What is the Google Home Broadcast feature?

Before Google purchased Nest and renamed their entire connected home range, they released a few smart speakers under the Google Home umbrella. A cool feature this range had was the Google Home Broadcast function.

 

Thankfully, this feature is available on the newer Nest device range and is very helpful, particularly if you have kids as you don’t need to shout to be heard throughout your home!

 

The Google Home Broadcast feature allows users to send voice messages to all their Google Home devices at once. You can use it to make announcements, reminder everyone, or simply send a message to someone in another room.

 

Let’s explore this feature and how you can use it in your home.

 

 

Why use the Google Home Broadcast feature?

A main benefit of Google Home Broadcast is being able to communicate with others in their household without having to go through the hassle of calling or texting each person . It’s ideal for busy families or households with multiple people who are frequently on the go.

 

Amazon’s Alexa incorporates a similar feature called Drop In, which has been around since 2017. Similarly Home Broadcasts uses Google Assistant that’s built-in to hundreds of devices, including the Google Home and Nest ranges.

 

 

How to use the feature?

To use Google Home Broadcast, say “OK Google, broadcast” followed by their message. For example, you could say “OK Google, broadcast dinner is ready“. Next, every Google Home device in your property would repeat this message.

 

Alternatively, you can also use the Google Home app to send a broadcast. Simply, open the Google Home app and tap on the broadcast button at the top of the screen. Next, type in the message you want to send and hit send. Finally, all your Google Home devices would then play the message.

 

You can also use it for many other purposes, such as setting reminders or alarms, making to-do lists, or even sending messages to other people in the household.

 

For example, you could say “OK Google, broadcast reminder to take the rubbish out at 7 pm“. When the clock strikes 7 pm, this reminder will be played to all the Google Home devices in your home. 

 

Another way to use Google Home Broadcast is to send messages to other people in the household, even if they are in the next room. For example, you might say “OK Google, broadcast message to John, please take out the recycling“. John and everyone else in the home will hear this message.

 

You can use this feature to stay in touch with people in your home regardless of how busy they are and without losing your voice! It makes communicating easy.

 

 

 

 

Customise your messages and setting

Google Home Broadcast also allows users to customise their messages and settings. For example, you can set the volume of their messages and choose which devices they want to send their messages to. 

 

You can also use the Google Home app to schedule messages in advance, useful for setting reminders or alarms for specific times. So there’s no need to text or WhatsApp and you won’t forget to send the message as it’s already programmed!

 

 

Google Broadcast commands to try

If you just want to use your Google Home as a PA system, there are a few ways you can do it.

• Hey Google, broadcast that breakfast is ready
• Hey Google, shout breakfast is ready
• Hey Google, tell everyone breakfast is ready
• Hey Google, announce breakfast is ready

 

Google also has a few suggestions on what you could use its Broadcast feature for. For some reason, if you use these exact phrases, the message also broadcasts on the speaker you’re broadcasting from.

 

• OK Google, broadcast wake up everyone
• OK Google, shout it’s time for dinner
• OK Google, tell everyone it’s time to leave
• OK Google, announce I’m home
• OK Google, shout sleep time
• OK Google, tell everyone the show is about to start
• OK Google, broadcast I’ll be home soon (from Google Assistant on your mobile)

 

 

 

 

Help, it’s not working properly?!

The Google Home broadcast feature may not work correctly if you have multiple accounts associated with your Google Home devices. To get them working, remove all the accounts associated with it and then link the account you want to use.

 

 

If you have it, use it!

The Google Home Broadcast is a useful and convenient feature that allows you to easily communicate with others in your property. Using it, you can stay on top of their tasks and responsibilities. 

 

Whether it’s sending a message to someone in another room, setting a reminder, or making an announcement, Google Home Broadcast makes it easy to stay connected and stay organised.