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Even if you don’t have a device like a Google Mini or Google Nest display, google home This app can do a lot of things when it comes to your smart home. It works like a dashboard for all your smart devices.And if you use Google Wifi routercontains all the information about your Wi-Fi network, including your current connection speed and the devices using your network. You can also prioritize devices, block them from your network, and change your network name.
In other words, the Google Home app acts as a digital hub for all your automations and allows you to record all your activity across your devices from Google Home. This is a powerful feature of the app and takes almost no time to set up.
Download the Google Home app for your mobile device
Google Home is android Exclusively, if you want to skip Apple’s Homekit app, you can use Google Home. iPhone, too. You’ll need a Google account to set up the app, but you don’t actually need a smart device yet.
Associate your Google Account with Google Home
You’ll need a Google account, such as Gmail, to set up the app. If you have multiple Google Accounts, carefully consider which one to use. It might not be a good idea to set up your home device as your work account. You want to make sure that this is an account that only you can control.
A button labeled “Start” will appear at the bottom right of the screen. Click that button to continue. On the next screen, enter the Gmail account you chose to use. You may be required to enter your account password even if you’re already signed in on your mobile device.
Add services to Google Home
When you return to the home screen, you will see the “Link Services” option. Although this is optional, you may find it useful to link media services to your account. For example, if you want to be able to ask Google to play a particular song, Google will retrieve that song from Spotify, but only if you have a Spotify account.
You’ll see all the services available, from YouTube to Netflix, and can work your way down the list.
Set up your new home with the Google Home app
Google wants to know where you are so it can provide you with more accurate information. For example, to tell the time, you need to know the time zone. We need your address to tell you the weather. When you add a device, it wants to know which room it’s in, so when you say “turn off the living room lights,” it knows which lights you’re talking about. Completing all of these tasks starts with setting up your home in Google. You probably only have one (the house you live in), but you can add more if you have Google set up in your office or another house.
You can set up your first home by clicking the “Get Started” button in the center of the home screen. Google will ask for your name. Simply call it “home” or whatever you like. Google will guide you on how to add your address, which is optional, but you probably should include it for the reasons listed above.
Add devices to Google Home
At this point, Google Home setup is complete. You don’t have to add any devices, but that’s probably why you were interested in the Home app in the first place, so let’s add them. If you have a smart TV, Google devices from Chromecast to Nest devices, or other smart devices, you may be able to add them in conjunction with Google Home. So first go to “New Device” and you will be asked to categorize your device type.
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Matter-enabled devices: When Matter is enabled, your device clearly recognizes it. It may be listed somewhere on the packaging or in the name of the device.
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Google Nest or partner devices: Everything in Google’s lineup, including Mini, Chromecast, and Nest.
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Works with Google Home: This is any device with its own app that you’ve already added devices to. For example, Meross devices, SmartThings, Eufy, iRobot, Govee, LG, Leviton, etc. Google Home has thousands of integrations, and clicking this option will show you all the ecosystems connected to Google.
Depending on which one you choose, the next steps will vary. For Google Nest devices, you’ll be asked to turn on Bluetooth and search for your device. Once the device is found, it takes a series of guided actions to connect to the device over Wi-Fi, name it, and categorize it into a room.
For third-party devices that work with Google Home, simply find the service and authorize the connection to Google Home. When you sign in to the companion service, you will be asked which room you would like to place your device in.
For Matter devices, you will be asked to scan a QR code that appears somewhere on your device, which will initiate some guided actions to connect to your device.
Manage devices with Google Home
You can control and manage these home devices from the Devices tab. Long press on one to access its settings. You can move rooms and change other settings available from the dashboard. Some devices, especially those that are “powered by Google” but have their own apps, may have less control over Google Home than the native app, but you can still turn your device on and off at any time. Must be able to.
Now that Google Home is installed and connected, it’s time to start creating automations and adding Google Assistant.