Your Google Home speaker is getting some fancy new controls
Courtesy of the Google Home app
If you have a Google Home speaker – or any compatible smart home device, for that matter – you may have noticed that the Google Home app isn't exactly the easiest thing to use.
That's all about to change however, as Google prepares a complete redesign of the app, making the Home Settings menu simpler to use, whether you're controlling your smart speaker, smart lighting, or smart security cameras.
- Read our Google Home review
- Google Home vs Amazon Echo: which is best?
- Google Assistant: how to make your Google Home speaker work for you
According to 9to5Google, the redesign will be rolled out with version 2.22.1.11 of the app.
The Google Home app now features a 'General' section, where nicknames and addresses can be found under 'Home information', and the list of home members can be found under 'Household'.
There's now an entire 'Room and devices' menu, too, which contains your list of rooms, groups, and devices, as well as a new 'Services' menu that contains icons for Video, Music, Radio, Live TV, Voice and video calls, Shopping list, and 'Works with Google'.
Meanwhile, clicking into 'Features' will give you access to your notifications as well as your 'Digital Wellbeing' settings, where you can set limits on how and when your Google Home devices are used.
You'll also find a 'Delete this home' shortcut at the bottom of the screen. Hopefully the redesigned app will make it a little easier to control your smart home devices – which can get a little unwieldy if you've kitted out your entire house with clever gadgets.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Thinking of buying a Google Home (or as newer models are known, Google Nest) speaker? Check out the best prices in your region below:
- These are the best smart speakers of 2020
Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.