Let's Discuss: Using Google Assistant and Multiple Devices

[KiiFromGoogle]

We recently shared some background about what's happening when multiple devices respond to your Google Assistant requests. You can read more in our community blog: FAQs: Using Google Assistant and Multiple Devices.

We invite you to share your experiences using multiple devices with Google Assistant below! 

As Senior Product Manager Isha Sheth mentioned in the blog, community feedback is really important to the Google Assistant team. We'd love to hear from you about whether the tips we shared in the blog were helpful for you and the members of your home! 

[ktiedt]

Literally nothing in this “FAQ” actually solves this problem it’s just more of the same hand waving done for the past years on the old topic 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[MsDrasby]

When you say "Hey Google" near two or more Google Assistant-enabled devices, all of the devices will turn on and listen for your command. Google will then select the best device to respond to your request based on a number of factors, including:

• The proximity of the device to you.
• The type of request you made.
• The capabilities of the device.

For example, if you're in the kitchen and you say "Hey Google, set a timer for 5 minutes," Google will select the device that is closest to you, such as your Google Nest Hub. If you're in the living room and you say "Hey Google, play music," Google will select the device that is best equipped to play music, such as your Google Home Max.

If you don't want multiple devices to respond to your Google Assistant requests, you can change the settings on your devices. In the Google Home app, go to Settings > Devices > Device name > Hey Google sensitivity. Use the slider to adjust the sensitivity of the device. A lower sensitivity means that the device will only respond to "Hey Google" when it is spoken loudly and clearly.

In one of my rooms there are two Google Speakers and I turned off the ability to listen in one of the speakers.

[cc99]

None of this works for me. My phone immediately accuses me of not having permission to use any device or accounts. Meanwhile my displays try to respond, sometimes in another room to what I asked. The phone is so annoying I've been turning off the microphone, which kind of destroys Google Assistant for my needs. All of this used to work just fine for several years. It has only been since 2023 that this has gotten much much worse. It used to be when I had new setups or devices one would query whether my ask was for that device. Now I just get obnoxious information, not helpful, quite often a Google search which describes how things used to work.

[Ralph2]

Those instructions do not apply to my Display Hub Max located in my Kitchen. The rest of my devices work as you stated. 

Any other suggestions would be appreciated. 

[marcolopes]

Now... that's a HUGE contradiction!!!

You say "Google will then select the best device to respond to your request based on a number of factors, including: The proximity of the device to you, The type of request you made, The capabilities of the device."

THIS IS CORRECT!!! Many devices can LISTEN, but ONLY ONE WILL REPLY / PROCESS the information!

Then you say... "If you don't want multiple devices to respond to your Google Assistant requests, you can change the settings on your devices. In the Google Home app, go to Settings > Devices > Device name > Hey Google sensitivity."

WHICH is it?? ONLY ONE DEVICE will respond or not??

P.S. It's curious that you emphasize the use of the PROXIMITY functionality (proximity SENSOR) yet, you ADVISE TO TURN IT OFF to solve OTHER BUGS like the random POPPING (crackling) sound that plagues MUSIC STREAMING on the Google NESTS! https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Strange-popping-sound-in-my-nest-mini/t...

How about that?

[ktiedt]

If only all the devices all worked as advertised… 🤦‍♂️ there in lies the crux of the problem.  

[MsDrasby]

I think part of the problem is people expect the Google Assistant to work seamlessly without having to maintain both the programs and devices they use the assistant on. Most tech users really don't understand the devices and programs they are using. They just want the devices to be intuitive and take care of themselves rather than putting the extra effort into maintaining the product.

Personally I don't see Google Assistant or any other technology device as becoming totally intuitive with maintaining usage without any glitches. There's too much involved for this to happen. As a user who loves their smart devices I've learned how the network setup, other third party devices, background sound and other programs interplay with how the assistant is going to respond.

Example I like using smart bulbs however they've become a bit of an issue for me to use with voice activation. Part of it is due to the bulbs being created for a 2G network and now I have a 5G network. Which means I need to be aware to update my smart devices. It would be helpful if my Google Assistant was more backwards compatible with the older devices more uses would be interested in using Google Assistant with all smart devices.

As a person with physical issues I find supporting my Smart devices such as locks, garage door, music, TV and etc with My Google Assistant to be a beneficial support to have in my daily life. 

[Montre]

This is just google boot licking. There is no reason the arguably top information age company in the world cannot make these devices FAR more intuitive. We have ChatGPT authored by a small team that can diagnose complex medical crises but we can't adjust the volume of a speaker group via voice command on a 400$ Hub Max? Surely you jest.

The amount of "maintenance" these programs require far exceeds anything that should be required of anyone for devices that are supposed to increase QoL and make things easier.

You can't possibly justify why some commands work ONLY via voice and some ONLY work in the app when they're the same commands. You cannot justify why you can script multiple actions in automation via the script editor but the same freedom for multiple actions can't be intuitively inserted into the GUI automation creator. There's no justification for why sometimes speaker groups will work together some sometimes they'll just disconnect themselves and be locked into one speaker being paired and the other being a separate local device and neither will operate without a factory reset. A FACTORY RESET IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD ISSUE FIX. There's no maintenance for why we have 32000 color RGB lights but Google only allows for 42. There's no maintenance for why you ask for your lights to be white and they turn mustard yellow. There's no maintenance for why half decade old nest protect products cannot be used in google home.

These are issues that span YEARS and these are not maintenance issues. Me trying to adjust the volume in two speakers at once verbally and having the app tell me it doesn't understand is a intuition issue.

[ChrisBit]

Just got a Nest Audio for my vision impaired mother, intended as an addition to her phone, where she had learned how to use Google Assistant for calling her friends, asking the time, etc. Unfortunately it made the Google Assistant completely useless for calling, as now the Nest Audio will respond to the call request with a "This contact does not have duo" type of message (outside US or Canada...). The least I expected was for the nest system to register the request and recognize that the call can only be made on the phone, then place the call on the phone as if talking to the assistant there. Next least expectation was that the nest audio could be used as a hands free Bluetooth device, but it is only Bluetooth speaker, yet still requests access to contacts for some reason. Next next least expectation was the ability to route the call via wifi through an Android phone in the Google Home setup.

[BroadsNet]

I have had this issue for over 12 months. I've worked with Google during that time but nothing has solved the problem.

I have a Nest Hub in the living room, a Nest Mini in the kitchen and bedroom. The ridiculous thing is when I stand in front of the Nest Hub the Nest Mini in the kitchen answers and vice-versa. Sometimes when addressing the Nest Mini in the kitchen I can hear the one answering in the bedroom. The kitchen speaker then responds with the message - something went wrong please try again.

When I first bought these devices they all worked perfectly together. Subsequent updates have basically broken the devices. It is so frustrating. If I turn the microphones off on all the other devices then each device works fine on its own. Hopefully at some point Google will sort this out.

[Bnsherer]

Google stole Sonos technology after entering a "partnership" with them, then ended the "partnership", then got sued and lost, and now we can't control group volume - all they need to do is pay sonos the licensing fees due and despite being a trillion dollar company able to afford it they refuse and instead make their paying customers deal with reduced functionality! Criminal and corrupt! 

[ChrisBit]

That volume control patent should have been ruled invalid for being a plain obvious solution to any tech person. Such patents are an abuse of the patent system and hurts technological progress for everyone. Sonos is the troll company there, and for that and other reasons (environmental crime "destroy your speaker to get discount on a new one" concept) I would never ever ever buy any Sonos product.

[ktiedt]

Won’t buy another Google product either 🤷‍♂️

 these devices are literally worse today than they were when I beta tested them as an employee 🤦‍♂️

[Montre]

They feel like they're still in beta. They are terrible.

Though regardless of that fact, Sonos is equal measure of scum by trying to lever such a broad patent that borders on enabling a monopoly in the home audio / multi speaker wireless market. It's silly that they were allowed to patent that sort of basic technology, however it is entirely possible that the only reason they were judged to be able to was because of Google shafting them and this was an easy way to grant damages to sonos

[pilothphongmala]

Brand name brand new and exciting and exciting and exciting and exciting and exciting and exciting

[JamesA2]

Since this update, our first google speaker no longer responds. it hears the keyword, and wakes up, but then just stops, and we get no response on any other device. I've tried reboots, removing and readding, both the device, all devices and the whole nest, still no luck. I can still cast to the speaker, so I know it's working.

[MsDrasby]

@JamesA2 Have you tried clearing the Google Assistant APP cache?

[JamesA2]

Thanks, didn't know about this. I have cleared the cache on both mobiles in the house, but that hasn't improved things. The speaker looks like its about to respond, but after circling the lights, it just goes back to sleep.

[JamesA2]

vary strangely on 4th October, our nest speaker, whcih we had given up on, suddenly burst back into life, working exactly as it should with multiple devices. I guess maybe another update fixed a bug?

[marcolopes]

What is the relation of an APP installed in a random device with the AUTONOMOUS hardware of the google ecosystem??

You can disable ALL devices in the network (except the WiFi AP/Router) and still have a total operational Google Ecosystem!

The apps have ZERO to do with this! They serve the mere purpose of CONFIGURATION! That's all!!!

[RvdP]

It's all fine and dandy, but in the end functionality has been removed.

[ChrisBit]

It seems very random how sensitive the "Hey Google" is - most of the time my vision impaired mom will have to make several attempts to get her phone to register it while holding it in front of her, yet other times even my phone half way across the house registers it even if it only has my voice match profile.

[Ralph2]

why will 3 speakers work properly to control automation or play music but a Hub Max not work correctly?  Why won’t Google support its product?  
Why does Google promise to respond to problems but never bothers to reply?

[KatiaB]

Sometimes Google on my tablet, which most of the time is turned off, replies to my requests directed to my bedroom Nest Mini.

[auto7slot]

Since this update, our first google speaker no longer work regularly. its respond and wakes up, but then just hang up and we get no response on other devicetoo. I've tried restart it, unplug, both the device, all devices and the whole nest, still no luck. I can still cast to the speaker, so I know it's working.

[Lardo]

I can't even write anything in response... errors from this input box stops me writing anything with a 'd' in it, or a 'wr'.

I presume it's because of HTML formatting, and your underlying code getting confused.

[Lardo]

I am having HUGE issues with the latest updates. If I say 'turn the lights on' in my livingroom, it turns on my bedroom lights. Even though I'm not in my bedroom.

[Lardo]

Also, responses are three to five seconds slower than my Alexa devices.

[Montre]

I think that's because google defaults that command to assume all lights. If you have them named it may be better to use that than proximity. Ie "turn on kitchen lights" instead of "turn on [all] lights".

Unless it's only turning on bedroom lights but ignoring all others lok

[Lardo]

I do have them named, and in specific room groups. It never used to assume ALL lights, it used to turn the lights on for whichever room was in the same group as the speaker i was talking to.
Now though, if I ask it to turn the lights off, when I'm in the livingroom, it will turn my bedroom lights off. Always the bedroom ones. 

This has only developed in the last few weeks.

[GoBananas]

BUG BUG BUG!!! Unstable Google Home (Assistant's) voice selection. If an alternate voice from the default (red) voice is selected, it is unstable and randomly goes back and forth between custom selection voice and default (red) voice. This is happening at multiple locations on numerous Nest speakers and display speakers. Google Home has serious issues (not just this one). I'm I.T. and this is far from an isolated case. Google you need to fix this BUG BUG BUG!!!

It's enough to make you Go Bananas!

[GoBananas]

Interestingly, the past couple of days the "Groups" feature with the default "Whole House" instructions has been better, not great, but noticeably improved. Jury still out, we'll see what happens for us and family and friends. I've instructed them to test the feature. So let's hope. Fingers crossed.

[GoBananas]

BUG BUG BUG!!! Unstable Google Home “Groups”. Even while Google Nest devices “Group” (using the default Group “Whole House”) is in use, Google assistant will often 50%-90% of the time respond with “Can’t find “Whole House”, please make sure it is connected to the internet and try again.” This is happening at multiple locations on numerous Nest speakers and display speakers. Google Home has serious issues (not just this one). I'm I.T. and this is far from an isolated case. Google you need to fix this BUG BUG BUG!!!

It's enough to make you Go Bananas!

[Ralph2]

if I speak to the Bedroom display:  Turn on kitchen lights, the lights turn on. 

If I speak to the Kitchen display:  Turn on Kitchen light, the display responds:   Those lights have not been set up. 

If I am standing directly in front of the Kitchen display and say, Hey Google, ask Spotify to play,  that kitchen display will ignore the command. My bedroom speaker often will then start to play the requested music. 

Google refuses to accept and acknowledge that this display is defective. Google has promised to escalate this matter and that they would get me an answer. 

I am still waiting. 

[Hmm_8888]

---

@KiiFromGoogle wrote:

We recently shared some background about what's happening when multiple devices respond to your Google Assistant requests. You can read more in our community blog: FAQs: Using Google Assistant and Multiple Devices.

We invite you to share your experiences using multiple devices with Google Assistant below! 

As Senior Product Manager Isha Sheth mentioned in the blog, community feedback is really important to the Google Assistant team. We'd love to hear from you about whether the tips we shared in the blog were helpful for you and the members of your home! 

---

@KiiFromGoogle That's something a bot would say. We haven't been kept in the loop and at the very least, Google should've contacted registered purchasers/users to keep them informed.

Like the expression goes, actions speak louder than words. I feel the only community feedback Google "listens" to is from within their own Google Corporate culture (inner circle).

[Prairiecowboy]

I have this problem, when I say hey Google my nest hub and my phone and my wife's phone and my Son's phone all reply.

How I solved it is unplugged all Google devices except kept my phone and packed them away.

I switched all devices in my home to Alexa and gave them different names, ( as Alexa allows several different names to name each device differently) and the ones that are further away you can name one if the same names as another device further away as it won't hear you. Also my son switched his phone to Apple.

But I still have the problem where I have been standing in line at a store and someone will say hey Google to there phone and my phone and sometimes other people's phone's reply.

But for in the house Alexa works perfect and never have had a problem. Our house is a smart home so it has made it very easy to control lights, temperature and all of our door locks.

Google has kind of become a last century product, very much not up to date with the rest of the world.

But I do love my Android phone.

Oh yes, Alexa is waaay smarter then Google.

[GoBananas]

Google Home "Groups" feature is a MASSIVE failure bug filled hot mess.

Many people experiencing massive failures with Googe Home "Groups", yet listening to music play throughout thier home is the primary reason many bought the Nest display and non-display speakers, which is dependant on this "Groups" feature. The "Groups" feature is a bug filled hot mess, which 90% of the time fails to do what it is intended to do. The default "Group" of "Whole House" works as designed and intended only about 10% of the time. Numerous reportings and submitted feedback to GHT3 team over a long period of time sees ZERO results. I'm I.T. so I know what I'm doing and how to properly troubleshoot. Unfortunately, that's why family and friends call me about this issue failing on them as well. It's non-stop and Google is not fixing this KNOWN issues for a very long time. UGH!

[BroadsNet]

Regrettably I have followed the same course of action as Prairiecowboy. I have replaced my three Nest Mini's with Alexa devices. They work seamlessly together. I have kept my Google Nest Hub and Google Home enabled Lenovo Clock. I can't be without at least one Google device as the quality and accuracy of the information provided is far superior to Alexa.

The Google Nest Mini's are in storage until Google comes up with a solution. As of today they advise a solution has still not been found.

The annoying thing is that when I bought all these Google devices nearly four years ago they all worked perfectly together. It appears obvious to me that subsequent firmware updates caused this issue!

[DampRaccoon]

I'm currently in a living hell where the slightest whisper of a command to one device sets 22 devices (don't ask) into a frenzy. I've tried everything, costing many hours. This began randomly 2-3 weeks ago. I'm not even going to attempt to follow up here, as this issue has been discussed for years and I only see laughably useless information from Google. 

The FAQ has one solution despite naming "a few reasons":

"There are a few reasons why multiple devices might respond to your request. One possibility is that you have devices set up on different Google accounts. If you have multiple Google Accounts, add the account you used to set up Google Home on your device. Learn how to fix that here."

Never mind the dozen other issues I have with no solutions. I cannot think of another product/ecosystem that has only degraded over time, besides these speakers/displays -- which is mind-boggling, because software corrections (not updates...fixes) could fix everything.  
I'm