Google Home Public Preview - Unable to join error message

[Anthony]

Finally it gives me the option to join the public preview. When I click the join pop up I initially got this message "Something went wrong with Public Preview acceptance".

But I could see the option to join in the notification tab. When I go to the screen that says "Your app will soon update to the public preview" with the join button on the bottom. When I click the join button I'm getting a "unable to save settings" error message. 

What is wrong? 

 

[bslee]

Just withdrew my request and re-requested. Now waiting for a new invitation. 

[ebusch]

Well this is my second time around. The first time I was "accepted" and joined but got a error (i forgot the exact wording). When I went to settings > preview program it said I that I was in the preview, but the app never updated to the new layout. I finally decided to leave the preview and then re-requested a new invite. I was accepted a second time, but am stuck again unable to join.

[bslee]

Ah thanks for sharing. I guess I'll just have to wait for the public roll out. 😐

[Juni]

Hi folks,

Thanks for the responses. Our team is aware about this, we'll continue to update this thread as soon as we have some news to share. We appreciate everyone’s patience. 

Regards,

Juni

[DaleSchultz]

Who is "our team" ?  Are there actual Google developers involved?

> continue to update this thread

continue? What are you talking about? The ONLY responses we can see are these useless messages containing no concrete information and of unknown origin.

How about providing a defect reference number?

Or a concrete statement as to what the problem is and if there are any workarounds (apart from abandoning Google).
If you cant provide any of that, your posts is simply a "thoughts and prayers" statement.

Be honest, what has Google actually said on the matter? 

Awareness by itself suggests the situation is even worse than we can all imagine. A software team is aware that users cant even test their software and they don't provide a solution within a day, a week or months!

[Juni · Accepted solution]

Hi folks,
 

I hope everyone is doing well. We received an update from the team - they've suggested checking your Google Groups settings to make sure the Public Preview invitation process can work properly. Could you try the steps below and please let us know if it helps?
 

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. At the top right, click SettingsGlobal settings.
3. Check Add me to their groups.
4. Click Save.

Looking forward to your responses.
 

Thanks,

Juni

[ebusch]

I followed those steps and saw that the "Add me to their groups" option was NOT checked, so I enabled that setting. However when I go back to the Google Home app and navigate to "Settings > Public Preview" the "Join Public Preview" button still doesn't do anything for me.

EDIT: I just forced closed and reopened the app, and now when I go to "Settings > Public Preview" I see the option to leave, so I assume that means I'm in? I still don't see any change to the app. 

[rcarmichael]

The "Add me to their groups" option was unchecked.  I have now "checked" it, but there seems to be no immediate change. 

[jjardine]

Excellent. This works!

[DerykP]

Options was unchecked.  I checked it and I don't see the error anymore when joining the Preview Program - but the interface hasn't updated yet.  I'll give it more time.

[Johan]

After doing this group setting change, force closing home and rerstarting it works 🙂
I am now accepted into the program.

Or it just takes some time after the group change like bslee mentioned.

Thank you very much for this information Juni.

[rcarmichael]

After doing this I had to Force Close AND Clear Cache,  but it now appears to be working. 

Thank you @Juni 

[FJO]

@Juni,
Thanks for that suggestion. It worked for me.
Thanks again

[LeDrac]

Juni your tip worked. Thanks! 

[Rossana]

Sorry if this may sound dumb, but going to the linked page, at the top right I see my avatar, settings are nowhere to be found. Any additional help?

Edit: ok, got it (needed to be done in desktop mode).

BUT: 

went it, checked the box, forced home stop, cleared cache and still... Same error.

Help still needed.

[rcarmichael]

Mobile view does not have this option. You need to view as desktop:

In Chrome for Android,  navigate to Google Groups then in the top right open the Chrome menu and select "Desktop site".

[Budweiser80]

This solved the problem !! Finally 👍

[olejonbj]

IMPORTANT NOTE TO NEW PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THIS WORKING ANSWER: You MUST use the Desktop Site. I tried on my Pixel 7 and no Settings, not in the Toolbar nor Side Bar, so changed to Desktop Site and BOOM: Settings icon at the top right. Pop-up with a checkbox for this that was off. Recommend to add this.

As a non-direct-Nest user (all products are branded Google Nest, 2022 models) it is super weird "you" (who? Nest?) had to reach out to Google. They should be HERE ANSWERING since they sell GOOGLE NEST products on their Store. There's no more "just-nest". BUT IT WORKED!

What a stupid workaround they could've EASILY added to some "Not working? Check our FAQ for likely reasons why" button. I mean this Public Preview process is very dynamic. I'm sure through Firebase or something they could've changed the whole appearance, text and a link to FAQ to it, considering, as I understand it this will update the app using code and assets already in the app bundle, or they're downloaded in the background BUT no through Google Play Store. Any developer can do this. Anyone has opened an app one day, and it's different, without an update having happened (if you're like me you have auto update of apps off because you actually READ change logs). Spotify does it all the time. Google too, to the Settings app > Google > Some Subsection.

[olejonbj]

Also how weird my GF, using an iPhone, had this setting enabled by default. Bet I created a Google account before her, when Gmail was launched! Good times. But still, she's had one for a deacde at least. I got my update on my virtually unused iPad Air 2, not after the app update (autos are off), but after closing the app completely, waiting a little and reopening it. Haven't bothered to see if any benefits for bigger screens are added but first glance said no. But at least the offer is there on iOS devices for those that didn't know. My GF is "admin" of my Home or so the app says (I'm the creator though) and could request Public Preview also, in Spanish as she's Spanish and her phone is in that. Nice. Too many features depend on not just English but English (US).

That's stupid but why my phone is always on en_US. Locale/regional settings are better respected now, e.g. 24 hour clock enabled should just be automatic for apps no? It's much better but the change to Google One "taking over" the System Settings > System > Backups, W000T shows when last backup was done in in AM/PM. w000t? IDK date as it's always "Yesterday", but I guess the horrible month-before-day...

And there are unit settings where it's obviously needed, but hey, Desktop OS', from Linux to Windows to macOS has always had LOCALE settings where you set your region and everything from the basics to currency and thousands separators are set predefined and correct. Heck even if using colon or period to separate HHMM (hours and minutes). iOS HAS a regional setting, but it's now well respected frankly. On macOS it is... On Linux it totally is (GNOME with Android Studio for example).

TLDR: Check that this setting is on in Desktop Site mode, and remember, it will also affect any iOS device YOU have, and Home members with an iPhone and/or tablet, even if not having the system or app in English, can request and invite. No response yet there still though. Assume it'll happen.

[LocalGuide]

This seems like something you should fix on the backend, rather than pushing the responsibility to every user. If this is the fix for the problem, rather than a cryptic error message, you should deliver these instructions.

[Dan4096]

Hi, I cannot find that settings option on my Groups page, using Chrome on a Pixel 5, can you please assist?

[The_Duke_Sr]

So now everyone can add me to groups I don't want again while I DO NOT WANT THAT! Why do you think people turned this off?  A no brainer!

Google home should never be allowed using something that is completely unrelated and opens up a privacy protected setting.

[distressor]

Thanks Juni, that did the trick! Finally able to successfully accept the Preview opt-in. 

Thanks!

[artraveler2213]

Funny.  Here it is the last day of May and this problem is still happening.  

[artraveler2213]

To be clear; I had the problem up until today.  Only a full clearing of all data, storage and uninstall and reinstall seemed to help.  Also, not clicking the little popup and actually going into settings to join worked.

[Anonymous]

Switched to Apple. Problem solved. 

[LocalGuide]

Now you have a different, unfamiliar set of problems. 👏

[MrGreg]

Same problem. Does everyone have multiple homes as I do? 

[rcarmichael]

I also have multiple homes. This could be the reason... everyone else? 

[bslee]

I had multiple homes, but I just tried deleting all but my primary, and it still doesn't work. Confirming that I did this after following the Google Groups steps suggested above. Still the same error.

[bslee]

Resolved for me now.

[DaleSchultz]

single home here.

[DaleSchultz]

Changed the setting, awaiting prompt to join again after I gave up and declined some time ago.

[DaleSchultz]

Invitation to join came through again and now it works, thanks.

[bslee]

Wait! It works now after changing the Google Group settings! Seems to have taken some time to propagate. Now just waiting for the app to be updated. 

[bslee]

Confirming that my app is now updated and reflects the new interface.

[FJO]

Hi all, 
As suggested by @Juni  above, looks like the issue is caused by how your account is set up in Google Groups. The process suggested to resolve this (at least it fixed it for me) is:

• Sign in to Google Groups. (desktop site)
• At the top right, click Settings
• Global settings.
• Check the "Add me to their groups" box.
• Click Save.

After this, wait a few seconds and try again accepting the invite to join the preview.

Once the acceptance goes through without errors, close the app and wait a few minutes, then reopen the app, the preview should be there. If it's not there, close the app, delete it and re-install it. After logging in again, you should get the preview version.

Hope this helps

[Patrician]

After weeks of getting the same error that everyone else here has been getting I've just got the public preview on my Pixel 7Pro; no notification, just opened Google Home and it was "different".  Didn't have it yesterday so must have updated overnight; no idea when the error cleared but I haven't done anything other than what others have tried I'm afraid so can't give any suggestions.

Still same error on my Oneplus6T though.