Meaning of Google Home LED lights (and colors)

You can understand the status of Google Home by checking the LED lights (and colours).

This Google Home guide explains why you should know the meaning of Google Home LED lights and the exact meaning (and possible implications) of all LED lights pattern on Google Home.

Please note, due to the differences between Google Home vs Nest Audio (2nd gen Google Home) and Google Home vs Google Home Mini (and Google Nest Mini), the LED lights on Google Home are different from other Google Home speakers. So, this guide applies to Google Home (1st Gen) only. You may check this guide on the meaning of Nest Audio LED lights, and this guide for the meaning of LED lights on Google Home Mini (and 2nd Gen Google Home Mini/ Google Nest Mini).

Why do you need to know the meaning of Google Home LED lights?

As mentioned in Google Home layout, Google Home only has one physical button to turn on/off the microphone,  or to factory data reset Google Home.

The touch panel in the top of Google Home plays a very important role in using and configuring Google Home.  And the LED lights (and their colours) give you the status of the device and possible problems with it.

So, as an owner of Google Home, you should know the meaning of Google Home LED lights.

The LED lights work differently when you set up Google Home, or when you use Google Assistant.

This guide will explain to you the meaning of Google Home LED lights in the setup stage, in standby mode, or in Google Assistant mode.

This guide is for Google Home only. For Google Home Mini (including Google Nest Mini, aka 2nd Gen Google Home Mini) and Google Home Max, please check this guide for the meaning of LED lights in Home Mini and Max.

Also, the 2nd Gen of Google Home was released as Nest Audio. You may check this guide for the Nest Audio layout and this guide for the meaning of Nest Audio LED lights.

Meaning of Google Home LED lights when Google Home is in standby mode

1. Boot up

When Google Home is booting up, the multi-coloured LED lights will spin and blink, as shown below.

2. Factory data reset

You can hold the microphone button to reset Google Home as explained in this guide.

Once the factory data reset (FDR) starts,  the LED light colour will change to orange. At the same time, the LED lights countdown (reducing the number of LED lights) as shown below.

3. Alarm ringing

When alarm rings, LED lights will be shown in white and pulse slowly at the same time.

You can stop the alarm by using voice command “Stop” or by tapping the touch panel.

4. Timer ringing

When timer rings, white LED lights move slowly, as shown below.

Similar to stopping alarm ringing, you can stop timer ringing with voice command or tapping the touch panel.

Meaning of Google Home LED lights when Google Assistant is working (or not working)

1. Google Home is waiting for your voice input

When Google Home hears the hotword of “OK Google” or “Hey Google”,  four-colour LED lights will spin in clockwise direction and pulse at the same time, as shown below.

Now Google Assistant is waiting for your commands or queries.

2. Google Assistant is working to find the answer (thinking)

After Google Assistant takes voice input, but before Google Home gives you the answer,  the four-colour LED lights will continue to spin clockwise. But they stop pulsing as shown below.

It means Google Assistant is working hard to find the answer.

3. Google Home is responding

When Google Home is responding to your voice command (with speaker), the 4-colour LED lights will stop spinning, and start to pulse continuously until it stops audio output, as shown below.

Now Google Home is responding.

Please note, when Google Home plays music or podcasts, it is NOT considered as responding and therefore, there are no LED lights once Google Home starts to play music.

4. Microphone is muted (Google Home is not listening)

If you mute the microphone (you can use the only button in the back of Google Home to mute the microphone), Google Home is not listening.

You may want to mute the Google Home microphone sometimes for privacy considerations.

When the Google Home microphone is muted (turned off), 4 orange LED lights will be shown on the top touch panel, as shown below.

The LED lights will be off only after you turn on the microphone again.

Meaning of Google Home LED lights when you set up Google Home

1. Google Home is ready to set up

When you power on Google Home first time, or after you factory data reset Google Home, 4 white LED lights will pulse slowly indicating it is ready for you to set up the Google Home.

2. Verify device

When you start to set up Google Home from Google Home app in your mobile device, it will first check available devices nearby.

Once you find and select Google Home device, the colour of 4 LED lights will change from white to blue.  The LED lights will continue pulsing slowly

3. Connecting to WiFi

After you provide WiFi info for Google Home, it will try to connect to the WiFi.

At this time, the colour of 4 LED lights changes back to white. The LED lights stop pulsing and start to spin clockwise, as shown below.

4. Downloading

When Google Home is downloading new firmware or some necessary software during setup, the white LED lights will light up from top to bottom.

Please note, Google Home need to check update and download some software during the initial setup.

After the setup, the firmware update is always downloaded automatically in the background and applied automatically. You should never worry about the software update.

5. Installing

When you install the downloaded firmware update, and some other software packages,  6 white LED lights will spin clockwise as shown below.

Meaning of Google Home LED lights for Google Home volume

1. Volume level

Google Home uses 10 white dots (LED lights) to indicate volume level from 1 to 10 (or 10% to 100%) as shown below.

You will see this Google Home volume indicator when you try to adjust Google Home volume with voice commands or with touch panel.

1 dot (LED light) is the lowest volume, and 10 the loudest.

2. Volume mute

In addition, to adjust Google Home volume, you can also mute the speaker temporally so that you can continue the music later.

You can mute Google Home use the voice command “mute” or use the touch panel to swipe volume down continuously. One white LED light will be shown in the top touch panel, as shown below.

Please note, when you mute Google Home, the music will be paused (not stopped) and you can un-mute to continue the playing.  You may refer to this guide on how to silence Google Home or adjust Google home volume.

Please note, volume settings are for media and Google Assistant only. Alarms and timers use their own volume settings, which can be adjusted only through Google Home app, as explained in this guide.

Meaning of Google Home LED lights for system error

Something wrong

If you get 6 orange LED lights on the touch panel as shown below, it means something wrong with Google Home.

In this case, you cannot use Google Home.

You can try to unplug Google Home, wait a few mins, then try again.

Do you know the meaning of Google Home LED lights?

If you have any questions on the meaning of Google Home LED lights, please let us know in the comment box below.

The community will help you.

Please check other Google Home guides here.

For Google Home Mini specific guides, please check this page.

You can find Nest Audio guides here.