If you are one of those who use Google Home as a platform to maintain the intelligence of your connected home, you are in luck. You can now activate routines with your mobile or manually with a script in the browser. Stay with this article to discover how you can now do with Google Home what was only possible for a long time with Alexa.
It seems that Google has taken steps to match Amazon’s Alexa, and you can now create routines with your mobile phone or manually with a script in the browser. If you want to know everything about this, then we will teach you how to create these automations, both from the mobile application and manually using a script in the browser. It’s easier than it sounds, and the control you get over your smart devices is incredible.
Step by step to create routines from your mobile
The fastest and most accessible option to create routines on Google Home is to do so from your mobile, using the Google Home app. With this tool, you can schedule simple automations, like turning off all the lights when you tell Google “Good night” or playing your favorite music when you ask “Play on work playlist.” To get started, open the Google Home app on your mobile and follow these steps:
- Access the Automation tab: Within the app, you will find a section dedicated to routines or automations. From here, you can see the routines you already have created or create new ones by tapping the “Add” button.
- Choose the type of routine: You have the option to create routines just for yourself or shared routines that anyone at home can use.
- Set up triggers and actions: This is where the magic comes in. You can choose how the routine is activated (for example, with a phrase or at a specific time) and what action you want it to perform, such as turning off the lights, lowering the volume on the TV, or playing music.
Triggers are what trigger the routine, and you have options like:
- Voice command: You speak to Google Assistant to execute the action.
- Time of day: Set a routine to activate automatically at a specific time.
- Events like sunrise or sunset: Perfect for routines that adjust lights or temperature based on available natural light.
Create custom scripts with your PC
If you are more of an experimenter and like detailed customizations, you can go one step further and create routines through scripts from the browser. Although this option requires a little more technical knowledge, the control you gain is much greater. To do this, you will have to access the beta version of Google Home on the web.
- Go to home.google.com: Here you will see the routines that you have already created in the app, but you will not be able to modify them. The interesting part comes when you sign up for the beta version.
- Create a new script: When you click “Add new”, an editor will open where you can write your own code. Although it may sound complicated, Google provides you with a template with examples and comments that will guide you through the process.
- Set up your routine: Within the editor, you will need to define certain key elements:
- Metadata: This is where you put the name and description of the routine.
- Initiators: These are the activators that will get the routine going.
- Actions: Here you define what your automation will do. From turning on devices to playing music or even sending messages.
The script may seem somewhat technical, but with the templates and autocomplete that the editor offers, it will be easier for you to create complex routines. Google Home routines are the key to taking your home automation to the next level. Whether you prefer the simplicity of using the app on your mobile or you dare with scripts in the browser, the result will be the same: a house that works for you and not the other way around. Try them and you will see how your daily life becomes much easier.
