Tips and Tricks for Using Your Smartwatch to Discreetly Control Your Smart Home Devices Like Lights and Thermostats

Control Your Google Smart Home With These Easy Tips and Tricks

You've probably interacted with Google Assistant before, especially if you have a Google Pixel or another Android phone. Maybe you've asked what the weather is going to be like or how to get directions to a restaurant for date night. But Google Assistant can do a lot more, including controlling your entire smart home.

Whether you're using Google's Pixel phone, Nest Audio or Nest Mini smart speakers, Nest Hub smart display or any of a slew of other Google Nest devices, you already have everything that you need in order to start controlling your house. All you need to do is connect your devices so you can control them through Google Assistant. Here are some of the best tips and tricks for how to get the most out of the Google Assistant smart home experience.

Get connected

Before you can control your light bulbs or pull up the live feed of your Nest Video Doorbell, you'll need to connect them, and whatever smart speaker or display you'd like to use, to your Google Home account. Doing so is easy, and if you're using Nest brand devices, you'll almost certainly have already done it. If your smart speaker or display is connected to the same account, you'll be able to control the device with straightforward commands, like, "Hey, Google, turn off the kitchen lights."

If your devices are Google Home-compatible, but you haven't connected them to the Google Home app, doing so is easy. Open the app and tap the + (plus sign) in the top left corner. Then tap Set up device > Works with Google. Select the device maker from the list (Wyze, for instance), and follow the directions to connect your gadget.

Voice control is just the beginning

Once you've got a device that uses Google Assistant, the sky is the limit for smart home control. You can improve your home security with everything from smart locks and security cameras to connecting with professionally installed security services like ADT. You can control your lights, thermostatandapplianceswith a voice command. But that's only scratching the surface. Here's how you can get even more out of these integrations.

Set up Routines to stay on track

Your day has a rhythm to it, and interruptions to that routine can seriously derail your plans. Your smart home can help to facilitate those patterns, accomplishing recurring tasks that you find yourself needing to tackle day in and day out. All you need to do is set up a Routine.

Setting up Routines with Google Assistant is easy. Open the Google Home app and tap on Routines. There you'll find a number of ready-made routines that can be tweaked to your own personal needs and triggered with a predetermined command.

If you want to wake up to a specific song or have certain lights and appliances turned on for you when your start your day, for example, set up the Good Morning routine. Once you've customized the Routine, hit save. Now any time you say, "Hey, Google, good morning," it will automatically run your Routine.

You can also build custom Routines. To do this, open the Google Home app, select Routines, and tap the + button to create a new Routine. From here, you can set your trigger -- a voice command, a particular time of day or a specific action -- and tell Google Assistant what you want to happen within the routine. Under "This Routine will," use the + button to add new actions to the Routine.

Hit save and Google Assistant will perform your new routine anytime that you trigger it.

Never lose something at home again

We've all experienced that panicked feeling of not being able to find our keys, phone, wallet or other important item when we're already running late for an event. You don't have to give yourself the full pat-down to see if you have the item on you or start ripping up couch cushions trying to find it. Just ask Google Assistant for help.

There are two ways to keep track of those items that just always seem to get misplaced. First, use a Tile tracker -- a small fob that connects to your keyring, your phone or whatever else you want. Then, if you've misplaced your keys, just say, "OK, Google, ring my keys," and you'll get a little chirpy ringtone to help you find them.

If you don't have a Tile tracker, Google can still help you out: When you want to remember where you're stashing something, say, "OK, Google, remember that I put my keys in the top drawer," or wherever else you're putting it. Google Assistant will remember for you. Then, when you can't find that object, just say, "OK, Google, where are my keys?" and Google Assistant will remind you exactly where you left them.

Make Google Assistant your remote

You can think of the Google Assistant as the universal remote for your smart home -- but it can be your actual television remote, too. If you have a smart TV with Google TV built in -- or just a Chromecast connected to your regular TV -- you can play your favorite movies and shows with simple voice commands. Just say, "OK, Google, play Stranger Things on [your preferred TV]," and Google Assistant will queue up the show. You can change what you're watching, control the volume and even tell Google Assistant to switch to another TV if you're changing rooms.

Set up Night Mode for quieter evenings

As things slow down in the evening -- and the kids finally get to bed -- sounds that at other times seem normal can seem startlingly loud. That includes Google Assistant's voice. If you're finding the voice assistant is just louder than you want as you're starting to settle in for your nighttime routine, you can turn on Night Mode and have everything automatically made quieter.

Open the Google Home app, tap Settings >Notifications > Digital Wellbeing. From here, you can enable Night Mode. This will lower the volume of any smart device and dim the lights of any smart lighting that you have connected to your Google Assistant.

There is so much that you can do with your Google Nest devices and Google Assistant to control your Google smart home. We've just scratched the surface of all the capabilities that the smart assistant brings to controlling everything throughout your connected living space.

For more information about using a Google Home device, check out:

20 Smart Home Tips and Tricks to Try Today

Smart home automation has become a big deal. It seems like almost every gadget in the home can now be connected and controlled remotely. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to know whats worth it and what isnt. Thats why I created this site to share tips and help those who are just starting out with smart home technology.

Hi, Im Ed Oswald. Ive been a tech journalist for almost twenty years, and Ive spent a lot of that time focusing on smart home gadgets. Ive tried out many devices myself, setting them up in my own home to see how they work. The cool thing about smart home automation is that your devices can talk to each other. For example, you can set up your system so that if it starts raining, your sprinklers automatically turn off, saving you water and money.

But its not just about convenience; its also about safety. You might set up smart bulbs to turn on when they sense motion outside, keeping away unwanted visitors when youre not home. And with smart security systems, you can even watch whats happening at your place 24/7 if you want to.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is becoming a big part of home automation too, especially with things like smart thermostats. Were seeing more and more high-end products include this kind of tech. It can all seem a bit much, which is why weve put together a list of 20 smart home automation tips to help you get started, using what weve learned from our own experiences.

If you would rather read a shorter guide to get started quickly, see our five-step smart home tutorial.

Smart Home Tips and Tricks

1) Your network matters.

A solid home networking setup and a reliable network are critical to a smooth-operating smart home. Weve written a blog on the best Wi-Fi routers for smart homes to steer you in the right direction. Youll also want to optimize your network.

2) Start small, but plan it out first.

While its tempting to buy all the smart home technology you can afford immediately, thats not always the best idea. Map out your smart home first. This gives you an idea of what you need and how much youll need to budget. Start with only a few devices, then build from there. The installation process isnt always smooth, although its improved. See our smart home beginners guide for recommendations on where to start.

3) Consider a smart home hub.

While most smart home devices use Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, choosing devices that connect to a smart hub can save you money and bandwidth on your home network. The smart hub is connected directly to the router, which frees up your Wi-Fi network for other devices. Generally, hub-dependent smart devices are significantly cheaper than their Wi-Fi-enabled counterparts. SmartThings and the Wink Smart Hub are two of the most commonly used.

4) Use a smart speaker (or smart display).

With so many companies making smart home gadgets, the number of apps youll need will grow. Consider using a smart speaker or smart display to control your devices by voice commands. Our preference is Amazon Alexa. However, weve also published a comparison between Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, which you might want to read.

5) However, youre not limited to one platform.

When purchasing smart home devices, ensure they are compatible with at least two of the three major smart speaker platforms: Alexa, Google, and Apple HomeKit. This way, if you decide to switch platforms, its much less painful, and all your devices are guaranteed to work. You can also use multiple platforms in one home.

6) Use geofencing.

While the term sounds complicated, geofencing is pretty simple. When you enter and leave your home, your smart home turns on (or turns off) devices in and around your home based on your settings. This is especially useful for smart thermostats, as youre not heating or cooling an empty house.

7) Get to know your homes wiring.

While most smart home devices wont require you to hardwire them to a source of electricity, some do. You may be missing wiring in older homes, such as a ground or neutral wire in switches and plugs or the C wire to your thermostat. If this is the case, your homes wiring is incompatible.

8) Opt for smart light switches over smart lights.

Replacing the switches controlling your lights is a better idea in most cases than using a smart bulb. We had to tape over certain switches early on because family members kept using the switch, completely disabling the lights (old habits die hard, I guess)! See our smart lighting guide for suggestions on smart lighting and smart switches.

9) Expect issues.

Ive used smart home technology for nearly a decade, and while things have gotten much better in terms of reliability and performance, there still are hiccups. The great thing is theres a supportive community, and chances are somebodys had the same problem at some point! We cover a few of the most common issues in our smart home troubleshooting guide.

10) Hardwire where possible, or use solar power.

Many mart home devices are battery-operated. While its nice to be able to place these devices anywhere you want, in a large smart home, thats a lot of batteries to keep up with. Opt for hardwired smart devices: many have backup battery power if the power goes out.

11) IFTTT is your best friend.

IFTTT stands for If this then that and is a service that allows you to connect all kinds of smart home devices. Most smart devices arent natively compatible with those from other manufacturers, and IFTTT is a way around that. Plus, in our opinion, it makes owning a smart home so much more worth it.

12) Understand how your smart home data is used.

When purchasing a smart home device, make sure you understand how your data from that device is used. For example, a smart thermostat purchased from an electric company might come with the condition they can change its setting during high energy use. While a lot of whats out there about what these companies collect is exaggerated, there are some things you should know. Our blog on smart home privacy has more.

13) Do not reuse passwords, or better yet, opt for passwordless.

Keep your smart home secure by selecting complex and unique passwords for your online accounts for the devices you own. If the company offers passwordless, use that. This will protect your home from attackers (more on smart home security later in this article).

14) Give your devices unique names.

No, not like Bob, or Matt, or Kelly (unless you want to). Name each one in their apps by where they are or something identifiable. This makes it much easier to understand whats happening when you receive a notification, especially from motion or door sensors. Your smart speaker will often use these same names to allow you to control them by voice, so make them easy to say, too.

15) Dont forget about the outside.

There are so many great outdoor smart devices, from smart sprinklers to robot lawn mowers and smart lighting. While you should build out your indoor smart home setup first, weve found our mower and outdoor lights have made our yard secure and well-manicured. Its a luxury, yes, but it was worth it!

16) Cheap isnt always bad.

Smart home technology can be expensive, so its natural for people to look for ways to save money. But unlike a lot of gadgets, many cheap smart devices are pretty darn good. One of our favorites in this price range is Wyze. The companys smart gadgets which include smart bulbs, a smart lock, a smart video doorbell, a smart plug, and more perform well in our experience, and the customer support is excellent. Govee is another brand weve had a lot of success with.

17) A smart lighting system is the easiest to install.

Opt for smart lighting if you want to dip your toes in smart home technology. Theyre the easiest smart home devices to install and use, and the ability to change colors is fun. Its also a great place to start as other smart devices can control these lights.

18) Set up routines.

If you find yourself using your smart home devices in a certain way day in and day out, set up a routine to handle them all at once. With Alexa and Google Assistant, theyre called routines; Siri calls them automations. This way, a single phrase like good morning can control all these devices at once.

19) Be wary of big promises.

While its not a big problem among smart device manufacturers, from time to time these companies will make big promises of how revolutionary a device is when its really not. However, plenty of folks on the internet (us included) actually review these devices to verify those claims. Buying from reputable companies and sellers is a must.

20) Keep your smart home devices up to date.

Most smart home device manufacturers regularly update the firmware for the devices they sell. In our experience, most devices do this automatically. However, its worth it from time to time to check to ensure these updates are being downloaded and applied.

Our smart home automation tips arent finished keep reading!

Building the Best Home Automation System

When youre building out the perfect smart home, there are some things to consider. For example, lighting is one of the most critical areas, so youll want to ensure that your lights are a good fit. You can also add other appliances and devices as well! The great thing about home automation technology is how its constantly evolving this means there will always be new things available for you to take advantage of.

Regarding where to start with building your smart home, the best idea is to start with your lighting. You can pick out individual lights that will be ideal for you in different rooms of your house (youll need both bulbs and light fixtures). Afterward, look at what other appliances may work well for automation like refrigerators or ovens.

Budget

I know that we keep harping on budgetary concerns throughout this guide, but we cannot hide that building a smart home can quickly get pretty expensive (thats why we started this site!). However, there are some excellent lower-cost options out there that work just as well as the big guys.

If you have a limited budget early on, the best smart home gadgets for you will be the ones that have the most immediate usefulness. This is why we recommend either smart lights or a video doorbell early on, as these two devices serve as the basis for your smart home.

Compatibility and Interoperability

Many of the smart home deals youll find on our site are part of a larger ecosystem and feature interoperability between their own devices and other brands, either natively or through a service called IFTTT. We highly recommend you stick to brands that offer interoperability with others.

However, brands like Wyze and Ring offer an ecosystem of smart products. This is the easiest way to go, but even these brands are connectable to IFTTT and, through in-app partnerships, allow you to control devices from other brands. Our advice is to build a platform agnostic smart home system where all devices play well with other home automation brands.

Your homes layout

Not many will think of it as something they should consider, but your homes layout will play a big part in your smart homes reliability. Ive found that devices work best in small to medium-sized newer homes, as there are fewer Wi-Fi dead spots. Home automation systems are bandwidth hogs and need a stable connection to work well.

This is not to say you cant make an old home smart (ours is, built in 1925!) or a big mansion smart either, but it will take more planning. With mesh networking, you can answer many of the problems you might encounter. For example, older homes have much more inside (metal piping, plaster walls) that block Wi-Fi, while large dwellings are hard to cover with a single Wi-Fi router.

Available bandwidth on your network and Internet connection

As a general rule, for every 12 smart home devices you have, you should have at least 5Mbps of available internet bandwidth (and at least 10Mbps and likely more if you have video cameras). But within your home, you will need far more bandwidth as these devices (and especially video devices) offer much higher quality streams that can quickly suck up hundreds of Mbps of your network bandwidth.

We recommend buying a router with at least twice the bandwidth you might need today. It might sound like overkill now, but it will prevent the need to spend more money later trying to catch up. This happened to us.

Also, take anything off the wireless network that you can. If your desktop computer has an ethernet port, use an ethernet cable to plug it in directly to your router. If youre willing to do a bit of extra work and purchase a mesh networking system, we recommend running cables from your primary node to your accessory nodes will allow them to communicate with each other off the wireless network, opening up bandwidth for Wi-Fi-only devices.

I have a home security system. Do I need smart home technology?

There are many benefits of having a smart home. However, its different from other types of homes that arent quite so high-tech. For example, home security systems have some connected features but are more secure than convenience-oriented. Home automation systems offer advantages far beyond home security.

Smart Speakers: The Perfect Companion for Your Smart Home

While its convenient to control your smart home through an app, its even more so using smart speakers like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. For example, you can create a good night scene where everything turns off and locks your doors. This is the perfect way to ensure that all of your devices are shut down for the evening.

Alexa vs Google Assistant: Which Virtual Assistant is Right For You?

Amazon Alexa and Googles virtual assistant are excellent companions to your smart home. You can control all of your devices by voice control, which is an easy way to get things done while youre busy doing something else. For example, they can assist you while cooking by reading recipes off the internet or giving advice on what spices might go well together in a specific recipe.

Voice assistants are helpful in other parts of your home too. You wont need switches anymore, as you can turn lights on and off by voice control. Some virtual assistants even learn patterns from using your devices, making home automation super simple.

One downside of Amazons Alexa services is that it doesnt work very well in the Google ecosystem. If you own an Android device or use many Google apps and services, many dont work well with Alexa. If youre planning on having an Android-based smart home, wed choose Google over Alexa for voice control of your home automation system.

Smart Home Disadvantages

With all of these great benefits, its easy to think that a smart home has no downsides at all. Unfortunately, there are some minor issues with home automation technology. Weve already listed some of the issues between Google devices and services using Alexa.

Another disadvantage of a smart home is that they dont always tell you whats going wrong. If your lights suddenly stop working, for example, it can be challenging to figure out why. In general, smart home devices are very good at self-diagnosis and recovery but if you want a little bit more information about whats going on with the system as a whole, then you might want to wait a bit for the technology to become more user-friendly.

Are smart homes secure?

We get this question a lot. The answer is yes, but you must take action yourself to stay safe. Choose hard-to-guess passwords for your smart home accounts (use multi-factor authentication if its available), and share access with only people you trust. Yes, some do track your behavior, but this data is anonymized, so data collectors cant track it to you.

The actual number of incidents where smart homes are hacked is tiny, and many times it has to do with improperly securing your smart home accounts. Connected devices are pretty secure, and home automation technology has improved tremendously in this area.

Wrapping up

Home automation systems can be confusing, especially considering there are just so many devices to choose from. We hope you find the site helpful, and if you have any questions, dont be afraid to comment on our posts or drop us an email. Well be happy to help out in any way we can.