Can Shelly’s Wall Display become the main smart-home controller if its best new feature arrives first as a beta that some owners may not want to install?
Shelly is adding Multi-Dashboard support to parts of its Wall Display line, letting users move beyond a single fixed control screen and save multiple smart-home layouts, according to Notebookcheck. The feature is available immediately in beta as software version 2.7.0, with support varying sharply by model.
That split matters. Shelly’s wall-mounted touchscreens are designed to control lights, sockets, heating, air conditioning, device status and scenes without reaching for a phone. Multi-Dashboard mode makes that idea more practical — but only if the hardware can keep up.
Can Shelly turn the Wall Display from a fixed panel into a room-by-room controller?
Until now, Shelly Wall Display users could adapt a dashboard with widgets, but they could not switch between multiple saved display variants. The new beta changes that by allowing additional dashboards, with up to five depending on the model.
That is the useful part. A fixed wall panel can become cramped quickly if it tries to show every light, socket, climate device and automation in a home. Multiple dashboards let owners separate controls by room, function or use case.
Possible layouts include:
- Living room: lights, media scenes and climate shortcuts.
- Kitchen: appliance sockets, lighting and commonly used scenes.
- Heating: room temperatures and HVAC controls.
- Security: cameras, sensors or alarm-related views where supported.
- Energy: consumption views and device status.
Shelly describes the Wall Display category as a wall control panel for devices already set up in the Shelly app or through Home Assistant, including lights, heating and scenes. Its own product material says the display can also show room data such as temperature and humidity via integrated or linked sensors.
“You don't need your smartphone - a tap on your wall display is enough.”
MLXIO analysis: That sentence is the real product pitch. Multi-Dashboard support pushes Shelly further away from “smart switch with a screen” and closer to a dedicated control surface for complex homes. The value is not novelty. It is reducing the number of taps, pages and phone unlocks needed to run daily routines.
This fits the same practical-control theme we have seen in smart-home hardware coverage such as Retro Lighting Turns Smart as Govee Edison Bulb Gets Matter, where compatibility and control surfaces matter as much as the device itself.
Which Wall Display models actually get multiple dashboards?
Not every Shelly Wall Display gets the same treatment. Notebookcheck reports that limited hardware capabilities restrict Multi-Dashboard support for now to the X2, X2i and XL models.
| Shelly Wall Display model | Multi-Dashboard support in beta 2.7.0 |
|---|---|
| Wall Display X2 | 3 dashboards |
| Wall Display X2i | 3 dashboards |
| Wall Display XL | 5 dashboards |
| Other Wall Display models | Not currently listed as supporting additional views |
The Wall Display XL gets the highest dashboard count. Notebookcheck also reports that the flagship XL model is currently priced at around $350, with other models priced lower.
That pricing context makes the model split more important. Owners buying into the larger Shelly display are not just paying for screen size. In this beta, they also get more room to structure the interface.
Shelly’s Wall Displays also include integrated switch actuators, which allow additional consumers to be tied directly into the smart-home setup. That keeps the devices distinct from a tablet mounted on a wall: they can replace or sit in the role of installed wall controls, not merely display a web dashboard.
MLXIO analysis: The dashboard limit is a quiet hardware story. If the X2 and X2i top out at three dashboards while the XL reaches five, Shelly is signaling that UI flexibility depends on device capability, not just software intent. Buyers choosing between models should treat dashboard capacity as a feature, not an afterthought.
For a different example of hardware limits shaping display use, see our coverage of the USB-C Flaw Locks OnePlus Nord 6 Out of Big Screens.
Does more dashboard choice solve the Home Assistant performance problem — or add another one?
Home Assistant integration is part of the Wall Display appeal. Shelly’s product material says users can integrate the display through the official Shelly integration and control not only Shelly products but also devices from other manufacturers.
Notebookcheck flags a problem: there have been repeated reports of slow response times in the past, especially with Home Assistant. The proposed remedy is cleaner, less cluttered dashboards.
Multi-Dashboard mode could help. Instead of packing everything into one heavy interface, users can split controls into smaller views. A heating dashboard does not need every light. A guest-friendly dashboard does not need administrative controls. A room dashboard can stay focused on what is physically nearby.
The risk is the opposite. More dashboards may invite users to build more complicated setups, not cleaner ones. If switching between dashboards adds friction, or if each view becomes widget-heavy, the feature could make Wall Displays feel busier rather than faster.
MLXIO analysis: The win condition is discipline. Multi-Dashboard support is most useful when it removes clutter. If users treat it as permission to duplicate every control across five screens, Shelly has added capacity without necessarily improving the experience.
Should owners install the 2.7.0 beta now or wait?
Owners can test Multi-Dashboard support now by switching their Wall Display to the 2.7.0 beta. That comes with a serious caveat: Notebookcheck reports that switching back to the previous stable software version, 2.6.2, is no longer possible after the move.
That makes the decision simple for some users and risky for others.
- Install now if the display is non-critical, the model is X2, X2i or XL, and the owner is comfortable testing beta software.
- Wait if the Wall Display controls essential lighting, heating or household routines.
- Check first whether the exact model supports additional dashboards before updating.
- Test carefully how dashboard switching behaves with existing Shelly scenes, automations and Home Assistant views.
The months-ahead question is whether Shelly turns Multi-Dashboard mode into a polished default feature across more hardware, or whether it remains most valuable on the XL and newer-capable models. The practical watch item is not just the final release date. It is whether the final software makes multiple dashboards feel faster, cleaner and safer than one crowded screen.
Key Takeaways
- Multi-Dashboard support could make Shelly Wall Displays more useful as central smart-home controllers.
- The feature is still in beta, so some owners may prefer to wait before installing version 2.7.0.
- Model-dependent support means not every Wall Display owner will get the same dashboard flexibility.
