
Home Assistant alarm logic
Room-level occupancy

The key difference is simple:

Sensor	Best at	Weakness
PIR	Detecting movement	Can miss someone sitting still
LD2410 mmWave	Detecting real presence	Needs tuning to avoid false positives

For Home Assistant, that makes the LD2410 much more useful than a basic PIR sensor in many rooms.

Parts needed

Part	Notes
ESP32 development board	ESP32 DevKit, ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3 or similar
LD2410, LD2410B or LD2410C	Hi-Link mmWave presence sensor
Jumper wires	Female-to-female wires are easiest
USB cable	For flashing and power
5V power source	Usually from ESP32 VIN / 5V pin
Home Assistant with ESPHome	ESPHome add-on or ESPHome Device Builder

The LD2410 family communicates with ESPHome over UART. ESPHome recommends hardware UART pins because the LD2410 normally runs at 256000 baud by default.

LD2410, LD2410B and LD2410C: which one should you buy?

For a Home Assistant ESPHome project, any of these can work:

Model	Notes
LD2410	Original module
LD2410B	Common version with Bluetooth support
LD2410C	Compact version, also popular for DIY sensors

The LD2410B and LD2410C are usually the easiest choices because they are common, cheap and often available with pins or small adapter boards.

The Bluetooth function is mainly useful for configuration with the Hi-Link app. For ESPHome, the normal and most reliable method is still wiring the sensor to the ESP32 using UART.

Wiring LD2410 to ESP32

The LD2410 has power, ground, UART TX and UART RX pins.

Typical wiring:

LD2410 pin	ESP32 pin
VCC	5V / VIN
GND	GND
TX	GPIO16 / ESP32 RX
RX	GPIO17 / ESP32 TX
OUT	Optional GPIO input

Important: TX and RX are crossed.

That means:

LD2410 TX goes to ESP32 RX
LD2410 RX goes to ESP32 TX

Example wiring:

Function	ESP32
UART RX	GPIO16
UART TX	GPIO17
Power	5V
Ground	GND

The LD2410 also has an OUT pin, but for ESPHome you normally want UART because UART gives you full data: moving target, still target, distance, energy and tuning values. The OUT pin can only give a simpler presence signal. ESPHome also documents an optional OUT pin setup if you want to monitor the sensor’s basic output directly.

Basic ESPHome YAML

This is the clean starting configuration.

esphome:
  name: esp32-ld2410-presence
  friendly_name: ESP32 LD2410 Presence

esp32:
  board: esp32dev

logger:

api:
  encryption:
    key: "PASTE_YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: "PASTE_YOUR_OTA_PASSWORD_HERE"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  ap:
    ssid: "LD2410 Presence Fallback"
    password: "fallback-password"

captive_portal:

uart:
  id: ld2410_uart
  tx_pin: GPIO17
  rx_pin: GPIO16
  baud_rate: 256000
  parity: NONE
  stop_bits: 1

ld2410:
  id: ld2410_sensor
  uart_id: ld2410_uart

binary_sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    has_target:
      name: "Presence"
      device_class: presence
    has_moving_target:
      name: "Moving Target"
    has_still_target:
      name: "Still Target"

sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    moving_distance:
      name: "Moving Distance"
    still_distance:
      name: "Still Distance"
    moving_energy:
      name: "Moving Energy"
    still_energy:
      name: "Still Energy"
    detection_distance:
      name: "Detection Distance"

text_sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    version:
      name: "LD2410 Firmware Version"
    mac_address:
      name: "LD2410 Bluetooth MAC"

button:
  - platform: ld2410
    restart:
      name: "LD2410 Restart"
    query_params:
      name: "LD2410 Query Params"

After flashing, Home Assistant should discover the ESP32 device and expose the LD2410 entities.

What the main entities mean

The most useful entities are:

Entity	Meaning
Presence	Someone is detected
Moving Target	Moving person detected
Still Target	Stationary person detected
Moving Distance	Distance to moving target
Still Distance	Distance to still target
Detection Distance	General detected target distance
Moving Energy	Strength of moving detection
Still Energy	Strength of still detection

For normal Home Assistant automations, the most important one is usually:

binary_sensor.presence

This is the entity you use to turn lights, fans or automations on and off.

Full ESPHome YAML with tuning controls

This version exposes more LD2410 settings inside Home Assistant, including timeout, distance gates and engineering mode.

esphome:
  name: esp32-ld2410-presence
  friendly_name: ESP32 LD2410 Presence

esp32:
  board: esp32dev

logger:

api:
  encryption:
    key: "PASTE_YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: "PASTE_YOUR_OTA_PASSWORD_HERE"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  ap:
    ssid: "LD2410 Presence Fallback"
    password: "fallback-password"

captive_portal:

uart:
  id: ld2410_uart
  tx_pin: GPIO17
  rx_pin: GPIO16
  baud_rate: 256000
  parity: NONE
  stop_bits: 1

ld2410:
  id: ld2410_sensor
  uart_id: ld2410_uart

binary_sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    has_target:
      name: "Presence"
      device_class: presence
    has_moving_target:
      name: "Moving Target"
    has_still_target:
      name: "Still Target"
    out_pin_presence_status:
      name: "OUT Pin Presence Status"

sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    light:
      name: "Light"
    moving_distance:
      name: "Moving Distance"
    still_distance:
      name: "Still Distance"
    moving_energy:
      name: "Moving Energy"
    still_energy:
      name: "Still Energy"
    detection_distance:
      name: "Detection Distance"

    g0:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 0 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 0 Still Energy"
    g1:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 1 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 1 Still Energy"
    g2:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 2 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 2 Still Energy"
    g3:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 3 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 3 Still Energy"
    g4:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 4 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 4 Still Energy"
    g5:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 5 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 5 Still Energy"
    g6:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 6 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 6 Still Energy"
    g7:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 7 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 7 Still Energy"
    g8:
      move_energy:
        name: "Gate 8 Move Energy"
      still_energy:
        name: "Gate 8 Still Energy"

switch:
  - platform: ld2410
    engineering_mode:
      name: "Engineering Mode"
    bluetooth:
      name: "LD2410 Bluetooth"

number:
  - platform: ld2410
    timeout:
      name: "Presence Timeout"
    light_threshold:
      name: "Light Threshold"
    max_move_distance_gate:
      name: "Max Move Distance Gate"
    max_still_distance_gate:
      name: "Max Still Distance Gate"

    g0:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 0 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 0 Still Threshold"
    g1:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 1 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 1 Still Threshold"
    g2:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 2 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 2 Still Threshold"
    g3:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 3 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 3 Still Threshold"
    g4:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 4 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 4 Still Threshold"
    g5:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 5 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 5 Still Threshold"
    g6:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 6 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 6 Still Threshold"
    g7:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 7 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 7 Still Threshold"
    g8:
      move_threshold:
        name: "Gate 8 Move Threshold"
      still_threshold:
        name: "Gate 8 Still Threshold"

button:
  - platform: ld2410
    factory_reset:
      name: "LD2410 Factory Reset"
    restart:
      name: "LD2410 Restart"
    query_params:
      name: "LD2410 Query Params"

text_sensor:
  - platform: ld2410
    version:
      name: "LD2410 Firmware Version"
    mac_address:
      name: "LD2410 Bluetooth MAC"

select:
  - platform: ld2410
    distance_resolution:
      name: "Distance Resolution"
    baud_rate:
      name: "Baud Rate"
    light_function:
      name: "Light Function"
    out_pin_level:
      name: "OUT Pin Level"

This is the configuration I would use while testing and tuning. Later, you can hide some of the advanced entities from Home Assistant if the dashboard becomes too cluttered.

ESPHome exposes gate energy values and gate thresholds from gate 0 to gate 8, and engineering mode is used for calibration.

Understanding LD2410 gates

The LD2410 divides detection distance into gates. Think of gates as distance bands in front of the sensor.

By default, ESPHome lists gates from g0 to g8. Each gate can have:

Move energy
Still energy
Move threshold
Still threshold

If the energy is above the threshold, the sensor considers that gate active.

This is how you tune the sensor.

Example:

Gate 1 detects movement near the sensor
Gate 4 detects someone sitting at a desk
Gate 8 detects something further away
If a far wall, curtain or fan causes false detection, reduce the max distance gate or increase the relevant threshold

ESPHome’s LD2410 documentation gives default threshold values for gates 0 to 8, and these are adjustable from Home Assistant when exposed as number entities.

First test after flashing

After flashing the ESP32:

Open Home Assistant
Go to the ESPHome device
Check whether Presence changes when you stand in front of the sensor
Check Moving Target while walking
Check Still Target while sitting still
Watch Detection Distance
Enable Engineering Mode temporarily
Watch the gate energy values
Tune thresholds only after observing the sensor for a few minutes

Do not start changing every setting immediately. First, see what the sensor reports in your actual room.

Best placement

Placement matters more with mmWave than with PIR.

Good placement:

Facing the area where people sit or stand
Around chest height or slightly higher
Away from moving curtains
Away from fans
Away from vibrating appliances
Not directly facing a busy corridor unless that is intentional
Not pointing through a thin wall into another room

Bad placement:

Pointing at a spinning fan
Pointing at a window with moving curtains
Pointing at a hallway when you only care about a room
Hidden behind metal
Too close to the ESP32 Wi-Fi antenna
Inside a sealed metal enclosure

For desk presence, place it facing the chair area. For room presence, place it where it sees the normal occupied part of the room but not every irrelevant movement outside the room.

Home Assistant automation examples

Turn lights on with presence

alias: Living room lights on with presence
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.presence
    to: "on"
condition:
  - condition: sun
    after: sunset
action:
  - service: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.living_room
mode: single

Turn lights off when room is empty

alias: Living room lights off when empty
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.presence
    to: "off"
    for:
      minutes: 5
action:
  - service: light.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: light.living_room
mode: single

For mmWave sensors, do not turn lights off immediately. Give it a delay. A delay of 3 to 10 minutes is usually more natural.

Desk occupancy automation

alias: Desk lamp on when desk occupied
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.office_presence
    to: "on"
action:
  - service: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.desk_lamp
mode: single

Bathroom fan automation

alias: Bathroom fan with presence
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.bathroom_presence
    to: "on"
action:
  - service: switch.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: switch.bathroom_fan
mode: single

And off after the room clears:

alias: Bathroom fan off after room empty
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.bathroom_presence
    to: "off"
    for:
      minutes: 10
action:
  - service: switch.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: switch.bathroom_fan
mode: single

Combining LD2410 with PIR

The best setup is often LD2410 plus PIR.

Use PIR for instant movement detection and LD2410 for continued occupancy.

Example logic:

PIR turns the light on quickly
LD2410 keeps the light on while someone is still there
Light turns off only when LD2410 has been clear for several minutes

This gives a better user experience than relying on one sensor only.

Tuning false positives

False positives are the main downside of mmWave sensors.

Common causes:

Problem	Fix
Detects people through thin walls	Reduce max distance gate
Detects curtains	Change angle or increase threshold
Detects fan movement	Avoid pointing at fan
Detects hallway movement	Reposition sensor
Never clears presence	Increase still thresholds
Clears too quickly	Increase timeout
Detects too far	Lower max move/still distance gate

The most useful setting is often:

max_still_distance_gate

If the sensor is detecting presence beyond the useful part of the room, reduce the maximum still detection gate.

Tuning process

A practical tuning method:

Enable Engineering Mode
Leave the room empty
Watch which gates show still or moving energy
Increase thresholds for noisy gates
Sit in the normal occupied position
Make sure the correct gate still detects you
Walk around the room
Check moving target behaviour
Reduce max distance gates if it detects outside the room
Disable Engineering Mode when done

ESPHome’s own calibration process follows the same basic idea: enable engineering mode, monitor gate move/still energy values, adjust thresholds, and then disable engineering mode.

Recommended starting settings

Do not copy these blindly, but they are reasonable starting points.

For a small bathroom:

Setting	Suggested value
Max move distance gate	4
Max still distance gate	4
Timeout	15–30 seconds

For an office desk:

Setting	Suggested value
Max move distance gate	5
Max still distance gate	5
Timeout	30–60 seconds

For a living room:

Setting	Suggested value
Max move distance gate	6–8
Max still distance gate	6–8
Timeout	60–180 seconds

For lighting automations, I prefer a longer Home Assistant delay rather than relying only on the sensor timeout.

Should you use Bluetooth?

The LD2410B and LD2410C commonly include Bluetooth, but for ESPHome the wired UART method is usually better.

Use UART because:

It is stable
It exposes more data to ESPHome
It does not rely on Bluetooth range
It works directly with the ESP32
It is easier to troubleshoot

Bluetooth is useful mainly for initial setup or tuning with the Hi-Link app.

ESPHome also exposes a Bluetooth switch and MAC address for supported LD2410 variants, and the default Bluetooth password is documented as HiLink.

Optional OUT pin method

If you only want a simple presence signal, you can use the LD2410 OUT pin.

Example:

binary_sensor:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: GPIO25
    name: "LD2410 OUT Presence"
    device_class: presence

This is simple, but it misses the main benefit of the LD2410. You do not get distance, moving target, still target, energy values or tuning data.

For Home Assistant, UART is the better method.

Power supply notes

The LD2410 is normally powered from 5V. Many ESP32 boards have a 5V or VIN pin when powered by USB, which is usually fine for this sensor.

Basic rules:

Power LD2410 from 5V / VIN
Connect grounds together
Do not forget common GND
Keep UART wires short during testing
Avoid loose breadboard connections for permanent installs

If the sensor behaves randomly, suspect power or wiring first.

Troubleshooting

No data in Home Assistant

Check:

TX and RX are crossed correctly
ESP32 GND and LD2410 GND are connected
UART baud rate is 256000
parity: NONE
stop_bits: 1
You used suitable GPIO pins
The LD2410 is powered from 5V

ESPHome says UART is required for the LD2410 component and specifically notes parity: NONE and stop_bits: 1.

Sensor always shows presence

Likely causes:

It is detecting through a wall
It is seeing a fan or curtain
Still threshold is too low
Max still distance gate is too high
It is facing the wrong direction
Engineering mode shows noise in one or more gates

Fix by reducing the maximum distance gates first. Then tune thresholds.

Sensor misses someone sitting still

Likely causes:

Still threshold too high
Sensor aimed too low or too high
Person is outside the configured still detection distance
Max still distance gate is too low
Sensor is badly placed

Use Engineering Mode and check the still energy value while someone sits in the normal position.

Sensor detects movement outside the room

This is common. mmWave can detect through some thin materials.

Fixes:

Reposition the sensor
Angle it away from doors and walls
Reduce max move distance gate
Reduce max still distance gate
Increase thresholds on far gates

Distance readings jump around

Some variation is normal. Do not build critical automations based on exact centimetre values. Use the binary presence entity for normal automations and use distance mainly for tuning.

Best rooms for LD2410

The LD2410 is especially good in:

Office
Living room
Bathroom
Bedroom
Kitchen
Utility room
Small workshop
Gaming room
Home cinema room

It is less ideal for:

Outdoor areas
Rooms with lots of moving fabric
Rooms with fans pointing directly at the sensor
Spaces where it can see through thin walls into another occupied room

LD2410 vs LD2450

The LD2410 is a presence sensor. It is cheap, simple and very good for detecting whether a room is occupied.

The LD2450 is more advanced and can track multiple targets with coordinates. That makes it better for zone-based presence detection, but it is also a bit more complex.

Simple choice:

Sensor	Best for
LD2410	Cheap room presence detection
LD2450	Multi-zone and multi-target tracking

For most Home Assistant users, the LD2410 is the better first mmWave sensor.

Is LD2410 worth it?

Yes. For Home Assistant, the LD2410 is one of the best cheap upgrades over a normal PIR sensor.

It is not perfect. It needs tuning, and it can create false positives if placed badly. But once tuned, it gives much better real occupancy detection than a basic motion sensor.

For lights, fans, heating, cooling and room automations, that difference is huge.

Conclusion

The ESP32 and LD2410 make a powerful Home Assistant presence sensor. With ESPHome, the setup is local, cheap and highly configurable.

The best setup is:

ESP32 board
LD2410B or LD2410C sensor
UART connection
ESPHome LD2410 component
Presence entity for normal automations
Engineering Mode for tuning
Sensible Home Assistant delays before turning things off

If your current PIR sensors turn lights off while someone is sitting still, the LD2410 is exactly the kind of sensor you want.