Google Home Guides

Although Google Home can do so many things after setting up Google Home, it only has one button.  Most of the controls are achieved through voice.

The touch panel and LED colour also play an important role in using Google Home.

This guide will show you Google Home layout, functions of individual parts and how to change the base of Google Home.

Please note, Google Home layout and buttons are different from those of Google Home Mini (including Google Nest Mini), Google Home Max, Nest Audio (2nd Gen Google Home).

For owners of Google Home Mini, please check Google Home Mini layout and buttons page. Google Nest Mini layout was explained in this guide, and Nest Audio layout in this guide.

Google Home layout: front and top view

Front and top view of Google Home is shown below.

In front of Google Home, actually, there is nothing.

In the top of Google Home, you can find:

• A touch panel.
• LED indicators (LED lights).
• Two microphones

A touch panel

The entire top surface of Google Home is a touch panel. You can swipe clockwise to increase the volume and anticlockwise to reduce the volume.

You can … Read the rest

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Although all Google Home devices share almost identical features and functions, Google Home Mini is different from Google Home and Google Home Max in the layout and buttons.

This means some operation and controls in Google Home Mini may be different from those in Google Home and Google Home Max.

Some how-to guides prepared for Google Home or Google Home Max maybe not applicable to Google Home Mini.

Therefore, the Google Home Mini guides section was created to host special guides for Google Home Mini.

For common features among Google Home, Google Home Mini and Google Home Max, you may check Google Home how-to guides section.

List of Google Home Mini guides

This is a live page. More Google Home Mini guides will be released regularly.

If you cannot find the guides for your Google Home Mini, you can leave your questions in the comment box below.

We will try to find a quick solution for you.

Here is the list of release and to-be-released Google Home Mini guides.

1. Google Home Mini vs Google Home

This Google Home Mini guide tries to explain the differences between Google Home and Google Home Mini to help you decide whether you … Read the rest

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You need to know the layout of the Google Nest Mini (the 2nd Gen of Google Home Mini) and the functions of each part to use the smart speaker effectively.

Although Google Nest Mini (the 2nd Gen of Google Home Mini) looks almost identical to the 1st Gen Google Home Mini, there are some differences as explained in this post.

This Google Home Mini guide explains the layout of the Google Nest Mini (aka Google Home Mini 2nd Gen), functions of each part, and how to check the device info.

So, this guide is for the 2nd Gen of Google Home Mini (Nest Mini) only. If you own the 1st Gen Google Home Mini, please check this page.

The layout of Google Nest Mini (Google Home Mini 2nd Gen): top

On the top, Google Nest Mini (Google Home Mini 2nd Gen) has 3 regions for touch controls:

1. Major touch panel. You can tap this area to play, pause, or stop media play. When you are on a call (Duo), you tap this area to end the phone call. You can also tap this area to stop the ringing of alarm or timer. The LED colours in this

… Read the rest

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In addition to using Google Home, Google Home Max and Google Home Mini as a Bluetooth speaker (for your mobile devices), you can also connect Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker so that you can route the audio output to the Bluetooth speaker.

All Google Home devices (Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Nest Mini, Google Home Max) can now connect to a Bluetooth speaker and send audio output to the Bluetooth speakers. Although only Google Home is used in the text, the guide also applies to Google Home Mini (including the 2nd Gen of Google Home Mini) and Google Home Max.

This Google Home guide shows you how to use, set up and connect Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker.

What’s the difference between using Google Home as a Bluetooth speaker and connecting Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker?

When you use Google Home as a Bluetooth speaker, you can play media from your mobile device and hear the sound from the Google Home speaker.

The audio was transmitted to Google Home (or Google Home Mini, Google Home Max) using the Bluetooth connection between your mobile device and Google Home.

You may need this option when … Read the rest

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You need to understand the layout of the Nest Hub (including Nest Hub 2nd Gen and Google Hoem Hub) to use the smart display effectively.

This Google Home guide explains the layout of Nest Hub, the function and usage of each part of the smart display to help you get started quickly with your Google Nest Hub.

Because the layout of Nest Hub, Nest Hub 2nd  Gen, and Google Home Hub is identical, this guide applies to all of these 3 Google smart display devices.

Why do you need to know the layout of Nest Hub?

Although you interact with Google Home Hub, Google Nest Hub, and Nest Hub 2nd Gen mainly through voice commands (Google Assistant) and the touchscreen, you may still need to use some buttons, for example,  to mute the microphone, to reset Nest Hub.

Also, if you know the location of the sensors, you may have a better understanding of some issues you may encounter due to blocked sensors.

Anyway, a smart display can work for you for at least a few years. You should spend a few minutes understanding the layout of Nest Hub. It will pay off soon.

Are there any differences in the

… Read the rest

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Compared to Google Home, Google Home Mini is not just smaller or cheaper. Google Home Mini layout and buttons are also different from those of Google Home.

Although Googe Home, Google Home Mini and Google Home Max all have almost identical functions and features, Google Home Mini layout is substantially different from that of Google Home (and Google Home Max).

As explained in this guide, the look of Google Home and Google Home Mini is different:

• Google Home Mini is smaller;
• Google Home Mini does not have a removable base.
• Google Home Mini does not have a USB port at the bottom.
• Google Home Mini uses a different top touch panel.

The difference between the Google Home Mini layout and buttons and those of Google Home was not discussed.

In this guide, the Google Home Mini layout and buttons will be shown and explained so that you can use Google Home Mini easily.

Please note, this guide is for the 1st generation of Google Home Mini, which is slightly different from Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen Google Home Mini) as explained in this guide.  For the layout of the 2nd Gen Google Home Mini (Google nest mini), please … Read the rest

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Like Google Home, Google Home Mini and Google Home Max use LED lights on the top to indicate its status or operations. You need to understand the meaning of Google Home Mini LED lights to use the device properly.

Due to its form factor and design, Google Home Mini (including Google Nest Mini, aka 2nd gen of Google Home Mini) uses up to 4 LED lights on the top part of Google Home Mini.

The meaning and colour combinations of Google Home Mini LED lights are also different from those in Google Home.  But there are similar to LED lights in Google Home Max.

So, in this guide, although Google Home Mini is used in most situations, the guide applies to Google Home Max as well.

Please note, Google Home Mini and 2nd gen Google Home Mini (aka Google Nest Mini) share the identical LED lights.  So in this guide, Google Home Mini refers to both the 1st gen and 2nd gen of Google Home Minis.

Where are LED lights in Google Home Mini and Google Home Max?

There are 4 LED lights on the top of Google Home Mini as shown below.

For Google Home Max, the … Read the rest

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Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub 2nd Gen allow you to use Quick Gestures to control the media playing and dismiss alarms.

This Google Home guide explains what the quick gestures are, how to use them on Nest Hub 2nd Gen and Nest Hub Max, and the differences of this feature on Nest Hub 2nd Gen and Nest Hub Max.

Please note, this feature (quick gestures) is NOT available on Google Home Hub and Nest Hub 1st Gen.

What are quick gestures on Nest Hub?

Quick gestures let you control media, timers, and alarms on the 2nd Gen of Nest Hub or on Nest Hub Max, without using your voice or touching the screen.

In other words, with this feature,  you can use your hand gestures in the air to pause or resume media, dismiss timers, snooze or dismiss alarms.

On Nest Hub Max, you must turn on the camera to use the hand gesture.

Nest Hub 2nd Gen does not have a camera, as explained here. It uses the Soli sensor to detect your hand gestures and act accordingly.

Sometimes, quick gestures are referred to as “air gestures” because you actually wave your hands in the air. … Read the rest

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You can control Nest Audio with the touch control panel or your voice (Google Assistant).

This Google Home guide explains the functions of the touch control panel and the available switches/buttons on Nest Audio, and then show you how to control Nest Audio for specific tasks including adjusting Nest Audio volume, powering on and off Nest Audio, controlling media play on Nest Audio.

Control Nest Audio with the touch control panel

As explained in the Nest Audio layout, there is a touch control panel near the top of the front side of the Nest Audio speaker.

Just like the touch control panel on Google Home Mini (and Nest Home Mini), the touch panel is divided into 3 sections:

• Left.
• Centre.
• Right.

The left side of the touch control panel

As shown in the picture below, you can tap the left side of the touch panel to lower the volume (by 5%).

When you tap once, you will hear a click sound as feedback, and the LED lights up indicating current volume level (relative). Of course, the volume will lower a bit at the same time. You may need to tap up to 20 times to silence Nest Audio.… Read the rest

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Nest Audio (released in 2019) is the successor of Google Home, which was released in 2016. And it is sometimes called the second generation of Google Home. Nest Audio guides are just for it!

Nest Audio and Google Home are substantially different: there are many improvements and a few new features, as explained in this guide.

So, many Nest Audio owners need some guides for the unique features on the device.  Of course, some Google Home guides, and even some Home Mini guides, apply to Nest Audio.

About Nest Audio Guides

Nest Audio guides explain the features and functions of Nest Audio and demonstrate how to use them with detailed step-by-step illustrations.

Some common features among Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Nest Home Mini (Google Home Mini 2nd Gen), and Nest Audio, are also listed so that you can find all guides you need for your Nest Audio.

All generations of Nest Audio are covered in this section. We will highlight the unique feature for each generation when applicable.

How to use Nest Audio guides?

Most of the Nest Audio guides include a very detailed explanation of the feature discussed so that you will not only know how … Read the rest

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