Top Questions & Answers about Gemini for Home, Google Home Premium, and more!

[AnishKattukaran]

Hey Nest Community,

We were thrilled to announce a ton of cool stuff that our teams have been diligently working on! There was a lot to go through: Gemini for Home, Google Home Premium, new cameras and a doorbell, a reimagined Google Home app, and a teaser for our new upcoming speaker.

To read more about what was announced, check out these Keyword blog articles:

• Welcome to the next era of Google Home
• Gemini for Home: The helpful home gets an AI upgrade
• A new Google Home app, redesigned for Gemini
• Our newest Google Home devices are built for Gemini
• We’re introducing the new Google Home Premium subscription plus new benefits for AI Pro and Ultra su...

Since we announced Gemini for Home, we’ve been keeping close with the feedback and reactions from you all to help us continue to improve the Home experience. We collected the top questions across our users (you!) and created this helpful Q&A.

UPDATED Q&A 11/6/25

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Q: I manage multiple homes and I set up Gemini for Home voice assistant. Why don’t I have it in all my homes?

A: Gemini for Home is being rolled out at the Home level and not by account - so what that means is when you get the invite and choose to upgrade, it will upgrade all of the devices in that house (but not across other houses you may have associated with your user account).

If you have multiple homes in the Google Home app, you may have only been invited to enable Gemini for Home voice assistant in one of your homes. Please check your other homes to see if Gemini for Home voice assistant has been enabled there. You will be notified again when the Gemini for Home voice assistant is available in your other homes.

Q: Is there any way to guarantee I’m ‘next in line’ to gain access to Gemini for Home voice assistant?

A: No. We’re thrilled to see the excitement from you all and are working hard to roll this out to as many users as possible, as quickly as possible. 

To express your interest, please sign up for early access in the Google Home app. Check that your Home address is correct, and ensure your language and region are set.

Q: Gemini for Home voice assistant is not fully understanding my query. Should I submit feedback? (Example: I tried to set an alarm for 5pm but it set it for 5am.)

A: If you encounter issues like this, please let us know by submitting feedback from your speaker or display by saying "Ok Google, send feedback" and sharing the exact query. We really appreciate your feedback, especially during this early access period.

As Gemini is a large language model, capable of natural language understanding, if it is misunderstanding you, please try again with more specifics.

We are hard at work improving the reliability of Gemini for Home!

Q: Gemini for Home voice assistant is not properly controlling my home devices. What should I do?

A: We want to know every time this happens. Please let us know by submitting feedback from your speaker or display by saying "Ok Google, send feedback" and sharing the exact query. This will help us investigate and work to iron out any issues.

Q: I’m trying to sign up for early access and am getting an “unable to save settings” error. What is going on?

A: This is likely due to your Google Groups setting. 

You can confirm your Google Groups settings to ensure you can sign up for early access.

To do this, visit groups.google.com on a desktop browser and follow these steps:

- Sign into Google Groups.

- Tap Settings and then Global settings.

- Confirm "Add me to their groups" is checked.

- Tap Save.

Q: Can I have multiple voices per home with Gemini for Home voice assistant?

A: No, you can only select one voice per home.

UPDATED Q&A 10/28/25

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Q: Which devices will get the new voice assistant?

A: Gemini for Home voice assistant will work on all speakers and displays we’ve made since 2016. 

This includes:

- Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

- Google Nest Hub Max

- Google Nest Hub (1st gen)

- Google Home Max

- Google Nest Mini (2nd gen)

- Google Home Mini (1st gen)

- Google Nest Audio

- Google Home

- Google Nest Wifi point

Gemini Live will be available with a Google Home Premium subscription in both the Standard and Advanced plans on: 

- Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

- Google Nest Audio

- Google Nest Mini (2nd gen)

- Google Nest Hub Max

Q: Which languages/countries does Gemini for Home voice assistant support?

A: At this time, Gemini for Home voice assistant is only available in the US with support in English. We are expanding to other locales in early 2026.

Q: Is there anything Google Assistant can do today that the Gemini for Home voice assistant can’t do at launch?

A: Gemini for Home voice assistant supports all the same actions that you could perform on your Google Assistant, but you may notice that Gemini for Home responds differently because it is a different voice assistant built on Gemini.

We put out a blog post with things to know while using the new Gemini for Home voice assistant.

Q: What version of the Google Home app do I need?

A: The Gemini for Home voice assistant requires version 4.1 of the Google Home app.

Q: How do I sign-up for early access to Gemini for Home features?

A: To sign up for the early access program:

- Open the Google Home app (version 4.1+)

- Click on Settings (In the new 3-tab design it is at the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial, in the older design click on the Settings tab)

- Then click on Early Access

You’ll get notified in the app when features become available for your home. Early access to the Gemini for Home voice assistant is available first in the United States and we will be rolling out to other regions in early 2026.

We’ll eventually be inviting everyone to upgrade to Gemini for Home, so signing up for early access is optional.

Q: If I signed up for early access, how will I be notified when I have access to the new voice assistant?

A: You’ll get notified in the Google Home app as new Gemini for Home features, like the new voice assistant, become available for your home.

Q: How can I tell if I have the Gemini for Home voice assistant?

A: There are several ways you can tell if you have upgraded to the Gemini for Home voice assistant: 

1) Simply ask “Ok Google, who are you?”

2) You’ll hear a new, more natural sounding voice, and may hear a welcome message from Gemini for Home.

3) The LEDs on your speaker will show a blue/purple color when responding (*not included on our oldest devices), and the voice UI on your smart display will look different when you say, “hey Google”.

4) In the Google Home app, under settings you’ll see a menu item called, ‘Gemini for Home voice assistant’.

Q: I already have the Gemini for Home camera features. When will I get the Gemini for Home voice assistant?

A: Gemini for Home features are starting to rollout through an early access program. The Gemini for Home voice assistant on speakers and smart displays are starting to roll-out today and you will be notified in the Google Home app once the features are enabled for your home.

Q: Is it possible for me to have Gemini for Home enabled on my cameras but not on my speakers / displays (and vice versa)

A: The Gemini for Home camera and voice features are rolling out independently. You will get notified in the Google Home app when features are available for your home.

Q: When will Gemini for Home voice assistant be available in my language?

A: The Gemini for Home voice assistant is initially only available in English. We are working to expand support for more languages in more voices so that you can talk with Gemini in the voice that’s best for you, and get responses that sound fluent.

Q: Can I switch back to Google Assistant on my speakers and displays?

A: You can’t switch back to Google Assistant once you’ve migrated to the Gemini for Home voice assistant. We'd love your feedback to know how the Gemini for Home voice assistant could be more useful for you. You can share feedback directly in the Google Home app or on our dedicated Nest Community thread.

Q: Can I opt to retain Google Assistant rather than move to Gemini?

A: Yes, at this time, upgrading to Gemini for Home voice assistant is optional. 

Q: Will the Gemini for Home voice assistant work on Chromecast?

A: Gemini for Google TV, which is the Gemini experience optimized for large screen experiences, is currently available on the TCL QM9K Google TV. Gemini will rollout to the Google TV Streamer and more devices this winter.

Q: What third party services/integrations will Gemini for Home voice assistant connect to?

A: Gemini for Home will work with the same third party services that worked with Google Assistant. This includes apps like Keep or Calendar for managing tasks, lists, notes and reminders, any smart home device that is integrated with Google home, and a number of top media streaming partners for music, video, radio & TV.

UPDATED Q&A 10/13/25

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Q: How will I know that I have been granted Early Access and that I have the Gemini for Home features?

A: When Gemini for Home is available for you, you’ll get an email titled “Gemini for Home has arrived.” Take a look at your inbox for the confirmation, and then follow the instructions in the email to navigate to the app and set up the features.

Q: Which of the Gemini for Home features can I use in the Gemini app?

A: You can control smart home devices in the Gemini app by connecting the Google Home app to the Gemini mobile app. This includes the following smart home devices:

- Lights & power, like lights, outlets, and switches

- Climate control, like air conditioning units, thermostats, heaters, and fans

- Window coverings, like curtains, blinds, and shutters

- Media devices, like TVs and speakers

- Other smart devices, like washers, coffee makers, and vacuums

Currently, to access Gemini for Home features you will need to use the Google Home app. You can see this Help Center article for steps to enable Google Home controls in the Gemini app.

Q: How do I turn off Home Brief notifications?

A: You can turn off Home Brief notifications by opening the Google Home app and navigating to Home Settings > Notifications > General and turn off the toggle for Home Brief.

While you can turn Home Brief notifications off, we'd love your feedback to know how they could be more useful for you. You can share feedback directly in the Google Home app or on our dedicated Nest Community thread.

Q: Will I still need the Nest app, or will all my Nest devices be fully controllable within the Google Home app?

A: We heard your feedback around the complexities of having to use two different apps, so we brought the best of the Nest app into a single, unified Google Home app. All your Nest Thermostats since 2015 and other Nest devices are fully controllable within the Google Home app.

Q: I had Google AI Pro/Google AI Ultra and Nest Aware. Do I save any money now that Google Home Premium (previously Nest Aware) is included in the plan?

A: Yes! Google Home Premium Standard is included with Google AI Pro (you can upgrade that to Home Premium advanced for $10 more) and Google Home Premium Advanced is included with Google AI Ultra at no extra cost.

This new bundle saves you money. For example, if you were paying $20 for Google AI Pro and $10 for the old Nest Aware Base plan (now called Google Home Premium standard), your new total is only $20 per month.

And if you were paying $20 for Google AI Pro and $20 for the old Nest Aware Plus plan (now called Google Home Premium advanced), your new total is only $30 per month.

In both cases that's a $10 savings every month! You can learn more about pricing and your specific savings by visiting the Google One overview on the Google Store.

Q: What languages will Gemini for Home support?

A: Gemini for Home features in the Home App currently support English and French Canadian in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

Gemini for Home voice assistant on speakers and smart displays will support English beginning at the end of October in the United States.

We will expand support for additional languages in the future.

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1. Gemini for Home

Q: What is Gemini for Home?

A: Gemini for Home is a new, foundational intelligence that transforms your relationship with your home. It will not only replace the Google Assistant on your smart displays and speakers but also upgrade smart devices like your cameras and doorbells, and bring new capabilities to the Google Home app. Learn more about Gemini for Home

Q: What can I do with Gemini for Home without a subscription?

A: These features will be available to all users (including non-subscribers) as Gemini for Home rolls out:

 With Ask Home you can:

- Quick search: you can now quickly search for devices and automations right from the search bar. As you type, results and relevant suggestions will appear instantly.

- Simple device queries: you can now ask questions about your devices. Simply say, “Which lights are on?” or “Is the front door locked?”

- Real-time device control: you can now give simple commands like, “Close all blinds,” and it will instantly follow through.

Voice assistant: your voice assistant will get upgraded from Google Assistant to Gemini, making it more conversational and capable than ever. This core update is included with your device at no extra cost.

Q: What are the differences between the Standard and Advanced plans for Google Home Premium?

A: The Standard Plan includes Gemini for Home features and more such as:

- The new voice assistant with Gemini Live^3,4

- Ask Home to create automations using natural language^3,4

- Plus 30 days of event video history and intelligent alerts for your cameras⁶

The Advanced Plan gives you everything in Standard, plus our new Gemini for Home camera features, including:

- AI event descriptions¹

- AI notifications¹

- Home Brief¹

- Ask Home to search your video history¹

- Plus 60 days of event video history and 10 days of 24/7 video history⁶

More details about Google Home Premium can be found here

Q: When will Gemini for Home be available?

A: Gemini for Home features are starting to rollout through an early access program. For Cameras and Doorbells the roll out started October first in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Gemini for Home voice assistant on speakers and smart displays roll out will start towards the end of October in the US. We will expand early access to additional countries in the near future.

Q: What does early access mean?

A: Early access is a way for our customers to sign-up to be amongst the first to get access to the new Gemini for Home features. If you sign up for early access, you’ll be notified when the features are available for your home, it is not instantaneous. Note, this is different than Public Preview.

Q: How can I get early access to Gemini for Home?

A: To sign up for the early access program:

- Open the Google Home app (version 4.0+)

- Click on Settings (In the new 3-tab design it is at the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial, in the older design click on the Settings tab)

- Then click on Early Access

You’ll be notified in the app when you can begin. Early access is first available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, and will later expand to other countries.

Q: Which countries will have the early access sign up in the Home App?

A: Early access sign up is currently available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The ability to sign up for early access is coming to these countries next week:

- Japan

- Switzerland

- Denmark

- Austria

- Belgium

- Finland

- France

- Germany

- Italy

- Netherlands

- Spain

- Norway

- Sweden

- Mexico

Q: What is the difference between early access and Public Preview?

A: Early access is an opportunity for users to be among the first to try Gemini for Home features and give us feedback as we improve the experience. Public Preview is a different, broader program for the latest Google Home app features.

Q: Will I get these Gemini for Home features if I sign up for Public Preview?

A: No, you will need to sign up to the early access program to get some of the more advanced Gemini for Home features.

Q: When will the new voice assistant be available?

A: Early access to the Gemini for Home voice assistant on speakers and smart displays in the US starts towards the end of the month. We plan to expand to more countries in early 2026.

Q: How will Gemini for Home improve my camera experience?

A: Gemini will unlock powerful insights from your camera history. You’ll see AI descriptions in your alerts and your camera video history, giving you a full, detailed narrative of what’s happening.¹ You can easily search to find interesting camera clips or exactly what you are looking for from your camera history using Ask Home.¹ 

Gemini also cuts through the noise and summarizes hours of footage, proactively delivering Home Brief - a quick, digestible recap of your day’s important events. You can get access to these features with the Advanced plan of Google Home Premium.¹ Learn more here

Q: Which cameras and doorbells will Gemini for Home work on?

A: We will be rolling out Gemini to all generations of Nest cameras and doorbells since 2015, and the new Walmart onn camera and doorbell. For those on older-generation Nest cameras, you will need to migrate your cameras from the Nest app to the Google Home app and sign up for early access to access the features.³

Q: How will the voice assistant be different with Gemini for Home?
A: Gemini is a more natural and capable AI that is replacing the Google Assistant on Google's smart speakers and displays.

It allows you to speak more naturally, give more complex commands, and control your smart home more simply. It's a major upgrade to make your smart home more helpful and conversational. Learn more here

Q: What is Gemini Live?

A: Gemini Live allows you to have a fluid, back-and-forth conversation on any topic. Just say, “Hey Google, let’s chat,” and you can explore ideas, learn new concepts, or get advice without repeating "Hey Google”.^3,4 Learn more here

Q: Which of my existing Home & Nest speakers and displays will support Gemini for Home voice assistant?

A: Gemini for Home voice assistant will work on all speakers and displays we’ve made since 2016, Nest Audio, Nest Mini (2nd gen), Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub (2nd gen), Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Home Max. Google Home Hub, and Google Nest Wifi Point.

You can see more about compatibility in this Help Center article.

Q: Will Gemini for Home voice assistant be available on existing speakers and third-party smart speakers?

A: We are working with third-party speaker companies to bring Gemini for Home to more devices.

Q: Will Gemini for Home voice assistant only be available to paid subscribers, or will it replace the existing Google Assistant for those on a free plan?

A: The Gemini for Home voice assistant will upgrade and replace the Google Assistant on your speakers and smart displays. This powerful update is included with your device, making your standard "Hey Google" voice assistant more conversational and capable at no extra cost. 

The more advanced features, including Gemini Live, will be available through our new Google Home Premium subscription.¹

2. Google Home Premium

Q: What is Google Home Premium and how is it different from Nest Aware?

A: We’re upgrading the current Nest Aware to Google Home Premium. While Nest Aware was focused on cameras, Google Home Premium is a whole-home subscription that unlocks advanced capabilities for all your compatible smart devices.

Q: If I currently have Nest Aware, what happens to my subscription? Will it automatically convert to Google Home Premium?

A: Yes, your Nest Aware subscription is now a Google Home Premium subscription. Nest Aware subscribers are now on the Standard plan and Nest Aware Plus subscribers are now on the Advanced plan.

Q: If I have Google AI Pro or AI Ultra, do I automatically get Google Home Premium, and which plan?

A: Yes! Google Home Premium is included at no extra cost for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. AI Pro members get the Standard plan (and can upgrade to Advanced for $10/month), while AI Ultra members receive the Advanced plan automatically.

Q: If I already have a subscription to Google AI Pro and have an existing Google Home Premium Standard (formerly known as Nest Aware), do I have to cancel my Google Home Premium subscription or do anything to activate the Google AI Pro benefit?

A: You will have to activate your Google AI Pro benefit. To learn more about how to activate the Google Home Premium benefit with Google One, take a look at this Help Center article.

Q: If I am a Google AI Pro subscriber and I want to upgrade from the included Google Home Premium Standard plan to the Advanced plan, is that possible?

A: Yes! You can upgrade to Google Home Premium Advanced for $10/month. Take a look at this Help Center article for steps to do so.

Q: Does a Google AI Pro subscription include the features previously available with Nest Aware, including the ability to record and store video history for my cameras?

A: That's right! Google Home Premium is included at no extra cost for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. AI Pro members get the Standard plan (and can upgrade to Advanced for $10/month), while AI Ultra members receive the Advanced plan automatically. To learn more about how to activate Google Home Premium with your Google One plan, see this Help Center article.

Q: If I have Nest Aware through ADT, will I still get Google Home Premium?

A: As an ADT customer, at this point you will get continued access to the existing Nest Aware features that come with your ADT subscription. Please contact ADT customer service with any questions regarding the features available with your ADT subscription.

3. Google Home app

Q: What are the performance and reliability improvements I can expect from the redesigned app?

A: We’ve been obsessed with improving performance for the app, here are some notable improvements: faster app boot times, reduced app crashes, and overall improvements to the experience and camera performance.

Q: How will the new 3-tab structure and Ask Home search bar impact how I use the app?

A: We’ve made it easier and simpler to find, control, and use the devices you want. The new header navigation is also where you'll find Ask Home, which we've placed front-and-center in the app so you can easily search your camera history or analyze your home's patterns.³

And we've made it faster to navigate with just one hand. We've introduced new gestural navigation, letting you easily swipe between your Favorites, all your devices, and dedicated new spaces for Cameras, Climate, and Lights.

Q: How do I migrate my devices from the Nest app to the Google Home app?

A: You can check out this Help Center article for steps on migrating devices to the Google Home app. We have made it even easier to migrate devices by automatically adding the devices you migrate to your favorites.

This was a lot of news to share and we hope this Q&A helped you stay more connected with the cool stuff we’ve been working on. We are committed to constantly find ways to create an even more helpful home and we’d love to hear what you think of this announcement over in this thread!

Thanks,

Anish Kattukaran, Chief Product Officer, Nest & Google Home

¹ Requires Google Home Premium Advanced plan (sold separately), Google Home app, Wi-Fi, and internet connection. Features subject to change; available in select countries and languages. Gemini features work independently of Gemini apps. Check responses for accuracy; results may vary.

² Compared to the earlier generation Google Assistant. 

³ Requires Google Home Premium subscription (sold separately), Google Home app, Wi-Fi, and internet connection. Features subject to change; available in select countries and languages. Gemini features work independently of Gemini apps. Check responses for accuracy; results may vary.

⁴ Early access to Gemini Live is available to select, existing US Google Home Premium subscribers with compatible speakers and displays beginning 10/28, and will gradually roll out to all Google Home Premium subscribers by early 2026.

⁵ Early access to the Gemini for Home voice assistant is available to select, existing US users with compatible speakers and displays beginning 10/28, gradually rolling out to all users with compatible devices in participating Google Home markets by early 2026.

⁶ Some features, including mobile and browser notifications, remote control, video recording, video streaming and video history, require the Google Home app and working internet and Wi-Fi.