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Google Home is making it simpler to add new devices
- A new device setup workflow is rolling out in Google Home.
- You can now search for apps and devices to add by name from inside Google Home.
- We first previewed this update late last year, and it’s now generally available.
Back in October, we got an early look at a new device setup workflow in Google Home. The revamped workflow gives you more ways to connect to third-party devices, letting you search by brand name to find both apps and devices to connect to Google’s smart home platform. Now, it looks like that update is finally rolling out.
We’ve started seeing this setup process on our own devices with public-facing builds of the Google Home app. Previously, to pair a smart device with Google Home, you had to either scan a QR code on the device or hope Home could detect the presence of a device that hasn’t been configured. With this new workflow, if neither of those are an option, you can type out the name of the specific device you want to get online to initiate pairing.
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You’ll still initiate pairing by tapping the plus icon in the top right corner of the Home app, which opens a QR code scanner. If the device you want to add doesn’t have a QR code, you can now tap a button labeled Add a different way. You’ll then see a screen with a search bar above a list of suggested apps to connect to Home.
You’re able to search for brands or specific devices. When you tap a device, you’ll see options to add it to Google Home — either by scanning a QR code or manually entering a pairing code that should be printed somewhere on the device itself or in its packaging. Pages for many individual devices also include images of those devices, making it easier to double-check you’re adding the right one.
I’m seeing this updated workflow on my Pixel 9 Pro running version 4.6.55.1 of the Google Home app right now. If you don’t have these new options yet, keep an eye out — you should soon.
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