Google Begins Rolling Out Gemini for Home Voice Assistant in Early Access Program

Gemini for Home is rolling out - here's how to get early access

You can sign up via the app and be notified when you're off the waitlist. Gemini for Home brings the power of generative AI to Google Home users, and it's finally beginning to roll out for some users on an early access basis. Like Amazon did with Alexa+, Google gave its popular Google Assistant the ability to generate content in response to user questions. Also: Google's upcoming smart home speaker might actually make soundbars feel unnecessary Until now, Gemini for Home has been -- much like the new Siri with generative AI -- a promise in the wind. However, Google began rolling out an early access program a few days ago to let Google Home users sign up for an opportunity to test the new voice assistant. If you've opened your Google Home app in the past couple of days, you've likely seen a pop-up inviting you to sign up for early access. However, if you haven't seen a prompt for Gemini for Home in the Google Home app, you can follow these steps to sign up: Follow the prompts to sign up for Gemini for Home. Once available, you'll get a message in the Google Home app letting you know you can access Gemini for Home. Aside from most existing Google speakers and displays, Gemini for Home is compatible with all generations of Nest cameras and doorbells released since 2015, as well as the new onn camera and doorbells released as Walmart exclusives. Yes, Gemini for Home is available without a subscription. If you don't sign up for the Google Home plan, you can still upgrade Google Assistant to Gemini for Home and use Ask Home for quick searches, do simple device queries like asking which lights are off, and control devices in real-time with more intuitive prompts. Also: The best Alexa devices: After testing dozens of them, these are worth your time Google changed its Nest Aware subscriptions to Google Home Premium, which is available in two plans. A standard plan gives you all the free features, plus Gemini Live, the ability to create automations using natural language, 30 days of event history, and intelligent alerts for your compatible security cameras. An advanced plan includes all of this and AI event descriptions, AI-generated notifications, Home Brief, Ask Home to search video history, 60 days of video events, and 10 days of 24/7 video history. Gemini for Home lets you speak more naturally with your virtual assistant, but it can also handle more complex commands than before. If you're familiar with AI chatbots, think of Gemini for Home like asking ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini itself to control your smart home. These bots are far more capable of handling context, nuances, and complex requests than standard smart home assistants, and so will Gemini for Home. Aside from smart home requests and simple questions, here are some things you'll be able to ask Gemini for Home: If you're not sure if you already have Gemini for Home, you can simply ask "OK Google, who are you?" Your voice assistant will sound different from the Google Assistant if you have Gemini for Home, so you'll hear a more natural-sounding voice. Also: Roku may have finally fixed the biggest headache in TV streaming - here's how Google is releasing a new Google Home Speaker, no longer called Nest, in the Spring of 2026. It will be priced at $99 and be available in four colors. It appears that Gemini for Home will eventually replace Google Assistant, though we're not there yet. Google says that Gemini for Home will become the standard "Hey Google" smart home voice assistant at no extra cost, and that once you upgrade to Gemini for Home, you can't go back to Google Assistant. For now, upgrading to Gemini for Home from Google Assistant is an option, not a mandatory update. If you've already tried Alexa+, this is going to be one of the best ways to challenge the virtual assistant and see how they compare. As of right now, Google and Alexa are the only mainstream smart home voice assistants available with generative AI, even if they're both in their respective early access phase. Apple has again fallen behind in the AI arms race, as the improved gen AI-powered Siri continues to meet delays in its release. Also: 3 common thermostat mistakes may be costing you hundreds - here's what to avoid I can't say whether Gemini for Home is better than Alexa+ since I have yet to test Google's upgraded voice assistant in my smart home setup, but I can at least say this: The fact that Google is rolling it out with plans to replace Google Assistant at no extra cost is promising. Alexa+, in turn, costs $20, though it is included with a Prime membership.

Here's Every Smart Speaker That's Getting Gemini

Google is finally starting the rollout of its all-new Gemini for Home voice assistant to its lineup of smart speakers and displays. The big promise here is that Gemini is far more conversational and capable than the current Assistant, and if you have a compatible speaker, you can use it. The best part of the news is that, instead of locking the new AI to brand-new hardware, Google is bringing the Gemini for Home voice assistant to all Google speakers and displays made since 2016. So your old Google Home Mini from 2017 is getting the same core upgrade as the brand-new Nest Hub. I was completely expecting the opposite, but it seems like those who have been loyal to Google are getting rewarded. This is also fantastic news for anyone with a house full of Google gear, and the upgrade is coming at no extra cost. According to Google's FAQ, the full list of compatible devices includes: Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) Google Nest Hub Max Google Nest Hub (1st gen) Google Home Max Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) Google Home Mini (1st gen) Google Nest Audio Google Home Google Nest Wifi point Even though the brain inside is different, you'll still use the "Hey Google" wake word to get its attention. From there, the experience should feel fundamentally new. Gemini maintains short-term context, so you can ask a question and then ask a follow-up without having to repeat the subject all over again. You'll also know you have the upgrade if you see new UI elements on your smart display, or if the LEDs on your speaker glow a blue/purple color when responding. Of course, you can just ask it, "Ok Google, who are you?" and it will respond with the new voice or the old welcome message. Google is also rolling out Gemini Live, which is the feature many of us have really been waiting for. This lets you have a back-and-forth conversation instead of just giving orders. You can talk, pause, interrupt, and pivot to a new topic, all without having to repeat "Hey Google" for every single interaction. This is meant to feel like a real chat where you can brainstorm ideas or get advice. The catch is that Gemini Live is not free. It requires a Google Home Premium subscription. It's also only available on a smaller subset of the newer devices, including the Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Audio, Nest Mini (2nd gen), and Nest Hub Max. This update isn't being forced on everyone just yet. To get it, you need to sign up for the early access program. You'll need to be on version 4.1 or newer of the Google Home app. From there, open the app, tap on Settings, and then click on Early Access to sign up. You'll get a notification inside the app once the Gemini features are available for your home. Before you rush to the app and hit that button, there is another massive catch you need to know about. Once you upgrade to the Gemini for Home voice assistant, you cannot switch back to Google Assistant. This is a one-way migration. Upgrading is optional, but it's permanent once you do it. For now, the rollout is limited to English in the US, with Google "expanding to other locales in early 2026". Source: Google Nest Blog

Gemini for Home voice assistant begins early access rollout

The era of AI for smart home convenience is here. Google's long-awaited upgrade for Google Home is rolling out now in the form of Gemini for Home after being announced earlier this month. For what it's worth, the tech giant began inviting users to try out Gemini for Home as early as the first week of October, though the rollout was limited. The availability is expected to remain like that for a bit more, as Google has just started rolling out Gemini for Home voice assistant in early access, and that too, only in the US. Gemini for Home voice assistant will roll out to more countries in 2026. Until then, we can just look at US users from afar (I'm in Canada), watching their smart homes operate on a wavelength we can't grasp just yet. Those in early access will get upgraded from Google Assistant to Gemini, and will experience a voice assistant that's immediately way more capable and conversational. According to the tech giant, users in early access will have two primary ways to access Gemini for Home voice assistant via their speakers and displays. They'll be able to use Gemini by saying "Hey Google" to their speaker or display. Alternatively, to access Gemini Live, users will be able to say "Hey Google, let's chat." Compatible speakers and displays include all devices made since 2016. These include: Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) Google Nest Hub Max Google Nest Hub (1st gen) Google Home Max Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) Google Home Mini (1st gen) Google Nest Audio Google Home Google Nest Wifi point The aforementioned devices will gain access to the Gemini for Home voice assistant as a core update at no extra cost. Gemini Live functionality, on the other hand, will be available with a Google Home Premium subscription in both the Standard and Advanced plans on devices like the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen), Google Nest Audio, Google Nest Mini (2nd gen), and the Google Nest Hub Max. Although it's mostly up to user needs and their connected devices, Google did share a list of top commands to give you an idea of what you can do with the Gemini for Home voice assistant. Some of those examples include the option to: Expand your knowledge with commands like "Hey Google, my teacher said looking at distant stars is like looking back in time. Can you explain that?" Get quick answers and facts with commands like "OK Google, which of these players would win in a one-on-one tournament, in their prime?" Follow sports with commands like "Hey Google, what are the match-ups to watch for in Monday night's game?" Troubleshoot issues around the house with commands like "Hey Google, how can I get better water pressure in my shower?" Discover and enjoy music with commands like "OK Google, what are some other songs similar to this one?" Listen to podcasts, watch videos and TV with commands like "OK Google, play a recent podcast featuring Sundar Pichai." Control your home with commands like "Hey Google, turn off the lights in 10 minutes." Use cameras to know what's happening in your home with commands like "Hey Google, did someone take the dog out today?" Organize household tasks, lists and reminders with commands like "Hey Google, what's on my calendar tomorrow?" Get food on the table with commands like "Hey Google, I'm out of vanilla, what can I use instead?" Plan your next adventure or gathering with commands like "OK Google, make a list of the top museums to visit in Shanghai." Develop new skills and interests with commands like "Hey Google, can you help me become a better painter?" Get advice and support with commands like "Hey Google, what should I eat leading up to a 5K run to perform my best?" As always, it's important to note that any answers that Gemini gives you can be factually inaccurate or fabricated. It's also worth noting that all the aforementioned commands might not apply to you. Some of them require compatible smart home devices, like compatible cameras, while others require an active Google Home Premium subscription. If you're in the US and haven't signed up for early access just yet, you can do so by heading to the Google Home app, navigating to your profile picture in the top right, and then tapping on Early Access near the bottom.

Gemini for Home assistant starts rolling out in Early Access

Google is beginning to roll out the Gemini for Home voice assistant in the US for devices set to English on all Nest speakers and displays from the past decade. Make sure you're enrolled in the Early Access program. Gemini allows for an expanded range of voice commands, like how you can "search for a song without knowing the title or the artist." In terms of smart home control, Gemini is better at handling complex requests with multiple parts, as well as exceptions. If you have Google Home Premium Advanced, you can search camera history and ask about what's happening in your home thanks to AI event descriptions: On the household coordination front, Gemini can understand and interpret the intent behind calendar, list, timer, and reminder requests. It can ask clarifying questions as needed. Like on phones, Gemini can explain complex concepts, brainstorm ideas, and more across the time, weather, and local information. Gemini Live is a separate mode where the hotword is no longer required after "Hey Google, let's chat." You can interrupt Google's responses and follow-up questions. "OK, I'm done" will end the session. Compared to Google Assistant and its pre-set commands, Gemini can "understand more ambiguous, natural language." During the preview period, Google does note some limitations: Gemini is "non-deterministic," which is a technical way of saying it doesn't just follow a script. It uses enhanced reasoning and inference. This unlocks incredible new capabilities, but there are a few challenges that we're working through in early access as we integrate Gemini models into the home. While many media, smart home, calendar, and reminder actions now support natural language queries, Google is "still in the process of upgrading all of our actions to take full advantage." We are working to enable you to combine multiple different actions of different types into a single command, like "create a calendar event, turn on the kitchen lights, and play relaxing music." This is currently enabled for certain smart home devices, so you can say, "turn on the TV, dim the lights and set the temp to 72 degrees." Complex command support is available for lights, cameras, and thermostats, with more coming. Gemini has short-term memory for contextual conversations, but that "context isn't infinite." ...so if you come back to a conversation after a while, the context will be reset. Additionally, if during a session you switch topics, the context from the previous topic can carry over and influence responses. Google also points out how, like on phones, "you might ask the same question twice and get two different (but still helpful) answers." Additionally: Inaccuracies (or "hallucinations"): Sometimes, especially for very recent, real-time info, the answer might be out of date or wrong. We're currently working on this, so it's safest to check factual responses before relying on them. Meanwhile, Google warns that Gemini Live might pick up on background noise (TV, other conversations in the room, etc.) and that it's tuning the audio models to "get better at distinguishing between you, Gemini's response, and background noise." The full experience with Gemini Live, which requires the Google Home Premium subscription, is available on the: These devices will just get Gemini for Home, which replaces Google Assistant outright, and is free: The experience starts with 10 more natural voices, with the UI now feature blue/purple lights (on newer devices) and an updated voice UI after saying "Hey Google" on Nest Hubs. To sign-up for Google Home Early Access: The Gemini for Home assistant will expand beyond US English in early 2026.

Gemini is officially rolling out on Google Home right now - here's how to get early access

You can sign up for early access in the US and selected other countries Earlier this month, Google announced that Gemini would be replacing Google Assistant on its smart home devices, stretching back through a decade of hardware releases - and now the early access program has officially got underway. Anish Kattukaran, the Chief Product Officer at Google Home, posted on social media to share that the "first wave" of early access is now rolling out to users in the US, although some elements of it were already popping up for a few people. Essentially, this gives you access to a much smarter and conversational AI - including most of the features you get with Gemini on the web and mobile - without taking away any of the standard voice commands you might have been using around your smart home. On the official Google blog, you'll find a comprehensive list of 100 commands you might want to try with the new Gemini AI bot inside Google Home, covering everything from queueing up music to turning off all your smart lights at night. There are threads on Reddit where people in the US are reporting they're now seeing the "Gemini for Home" upgrade, as it's called. If you've signed up for early access, you may well see a pop-up (see below) the next time you open Google Home on your phone. If you haven't already requested access and you'd like to, tap your profile picture in the Google Home app (top right), then choose Settings and Early Access. The option to sign up is open to those in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, but it's only those in the United States who are being let in at the moment. The switch is understandably confusing a lot of users, but Google has tried its best to answer major queries about the Gemini for Home update. There's a comprehensive FAQ page addressing everything from functionality to language support. There are also paid subscriptions, replacing the Nest Aware plans, that give you access to more advanced AI features - though the Gemini basics are free. We've previously explained some of the Gemini extras you get if you give Google a monthly fee.