Google is bringing massive changes to its voice assistant, retiring Google Assistant and rolling out Gemini and Gemini for Home AI in its place — some would say not a moment too soon. As Google Assistant disappears from Google Home and all related devices, you may be wondering if your voice commands should change, too.
Behold! I’ve tested the ins and outs of Gemini for Home to find which commands are the most useful, from standbys that still work even if you don’t have the Gemini AI yet to complex commands that take advantage of the latest conversational tech. Here’s what you should master.
Read more: The Best Alexa Voice Assistant Commands
Waking up the latest Google Home voice assistant
While Gemini for Home may be new, the wake words Google offers are still the same. You can choose between “Hey Google” and “OK, Google.” For this list, I’m going with OK, Google, because I think it’s easier to pronounce clearly, but either one will work. Unlike some voice assistants, you cannot customize the wake word to something else, so these are your only options.
Additional tip: With Gemini for Home, you can explore options to give the voice assistant a new sound, with more voice flavors than I usually see. I’m currently using Oxalis, which I’d describe as a knowledgeable black aunt, but you have plenty of options and accents to experiment with.
High-tech Gemini for Home AI commands
Gemini for Home opens the door to more complex commands, and that’s especially apparent when you ask it more in-depth questions. Its AI features become apparent as it synthesizes an explanation beyond what old-school voice assistants could offer.
Some Gemini for Home features are free, especially these in-depth explanations and asking follow-up questions. Others require a higher-tier subscription to Google Home Premium, with all Gemini for Home features unlocked at the $20 per month option, including security camera AI features that are my forte and one of my favorite parts of the new voice assistant. Let’s look at some common options.
“OK Google, let’s chat” unlocks a free-wheeling conversation that lets you brainstorm and ask for advice on many different topics, sort of like a casual Google search but in a conversation form. It’s also an easy way to learn how Gemini for Home behaves, but you’ll need at least a $10 Google Home Premium subscription to enable it.
“OK Google, did I get any packages yesterday?” This feature, which requires more advanced Nest or Onn cameras and a high-tier subscription, allows Gemini to look through your saved history of video footage and break images down into descriptions it can piece together to answer your questions. That includes not only how many packages you got, but if UPS or another service delivered them. Like other camera-based questions, you can also type these in the Gemini chat box on the Google Home app instead of speaking them aloud.
“OK Google, what happened to my trash cans last night?” is an example of more open-ended questions you can ask about what your security cameras saw. You may learn about racoons in your trash, where kids let their toys, who’s eating your plants at night or many other pertinent home questions.
“OK Google, what happened at home today?” is a good way to open up your daily summary of what your cameras saw, something that’s automatically available in written form in the Google Home app and can save time if you don’t like getting security alerts throughout the day.
“OK Google, explain [complex topic]” is a good way to see just how Gemini for Home can share more complex information. Among other things, Google suggests getting the tailored AI to explain the concept of trade deficits, the difference between “affect” and “effect” or how glass is made. You can ask the voice assistant to explain concepts to a child of a specific age, too.
“OK Google, why is my computer crashing all the time?” is an example of how you can use conversational features to walk through troubleshooting and similar tasks while your hands are preoccupied.
“OK Google, let’s chat about summer day activities for young kids,” gives you an idea of all the planning possibilities that conversational AI allows, letting you ask for options for nearly any topic.
Everyday Google Home commands I find useful
You don’t have to start with advanced Gemini for Home options that cost money or master every voice command at once. Instead, beginning with the basics is much easier and lessens the strain on your daily life. Here are some of our favorite examples:
“OK Google, add a dinner date with Stephen for 7 p.m. tomorrow,” puts an event on your Google Calendar, and works for nearly any event if you specify a day and time, or a recurring schedule like the same day each week.
“OK Google, remind me to take out the trash on Wednesday this week,” shows how simple reminders can be, whether you are setting them for days away or in just a few hours.
“OK Google, set a timer/alarm for 25 minutes,” is a standby for everything from cooking to how much video game time the kids have left. You can also tell Google Home to stop or snooze alarms if needed.
“OK Google, what’s on my calendar for today?” lets you review all those events and reminders you’ve created, even if you’re not near a computer. You can choose any day you want.
“OK Google, delete all my reminders for today,” works when your tasks are done and you want to declutter.
“OK Google, what time is it in Beijing?” saves you time by helping you calculate time differences fast instead of looking it up.
“OK Google, in my To-Do list, add an item to [important task]” is a slightly more complex command I like to use to create shopping lists or other plans. First, you will need to use Google Keep to create a new list, and make sure that list is in the itemized format, otherwise Google Home can get confused about what to create. When you get used to it, it’s a useful function.
“OK Google, reorder [favorite pizza] on Uber Eats,” will fast-track your food order if you have the latest version of the Uber Eats app. Booking rides through Uber doesn’t work very well with older voice commands, but Gemini is getting agentic compatibility with Uber, Doordash and similar services. They haven’t quite arrived at Gemini for Home yet, with a focus on mobile devices like Samsung Galaxy phones first, but I’m sure they’re on the way. Alexa Plus does something similar and it’s useful.
Google Home commands for news, weather and sports
After basic reminders, timers and calendar works, some of my other favorite options for Google’s voice assistant include answers about current conditions. Smart speaker users often ask these questions daily, or bundle several of them together in a single routine, something I’ll talk more about below:
“OK Google, is it going to rain today?” will give you a rundown of the weather and when to expect rain.
“OK Google, what’s traffic like right now?” will give you an update about current local conditions, although you’ll need to have your address and perhaps your work address set accurately.
“OK Google, what’s the latest news about the NASDAQ?” gives you a look at the market, but you can aks about all kinds of current events, depending on the news you’re interested in.
“OK Google, when is [sport team’s] next game?” gives you a reminder about when to tune in, and you can even add the game to your calendar if it’s especially important.
“OK Google, what’s the latest news from CNET?” really does work to get top headlines from a specific site you like.
“OK Google, what teams are doing the best this season so far?” is an example of how you can ask Google Home about rankings, positions in a race and any other score mechanics you want.
Google Home commands for music
Voice assistants have always excelled at playing music, especially when enabled on a smart speaker or smart home theater setup. The latest options for Google include:
“OK Google play [artist name] or [song name]” is an easy way to get started. Just keep in mind that you’ll need a connected music service or accessible catalog of music for this to work. It often helps to list a specific service, like “play music on Spotify,” so Google knows where to look.
“OK Google, lower the volume,” works for all kinds of playback, including skipping songs, pausing music and more.
“OK Google, play songs similar to this,” lets you start new playlist of similar music or learn more about similar artists.
“OK Google, who sings this song?” lets you find out more about a song your Google service is currently streaming.
“OK Google, can you play that song from the show where two people are getting married in old times England and it’s raining?” is an example I just made up, but it shows how more advanced Gemini for Home features can piece together the song you’re talking about, even if you don’t remember much else. These questions work better if you pay for more advanced versions of the voice assistant.
“OK Google, what do these lyrics mean?” is another more advanced feature that lets you hear about what a song is referencing or discussing — well, if you want to take the internet’s word for it, anyway.
“OK Google, play a standard low E note,” works for any note and is helpful when tuning your instruments.
Google commands for food and cooking
Google can help out with much more than just timers in the kitchen (although I do love it for that). When you need a little more help with your meals, try out commands like these:
“OK Google, what are some Thai dishes I can make on a weekday?” shows how you can brainstorm meal planning with Gemini for Home. It work for parties and special occasions, too.
“OK Google, add lemon and fennel to my shopping list,” works for all kinds of ingredients as you brainstorm, and with more advanced versions you can ask Gemini for Home to add all ingredients for a dish at once — although you should always double-check. You can ask to see your shopping list at any time.
“OK Google, how many pounds of chicken breast should I buy for five people?” helps you decide whether you need to double a recipe, or add more of an ingredient to your shopping list.
“OK Google, how do I make [recipe]” can give you the basics to get started with a simple dish.
“OK Google, what can I use as a substitute for tamarind paste?” and similar questions let you explore alternatives for your dishes.
“OK Google, when is the best time to buy fresh corn?” helps you learn more about when an ingredient is in season and if you should wait until it is.
“OK Google, how do I know when onions are fully caramelized?” works especially well if you have a Nest display or similar screen that can give you pictures as an example while you’re cooking with new ingredients.
Google Home commands for smart TVs
The latest Google TV platform, available on devices like Google Chromecast, also lets you control and search content. Many commands are similar to music playback if you want to pause, skip, or increase volume, but there are other, more unique TV commands to learn. Some of these may work with general smart TVs, but compatibility is best if you’re using Google TV.
“OK Google, turn on the TV,” with a TV linking to the internet and Google Home, will turn on your TV before you’re even in the room.
“OK Google, turn on Chromecast” may be necessary for some set-top boxes, but many will turn on automatically with your TV.
“OK Google, open Netflix,” works with most streaming apps.
“OK Google, play [TV show] on [app]” gets you right into the action. Google voice commands are pretty good about starting your show where you left off, but this may vary depending on app or network. You can also try this trick with YouTube videos, but you’ll need to be very exact when naming the video and/or the content creator..
“OK Google, turn on subtitles,” typically enables subtitles for the streaming service you’re using. From there, you can usually ask Google to change the subtitle language, too.
“OK Google, search for documentaries” shows how you can search for the latest in a specific genre.
“OK Google, go to the next episode on [TV show]” lets you skip the credits if it’s not automatic.
“OK Google, what’s the new kids movie with catchy music?” is a smart suggestion from Google’s Gemini for Home blog that shows how Gemini for Home can help you search available movies and come up with ideas.
“OK Google, what are the latest movies with [actor’s name]” also produces ideas.
“OK Google, play a video about how violins are made” is another command showing how you can explore with video clips.
“OK Google, turn off the Wi-Fi router,” works with any compatible smart router, and is an effective way to reboot a router without getting up when something goes wrong. You can also use it to turn off routers when it’s bedtime for your kids.
Google Home shopping commands
Google has offered voice assistant shopping from speakers in the past with programs like Shopping Actions, Google Express and Google Shopping, but that approach doesn’t work anymore. Instead, Google is working to roll out shopping with Gemini and select partners like Walmart and Target.
Those shopping options are primarily available in the Gemini app where Gemini can suggest them naturally in a conversation and help you purchase if you’ve set up Google Pay and are using a screen. That limits the buying feature to mobile and computer shopping for now, so you can’t complete purchases with Google Home or voice commands the way you can add products to a cart with Alexa Plus.
I’m leaving this section here because I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gemini for Home eventually get complete buying and reordering features, but it’s not an option for now.
Google Home commands for businesses and locations
Google’s voice assistant is well-versed in offering information about locations to help you make your plans:
“OK Google, how far away is [grocery store]” will help you plan errands.
“OK Google, when does [restaurant] open?” lets you make plans. You can also ask about reserving a table, but Google’s help with this option may be limited. Ask for opening hours of museums, clinics, post offices and more if you need to.
“OK Google, where are the nearest Italian restaurants?” helps you explore your options if you’re not sure what’s around.
“OK Google, when does [bar] close?” because closing times are often important, too.
“OK Google, how much does a round-trip flight to London cost?” may not give you exact numbers for your preferred airline, but it can offer a starting place for your travel budget.
“OK Google, find me a hotel in New York?” is a good starting place for voice-command booking. You’ll need more advanced Gemini features to help complete booking, but Google can also provide advice (especially with a screen) if you want to discuss your budget, timeframe and other details.
“OK Google, what climbing gyms are open near me?” was a Google suggestion that caught my eye as a particularly versatile command you could use for any gym, bar, plant shop or other destination where you aren’t sure about the hours.
“OK Google, what’s a fun, budget-friendly local activity I could do with a group of friends?” is another Gemini for Home brainstorming option to explore outings when you can’t come up with any good ideas.
Google Home commands for smart devices and smart homes
Google Home and Gemini for home can control all kinds of smart devices as long as you have linked them to your Google Home app. However, I can’t really give specific commands for all devices because, well, there’s a lot of them and commands will depend on what you’ve named them, the room label they have and so on. So with the right setup you could say, “OK Google, turn off the kitchen lights,” from anywhere in the house.
Those commands could work with smart thermostats, smart locks, arming/disarming security systems, turning smart plugs on or off and many other tricks as long as you remember the right name. With a compatible screen, you can also command a live view through any security camera.
Google commands also support all kinds of routines you can set up, with both Google Home and platforms like IFTTT. That’s more complex, but the best example is Google’s standard morning routine, which you activate by saying “OK Google, good morning/what’s my day look like?” you can add all kinds of things for Google to do with this command, including a news summary video, weather report, tasks scheduled for the day and other combinations of tasks I’ve listed above.
One final smart home tip: If you have multiple compatible smart speakers, you can use broadcast commands, like, “OK Google, broadcast ‘everyone out the door now'” which relays the message to all speakers. People have mixed feelings about broadcast commands, but they can be helpful in larger, busier homes.
Google Home jokes and games
If you’re feeling lighthearted, Google can also tell you jokes, play games or enable fun with commands like these:
“OK Google, tell me a joke about [almost anything]” will generate a basic joke on demand. Expect lots of puns.
“OK Google, ask me a riddle,” is an option for something a little more demanding.
“OK Google, roll a 20-sided die,” lets you quickly get results without needing a real die, and it works with any die you want, or as a coin flip.
“OK Google, make an [animal] noise” opens up many fun possibilities.
“OK Google, tell me a bedtime story,” can have mixed results, but everyone should try it once.
Google Assistant did traditionally have a lot of Easter eggs and inside jokes, but most of those seem to have been shed in the transition to Gemini, according to my testing. “Let’s play a game,” for example, triggers a song by Baby Kia to play on my Nest hub instead of the digital games it used to, at least for now. Gemini for Home is very much a work in progress.
Remember, if the new voice assistant seems confused, you can try resetting your speaker or other device by powering off and back on. Speaking of smart home devices, here are my favorites if you’re looking for an upgrade.
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