How To Set Up Home Mini

Don't worry about how to ready upward a Google Home Mini - it'southward really not that tricky. But there are several tips and tricks you should know to get the most out of your new device. With this guide, you'll have your smart home up and running in minutes, with a trivial help from the excellent Google Assistant.

In a moment, we'll outline how to ready your Google Home Mini device, only first you lot should know the departure between the Home Mini and Nest Mini.

How to set upward a Google Home Mini

Google Home Mini vs Nest Mini: What's the departure?

Although they sound like completely dissimilar products, this is largely an practise in rebranding. Google owns Nest — the maker of smart thermostats, doorbells and security systems — and the company decided it made sense to motion its smart speakers and screens nether the same product line.

However, as that rebrand took effect with the 2nd generation of Mini smart speakers, in that location are some differences. The Nest Mini has improved sound (with a large uplift to bass), a built-in wall mount and an boosted microphone, too equally a handful of other minor changes (a proprietary cable over micro-USB and a few more grams of weight.)

In curt, there'south not a smashing deal of difference between the two, and they're set up exactly the same style.

Getting your Google Dwelling Mini or Nest Mini set up upwards is pretty straightforward. Hither's what to do:

1. Fine melody your Google Habitation Mini

Your easily automated habitation is almost in attain. And while your Nest Mini or Google Home Mini is now set to use, in that location are a couple of things yous should do right abroad.

Setup Voice Match

Phonation match means that Google will attempt and learn your vocalization. While information technology'southward not essential and you can opt out if yous similar, it's useful for houses with more than one person every bit it will provide data relevant to you (e.yard: the traffic on your route to piece of work, or your calendar) and not anyone else.

This is offered right abroad after setup and involves you saying a few phrases for Google to learn from it. If you lot've set this up before, Google will merely enrol your device with the existing samples, and won't ask you to record again.

Gear up your preferences

Your device will work without whatever further optimization, but it's worth taking a few minutes to set up your preferences to your tastes. All of these are plant by borer on your profile picture in the top right-mitt corner of the app, and and so pressing "Assistant settings".

Outset things first, if yous have a streaming music service of choice, you can pick it to exist the default rather than having to enquire Google to play something on, say, Spotify. Scroll down to "Music" and so pick the service you want and log in.

While you lot're in "Assistant settings", you can practice the aforementioned for what your Mini does when y'all ask "What'southward in the news?". Scroll all the way down to "News" and then "Add together new sources" and option the ones you lot like (some of these volition besides show video if you accept a Google/Nest smart screen).

While you're here, you can also tinker with other preferences for things like to-practice lists and podcasts, and even add together dietary preferences to recipes you lot search for if you're vegetarian, vegan or gluten-gratis.

Finally, under "Assistant voice" you can choice how you desire Google Assistant to sound when it talks to you. Only tap the one that sounds the best to you, and the change will exist saved.

Add smart dwelling house extras

Google claims that its smart speakers are capable of controlling "over 50,000 smart home devices" which covers everything from light bulbs to thermostats.

If your smart devices are compatible, yous tin connect them via the app for voice controls on your Nest Mini or Google Home Mini. Just tap the 'plus' icon in the pinnacle left-hand corner of the home screen and so "Ready upward device" to get the ball rolling.

Set up routines

If you have smart devices connected, yous can also set up commands to trigger a agglomeration of smart abode actions at one time. For example, yous could gear up it up then that proverb "Hey Google, expert morning" triggers your bedroom light to be turned on, for the smart blinds to gyre open and for the news to play from your speaker. A command for leaving the house could turn down the thermostat and enable your security cameras.

To go started, go back to "Banana settings" and curl down to "Routines."

Other Google smart speakers and screens to consider

The Google Home Mini or Nest Mini is the cheapest production in the range, and while Google Assistant is the same on each, there are better products for unlike needs.

If you want better sound quality, wait no further than Nest Audio, which is similar but offers markedly improved audio in a larger only still stylish form factor. Information technology costs $100 (opens in new tab) and two can exist paired together for stereo sound if you like.

For even better sounds, you may desire to runway down Google Home Max. Though discontinued with no Nest Sound replacement, it offers the best audio quality around if you lot can discover information technology. It used to sell for $399, so anything less pre-endemic is a scrap of a bargain (opens in new tab).

Then there'southward the Nest Hub smart screen. It comes in two sizes: a $100 seven-inch model (opens in new tab), and a $230 10-inch version (opens in new tab). The latter justifies its cost with better sound and a built-in security camera.

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are establish all over the web and in the occasional magazine also. He often writes for T3 and Tom'southward Guide. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, yous'll probably discover him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more than probable, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.