Skip to main content

Honeymoon phase over: Google Home users report the first batch of glitches

google home most useful skills io 5 2 1500x1000
Google
For all the Google Home gets right, the device certainly isn’t perfect. According to a number of complaints logged on Google’s dedicated Home Help Forum, a small group of users reported a number of problems surrounding the Home’s ability to react to voice commands. Ideally, a Google Home device actively listens for a wake word and once said, reacts accordingly within a few seconds. However, the users on the forum complain that instead of, say, reading back the day’s weather forecast, their Google Home responds to its wake word with, “Something went wrong, try again in a few seconds.”

An issue which goes against the entire fabric of what Google Home hopes to offer its users, Google is apparently investigating the owners’ claims. As mentioned above, the problem appears to only affect a small number of Home users, though it’s likely others who experience the same affliction have yet to reach out in the forum. Further, the complication seems to trace its relative beginning to around the middle of February — according to the first post on the forum — with the most current post publishing on Wednesday.

Google Home
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To the users’ credit, most exhausted all available options in hopes of remedying the situation. Be it factory resetting the Home itself, rebooting their Wi-Fi or simply turning off and turning on the device, nothing seems to fix the problem — that is, unless Google just sends them a completely new unit. Specifically, many of the users report issues surrounding the Home’s ability to read back weather, set alarms, and interact with Philips Hue smart bulbs (i.e. turning them on or off). As of this writing, however, we haven’t experienced any of the reported issues and still have the ability to fully interact with the Hue lights and talk with the Home.

Perhaps the issue comes down to a small set of faulty hardware and less of a full-blown crisis brewing, though it’s hardly the kind of press Google wants for its home assistant. For now, owners must patiently wait as Google looks into the issue.

Editors' Recommendations

Rick Stella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
The best Google Home tips, tricks, and Easter eggs
google home tips and tricks top

Google Home is one of the best smart home platforms of 2023. Some of its benefits are obvious -- such as being able to dish out voice commands or check in on all your gadgets in one location using the smartphone app -- but others are a bit more obscure. In fact, some of the best Google Home features can’t be found without a bit of digging.

To help you get the most out of Google Home, here’s a long list of tips, tricks, and even a few Easter eggs to maximize the system’s potential. Whether you’re looking to easily connect all your smart home gadgets or just want a funny trick to show off at your next party, there’s bound to be something you didn’t know about Google Home listed below.
'Hey, Google'

Read more
Wildfire smoke prompts Google to issue work-from-home advisory
google-office

Google has told its employees in the northeast of the U.S. to work from home in order to limit their exposure to smoke drifting in from hundreds of wildfires in Canada.

Dramatic news images of New York City disappearing in a smoky haze on Wednesday showed the extent of the dire air quality as fires in eastern Canada continue to burn. Data later revealed that the air quality in the metropolis on Wednesday was the worst of any city globally.

Read more
The new Google Home app officially launches on May 11
Several images of the new Google Home app on a tan background.

After a lengthy public preview, the new Google Home app is officially launching on May 11. The redesign boasts a few highly requested features, along with a fresh UI that makes it easy to navigate even the most cluttered of smart homes.

Announced during Google I/O, the new Google Home app features five tabs -- Favorites, Devices, Automations, Activity, and Settings. Upon launching the app, you’ll be greeted by the Favorites tab, where you’ll find a list of your most-used gadgets. Devices are also automatically placed into categories such as Lighting and Cameras so you can quickly bounce between menus without any fuss.

Read more