History graph card: add an option to keep timeline names in the left column

[oehlberg]

Summary

Since 2026.10.0, the history-graph card draws timeline entity names under each bar instead of in a column to the left (home-assistant/frontend#54086, extended to the card in home-assistant/frontend#54102). I'd like a card option to choose the previous left-column layout.

Why

I understand the change helps on phones, where the name column took up a lot of width. On a wide dashboard the trade-off goes the other way:

• There is plenty of horizontal room, so the left column cost nothing, and names lined up with their bars were quicker to scan.
• Names under the bars make each row taller, so the same card shows fewer entities in the same space.
• Making the card wider does not bring the old layout back, because it is no longer tied to chart width.

No workaround today

• show_names: false removes the names completely, and the hover tooltip does not show the entity name either, so the bars can't be identified at all.
• The only way to get in-line names back is a custom card.

Proposal

Add an option to the history-graph card, for example:

type: history-graph
names_position: left   # default: below
entities:
  - binary_sensor.front_door

The new layout can stay the default. Alternatively, pick the layout from the card width, so narrow cards get names under the bars and wide cards keep the left column.

Separately, showing the entity name in the tooltip when show_names: false would make that option usable on its own.

Version

Home Assistant 2026.10.0

[karwosts]

This change was reverted from 2026.10. I believe if it comes back it will probably have a configuration option.

#54661

[zertifox]

The change affects not only the history graph card, but also the History view that is opened via the Navigate Interaction and is not reverted in Core 2026.10.1. See Examples:

Before --

After (Part 1) --

After (Part 2) --

This Change is annoying and should definitely be reverted.

[karwosts]

If you have a suggestion for the history panel, please open a new suggestion. This one was for the history graph card only, is closed, and no longer monitored.