Whether you use Google Home to play games, to listen to tunes, to connect to your smart devices, or to do all of those things, having good sound quality and voice recognition on your speaker is a must. When you’re jamming out to music, poor sound quality can even ruin your favorite song.
It sucks to have muffled lyrics or a scratchy-sounding bass line. But, when you can hear every layer of that song and every word of those lyrics, it makes the experience so much more enjoyable. The same applies when you’re playing games on Google Home. Sound effects can help to immerse you in Google Home’s audio games and make you feel like you’re actually in the game world. Especially when you’re playing a text-based adventure game, because they rely so heavily on sound effects to create a realistic experience.
The sound the speaker puts out is important, but Google Home’s ability to understand your commands is even more vital. Google Home needs to be able to easily understand what you say the first time you say it. It’s horribly annoying when your smart home speaker says “did you say mashed potatoes?” when you really said “stewed tomatoes.” Most of us have experienced that frustration, and it makes you want to yell at the speaker.
Google Home is a cool device, but there are ways to make it even better. We put together a few tips to help improve your Google Home experience. Here’s how to improve the sound quality and voice recognition on your Google Home speaker.
How to improve sound quality on Google Home
One simple way to improve to sound on your Google Home is by adjusting the treble and bass settings. This takes about a minute and it can make a noticeable difference in the ways your music sounds. Here’s how to access the equalizer and adjust the treble and bass.
Step 1: Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.
Step 2: In the top right hand corner, tap the devices button.
Step 3a: Locate your Google Home speaker among the devices listed in the menu.
Step 3b: Tap the menu button (•••) at the top right hand corner of the image of your Google Home device.
Step 3c: Select “settings.”
Step 4: Scroll down to “sound settings” and select “equalizer.”
Step 5: Adjust the treble and bass to your preferences.
Connect another Bluetooth speaker
If the Google Home speaker just isn’t doing it for you, you can also connect a completely different speaker to your Google Home. While you will be able to hear all of your tunes and games through the speaker you connect, that speaker won’t be able to hear your commands. You’ll still have to talk to Google Home. Here’s how to connect a Bluetooth speaker to Google Home.
Step 1: Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.
Step 2: In the top right hand corner, tap the devices button.
Step 3a: Locate your Google Home speaker among the devices listed in the menu.
Step 3b: Tap the menu button (•••) at the top right hand corner of the image of your Google Home device.
Step 3c: Select “settings.”
Step 4: Scroll down to “device settings” and select “default speaker.”
Step 5a: Click on “pair Bluetooth speaker.” The app will start scanning for devices.
Step 5b: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to pair the speaker you’re connecting. Often, this involves simply pressing a pair button.
Step 5c: Wait for the app to find your speaker. If the app doesn’t locate your Bluetooth speaker, press the “rescan” button to repeat the scanning process. If the name of your speaker shows up on the screen, select “done.”
Step 6: Enjoy listening to music on your Bluetooth speaker.
How to improve Voice Recognition on Google Home
Because you input commands with your voice, voice recognition is everything with a smart home speaker. If your smart home speaker doesn’t understand your voice commands, it’s virtually an expensive paperweight. Although Google Home’s voice recognition is pretty good, it’s far from perfect. You can improve the speaker’s voice recognition ability with a few simple tips.
Retrain Google Home to recognize your voice
When you set up a Google Home device, it’ll asks you to record yourself saying “OK Google” and “Hey Google” to help the system learn your voice. According to Google, setting up a new recording may improve voice recognition. It’s a good idea to periodically update your recording in the Google Home app, so you can get the best possible experience. Here’s how to update your recording.
Step 1: Open the Google Home app.
Step 2: Click on the menu “hamburger” in the upper left hand corner.
Step 3: Select “more settings.”
Step 4: Select “voice match.”
Step 5: Select “Teach your assistant your voice again,” and follow the instructions on the screen to create your recording.
Other tips to improve voice recognition
- Use voice match to set up a voice profile for each individual in your household. This will help Google Home understand each individual user.
- Use a clear and authoritative tone when you speak.
- To open a game, use the predetermined commands. For instance, some games use the command “play,” while others use the command “talk to.” Make sure you use the correct command for each game (i.e. “play Lucky Trivia” or “I’m feeling Lucky” vs. “Talk to Facts about space”)
- Try to have only one person at a time speak during games. Try to avoid multiple people answering questions at the same time.
- Avoid loud background noises like televisions, other speakers playing music, or loud voices.
- Talk like a human being, and don’t attempt to speak like a robot.
- Send feedback to Google if you’re experiencing an ongoing issue with voice recognition while using a certain application. Google has a feedback form on the Google home app. Plus, if you’re experiencing an issue, others may be experiencing the same thing.
