Having trouble with Speaker groups? Read this first

[kelanfromgoogle]

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for continuing to notify us of the reliability issues you’re facing with your Speaker groups. I escalated these issues internally and the team is actively investigating a resolution. If you’re able, all feedback is appreciated! Please keep it coming by saying “OK Google, Send Feedback." Providing details, such as mentioning that the issue is with the "speaker group," is especially helpful.  As always, we appreciate your feedback and are working hard to alleviate the issues. 

Thank you for the patience,
Kelan

[kelanfromgoogle · Accepted solution]

Hey folks,

Thank you for your continued patience while our team has been working to address the issues with Speaker group functionality. I want to give you all an update and confirm that a fix was identified which will address a specific problem where some devices, when acting as the group leader, cause an issue with audio not playing on other speakers that are part of the same group. However, you may experience that the main (or leader) device will still play the media as expected.

The following devices will cause this behavior when used as the group leader:

- Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
- Chromecast with Google TV (HD)
- Google Home (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Google Home/Nest Hub (first-generation)
- Google Home/Nest Mini (first-generation) (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Audio (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Hub (second-generation)
- Nest Hub Max
- Nest Mini (second-generation) (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Wifi Point
- Pixel Tablet
- A small percentage of third-party speakers were also affected

Note: the issue must be fixed on the device that is the leader of the group in order for the other devices in the group to start playing consistently

The fixes are specific to each device type, and are dependent on upcoming scheduled update rollouts. We will update this post as the fixes begin rolling out for each device so you can test your own speaker groups.

There may be some devices that take longer to receive the update so if you’re still encountering issues, you can try these temporary workarounds:

Cast directly: if you’re trying to play audio in multiple rooms, cast the audio directly to the individual speakers.

Restart your devices: If you’re having trouble with your speaker group and are unsure which device is the group leader, try restarting all devices that are part of the speaker group. This can often resolve the issues.

As always, we deeply appreciate the feedback and your patience. If you are still running into issues with Speaker groups, please leave a comment below with clear descriptions of the behavior you're encountering. This feedback will help the team further investigate and mitigate anything else that might be causing this feature to not work as intended.

Thanks again, we're working diligently to get everything back to how it should be.

Kelan

[Ed1106]

SOLUTION: This worked for me, let me know if it helps. I turned off the Google Assistant on both my and my wifes phone and "Walah" the nest hub 2nd seems to be working fine now. It was a real PITA

[Dastud]

give it a day haha

[Piet-S]

I have just turned off the Assistent on all our smartphones (just 2)....., I'll let you know if  it's a permanent solution, give me a few days 🙂

[Michel_281]

How weird for turning off the Google Assistant is limited to the smartphone itself. Not, at least for now, and not for the affected speakers. Or am I missing something? 

[GARYSMIFF]

recently suffered issue with a Speaker pair ( 9 nest mini's in my home), " I can not connect to the other speaker in the pair" looks to be a Group setting, worked it out, ensure 5Ghz is the primary connection( shut off 2.4 whilst you build pairs) and then not to add stereo pairs to any groups until they are a paired, if you see they are then added to other Groups without you adding it to those groups, delete that group and start fresh. living the dream now 

[youpickone]

Tried that.  It worked for a little while

[mrxree]

Thinking a resolution from Google is going to be provided in this thread is more disillusioned than thinking Google cares about the issues people are having with non-subscription/non-revenue generating speaker groups feature.  The community manager "solution" post was last edited six months ago, everyone. If they track this thread anywhere, all signs suggest that it has been categorized as closed and nobody at Google is following it anymore, nor will anyone in the future.  

[scragin]

Yep. As I've said several times before--Google simply doesn't care.

[youpickone]

yeah they got theirs. They could care less about us. I think we should probably get a reply from the guy that's doing all the read this first stuff at Google in April because they did one in April of 24 and one of April of 23. So I figure April of 25 would be another response from him. That absolutely does nothing.

[youpickone]

I cannot believe we continue expecting google to do anything about this on their own.  Any interest in a class action?

[youpickone]

I accidentally posted this somewhere else.  It needs to go here

I have been posting items that I hoped would jog google into responding to our issue with nest audio speakers. Instead I got a badge. Big F@$%ing deal. I will print it out and tape it on the speaker. That will help as much as google has helped.

[youpickone]

I have been posting items that I hoped would jog google into responding to our issue with nest audio speakers.  Instead I got a badge.  Big F@$%ing deal.  I will print it out and tape it on the speaker.  That will help as much as google has helped.

[marcolopes]

Google listens... but they are TOO TOO TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

"we" have another problem going on with the Google Nest ecosystem for the SECOND time in a YEAR!!! It's been WEEKS (now almost months) since the problem arise AGAIN, and NO FIX! It was previously fixed mid 2024... so THEY know how to fix it again!! Yet... after DOZENS of reports, NO FIX!!! https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Google-Nest-Mini-play-wrong-songs-and-p...

[iAreku]

Hello,

My Google Home "network" contains a Google Home Hub, several Google Nest Mini speakers and other Google devices like cameras and CO2 detectors.

I also use a myriad of Meross IoT devices, specially their smartplugs line.

EVERYTHING was working fine UNTIL Gemini kicked in! 😞 Now everytime I try to control Meross devices, I get a VERY LAME ENGLISH ACCENT (like a spanglish) saying "Sory (yes soRy) this devise (with S) jas not bin set yet!" (sic)

I can understand Gemini integration may take time but this is far from a final release but more like an alpha stage 😞 All my "smart" network is now back to prehistoric levels 😮

So... while I wait for a fix, lmk if there's anything I can do or if turning my network to english language will improve the experience and if so, how do I do such a thing without loosing voice recognition.

Thanks!

[WhyWhy99]

Well you can wait here for the Google bot to wake up, though it hasn't replied in many months. Or like the rest of us, try sage? voodoo dolls? witchcraft? Though none of those have worked either. 🍸

[Uncle-Googs]

Ive been working fine for months now casting from various apps to groups, and stereo pairs.  Everything has been working since getting rid of googleWifi mesh at home.

[David0384]

---

@kelanfromgoogle wrote:

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for continuing to notify us of the reliability issues you’re facing with your Speaker groups. I escalated these issues internally and the team is actively investigating a resolution. If you’re able, all feedback is appreciated! Please keep it coming by saying “OK Google, Send Feedback." Providing details, such as mentioning that the issue is with the "speaker group," is especially helpful.  As always, we appreciate your feedback and are working hard to alleviate the issues. 

Thank you for the patience,
Kelan

---

Google acknowledges the ongoing reliability issues with Speaker groups and is actively working on a fix. Users are encouraged to provide feedback by saying, “OK Google, Send Feedback,” and specifying that the issue is with Speaker groups. This helps the team collect valuable data to resolve the problem efficiently. Google appreciates users' patience and assures them that a solution is in progress. Stay tuned for further updates as they continue working on improvements.

[Michel_281]

I hope this includes the irritating sound cuts when two Nest Audio speakers are in stereo mode and one switches from one sound source to another. 

Feedback had already been sent multiple times, unfortunately, without Google responses whatsoever. 

[iAreku]

Or the mess gemini has brought when English is not your default language in Google home.

If I ask the same instructions in English, tasks get accomplished. If I tell them in Spanish (Spain) it tells me the devices are not configured, which is obviously false.

Awesome. 

Are we your beta testers? If so where's my wage?? 

[Uncle-Googs]

Oh yeah... Stay tuned!  This thread is active with complaints and has been pinned like a badge of honor for almost a year "Read First"... what a joke.  OMG - stay tuned everyone?  Please... Its been a year... but lets just stay tuned.  The problem is acknowledged!  Oh good... stay tuned... Never mind the money, time, and frustration wasted.  Stay tuned - while your core customers and sales force (the people) leave your eco system and tell everyone what a joke it is.

[Uncle-Googs]

Kid is taking guitar lessons.  Wanted to expose him to more music with heavy guitar parts.  Like a moron I signed up for YouTube music again.  Everything has been working perfectly with iHeart for months... I like the YouTube interface.  Oh course - first attempt at casting to a group - NOTHING.  Reboot... Try again.... NOTHING.  Google phone, google music app, google speakers... Dont work together.  Back to Amazon and iHeart I go... You are welcome for the $10 google.  Kellan - get yourself a coffee - thanks for all the help. 

[RussdaFuss]

If Trump had a non-functioning Google Home speaker system in the White House, he would probably break up the Google corporation or give it to Musk.

[iAreku]

 OK here's one for all of you to laugh at:

I just created an action with the activator "ACTIVAR GRANJA" (as I'm spanish) which translates to ENABLE FARM. It should turn on all Meross smartplugs in a group.

The stupid MOFO FARTED ON MY FACE IN SPANISH! As I guess he understood "ENABLE FART" even if I spoke in spanish!!!

F*ck off, Skynet!!

[Uncle-Googs]

Did you try repooting?

[iAreku]

It's poobably not a good idea...

[Uncle-Googs]

Touché

[SteeScribbles]

Will there ever be a fix for Chromecast built-in TVs to work in speaker groups? My television is a Sony Bravia X89J model. It has worked before alongside a Google Home Mini, but the functionality has disappeared since last year and I can no longer add my TV to a speaker group. Downloading an older version of the Chromecast built-in "app" didn't seem to work either. Is there a solution to this in the works, or will I have to purchase a new Chromecast device?

[RMuser]

Still nothing? I keep checking in here, sending feedback on the speaker but nothing improves - if anything it's getting worse. 

Asking to play media on one speaker works fine, asking it to play on a group not at all. Asking to move the music to a group used to work reliably, but now does not anymore. I have to now use the home app to choose the media stream (often having to reset the app before the playing media even appears) then assign to speaker group.

[Lardo]

It's weird, but mine has been fine for 8 months or so now. I removed the problem speaker,a Google Max (which was connected to 5ghz WiFi, whereas the others were on 2ghz).

I added it back to my router on 2ghz, readded it to the groups on Google Home, and since then it's been absolutely fine! 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

It's almost like doing some kind of voodoo though, it worked for me, but might not for anyone else. I did do some sort of rain dance in the middle of all of this, and uttered some angry words, so maybe it was that? 😉

I still have a zombie LG TV device in my Google Home, and it's impossible to remove it... Lol

[Michel_281]

You can remove your zombie LG device by unlinking the respective LG service from Google Home.

Or unlink from it if you have more than just one LG device. 

[Lardo]

Yeah, I've tried this many times, it just doesn't remove it lol

I now have another LG TV device, since they added Chromecast support in the latest update, but I still cannot get rid of the zombie one 😭 

Any tips for getting rid of it, aside from unlinking, would be awesome, it's super annoying 

[Michel_281]

Most likely, the option to remove the zombie device didn't work either... 

Can you remove it from your network in the LG app? That should definitely work! 

[Lardo]

Nah, tried that and the zombie one persists. ☹️ 

I've just found some smart person online who said create a new Home, add the zombie device, then delete the temporary home. 

It bloody worked!!! Lol 

[Michel_281]

This is a so-called forced way out that indeed works. A more gentle solution imho is to delete the device in the LG ThinQ app. 

[Lardo]

Yeah, I tried that method too, but I literally couldn't get rid of it! 😭 

So happy the forced solution works, I'd never thought to even try that lol 

[Michel_281]

This looks like that it works. The appearance of this zombie device is gone but it probably still ghosts around in your network. Google Home does not remove devices from your network, the manufacturor's app does. Check the device manager of your router whether or not it still is there in your network. 

[RussdaFuss]

Google has killed all Chromecast Audio devices! Worldwide!

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/1j7fa51/comment/mgzcr9e/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=we...

[Boogieman]

I have had speaker group issues since i got google home 2nd gen - 4 mini, 3 displays, 1 jbl google home compatible, 1 Samsung Atmos top of the line soundbar, 1 chromecast for LG TV since LG dont work well at all with google home, 1 Bosch washer and 1 bosch dryer, 1 AC from woods, 1 Xiaomi robot vacuum, 1 JBL boombox connected to a mini via BT as main sound device).

To be frank, google home is beyond bad when it comes to playing music on anything but the device you are talking to.

If i say play music on all speakers (a group called all speakers, but in Swedish) it has never worked well with the new version of google home.

I HAVE ALLWAYS had to recide to download a VERY OLD bersion of google home via an APK available online, create groups from there and then dont touch anything, force play store not to uodate app and live with the crappy old interface and no updates. (Not that the new interface is any better, so messy and not like any other software or app).

Today one screen, jbl, roborock were missing and no groups worked.

Same ol same ol, unlink device to reconnevt

Tried accessing groups and remove readd device but today it said i was not allowed ro edit the groups i created , WHAT?

Rebooted google home and now ALL GEOUPS ARE GONE. 

GOOGLE YOU NEED TO REFUND PEOPLE OR GET THIS HORRIBLE CODE WORKING ASAP!

Today suddenly soundbar was gone, my roborock s7 vacuum was gone. I constantly need to reconnect accounts all over my system by chosing UNLINK (clever name to reconnect something google)

[youpickone]

Time for a class action lawsuit. There has been way too many people that cannot use the product that they bought from Google and Google should reimburse the people and also give them extra money for the pain that they have suffered trying to get the stupid speakers to work!

[CHAZZER]

I said the same thing months ago