Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

How to set up the Continued Conversation feature for Google Home

Google Home Mini vs Amazon Echo Dot audio output
Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Are you tired of saying “Hey Google” or “Ok Google” over and over in order to give your Google Home device commands? You’re not alone. Much of the feedback Google received about their Home devices is that people got tired saying “OK/Hey Google” over and over again whenever they wanted their smart speaker to do multiple things during the same conversation.

Well, you asked, and Google listened, introducing a “Continued Conversation” feature that allows you to use the wake phrase only once. Continued Conversation is now available to enable on your device, and here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Make sure Home is set up

Google Home Continued Conversation

You need to set up Google Home and connect it to the Google Assistant on the appropriate account. This way, when you enable Continued Conversation on Google Assistant, it will affect your Google Home. If it’s been a while since you used that Google Assistant app, open it and make sure it is fully updated. Assistant should update automatically if it’s open. Double-check to make sure it is signed into the right account (the one you use with Google Home) before you begin!

Please note that, currently, the Continued Conversation feature is only available in the United States and only available in English. Additional rollouts are expected in the future.

Step 2: Open Assistant settings

With Google Assistant open, head to the explore button in the upper right corner—the icon looks like three dots. Select this icon, and it will drop down a menu with plenty of maintenance options. Choose Settings from this menu.

Step 3: Go to Preferences

In the Settings menu, you will see which account is signed in (a good time to check again that it’s the right account), which devices are connected, and all your options for managing that account. Choose the Preferences option, with the icon made of segmented lines.

Step 4: Enable Continued Conversations

The Preferences menu includes different settings you can change for Google Assistant, like choosing a different voice. One of these options will be Continued Conversation. Select it to enable the feature. You’re ready to go!

Step 5: Practice a Continued Conversation

Google Assistant Continued Conversations

Start a normal command with Google Home, and then add on additional directives as needed. For example, you might say, “OK, Google, turn on the TV,” then say, “Also, dim the living room light” and, while you’re remembering, “Oh, and turn on the security system.” With Continued Conversations enabled, Your Home should do all these things without you needing to say OK Google again. This works when scheduling events, requesting information, and more.

A couple of things to note about Continued Conversation: The mode ends eight seconds after your last command. This gives you enough time to think of anything else you might want to do, but generally ends before Home accidentally starts responding to other conversations.

If eight seconds seems a little long to you, you can immediately end Continued Conversation by saying, “Thank you” or “Stop.” Just don’t accidentally say thank you when you’re still giving commands.

Editors' Recommendations

Tyler Lacoma
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
The 10 best smart home products not made by Google or Amazon (or their subsidiaries)
The Arlo Pro 4 home security camera installed outdoors.

Amazon and Google might dominate the smart home market, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only companies churning out high-end products in that category. Companies like Wyze, Arlo, and even Apple have shown time and again they’re capable of competing with the two well-known companies — and they’ve got plenty of highly rated products to prove it.

If you don’t want to pick up smart home products from Amazon or Google (or their subsidiaries), here are the best smart home products to buy.

Read more
The best Google smart speakers of 2023
The Google Nest Audio.

Smart speakers are among the most popular smart home products on the market, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Google has quickly become one of the most popular smart home ecosystems, with its Google Assistant and Google Home platforms capable of interacting with hundreds of other products and carrying out your voice commands with ease.

Whether you need something to listen to music, sync up with the rest of your home, or just want a good-looking device, here are the best Google smart speakers of 2023. Not all of them are manufactured by Google, but every product on this list offers full support for Google Assistant.

Read more
The best Google Assistant-compatible devices
The Google Nest Hub Smart Display on a nightstand.

Google Assistant is one of the most popular smart home ecosystems of 2023. Hundreds of devices are compatible with the technology, including smart thermostats, lights, cameras, and locks, among many others. Google itself makes plenty of gadgets that incorporate Google Assistant and Google Home, but you'll find an even longer list of third-party products that are designed around the powerful assistant.

Here's a list of various smart-home categories, each with a number of recommendations for the best products that are Google Assistant-compatible.
Thermostats

Read more