Quick Guide of Using Google Home To Control Smart Devices
1. What you need to get started
Before using Google Home to control your smart devices, make sure you meet the following conditions:
- Stable WiFi network which could access to Google server. (For mainland China users)
- A Google Home device.
- Latest version of the Google Home app. This app is compatible with mobile devices running Android 4.2 (or higher) or iOS 8 (or higher).
- Download on Android
- Download on iOS
- Latest version of Google app. (Android only. Download it here)
- A Google account. (If you don't have one, Click here to register)
- The device display language must be set to English US.
- Make sure your Smart Life app (or client's app) account belongs to United States.
- Make sure there's at least one device under your Smart Life account, and the device's name could be easily recognized by Google Home (e.g., bedroom light).
2. Add smart devices in Smart Life app (or client's app)
You can skip this part if you've already added some devices to your United States Smart Life account, and in the meantime the devices' names are easily recognized.
2.1 Download Smart Life app
You can scan the QR code below to download the Smart Life app. You can also search "Smart Life" in either App Store or Google Play to install the app.
- iOS version download: App Store
- Android version download: Google Play
2.2 Register an United States Smart life account
Open the Smart Life app, tap "Register", then register an United States account.
A screenshot shows the Smart Life app registration screen. It includes a "Register" title, a country selection defaulting to "United States" with a country code "+1", a field for "Mobile number/E-mail", and a "Next" button.
2.3 Add device
Sign in with the United States Smart Life account, tap the "+" [plus sign] on the top right corner, then follow the instructions to add a device.
A screenshot displays the Smart Life app's device list, showing an "Add Device" button and navigation tabs for "Devices", "Scenes", and "Profile".
2.4 Change device's name
After you have managed to add the device, navigate to the device panel, tap the "..." [more options] icon on the top right corner, then change the device's name to an easily recognized word or phrase, like "bedroom light".
Screenshots show the process: first, the device panel; second, tapping the menu icon to reveal options like "Modify Device Name"; third, the "Modify Device Name" screen where "bedroom light" is entered.
3. Set up Google Home and enable Smart Life Action
The setup process requires mobile devices, and there might be some differences between Android and iOS. This guide uses Android as an example. The mobile device display language must be set to English US before you set up Google Home.
3.1 Set up Google Home with an Android mobile device
You can skip this part if your Google Home is already set up.
- Make sure your Google Home device is energized.
- Make sure to connect your mobile device to the same Wi-Fi network that you intend to use to set up your Google Home device.
- Open the Google Home app by tapping the app icon (featuring the Google logo ?) on your Android device.
- Tap "Accept" to agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A screenshot shows the "Welcome to Google Home" screen with "Accept" and "Cancel" buttons.
- To allow the Google Home app to discover and set up nearby devices, tap "Allow". A screenshot shows an "Authorization request" screen asking for location permission, with "Allow" and "Disallow" buttons.
- Tap "SIGN IN", then choose a Google account that you are already logged into on your mobile device. Screenshots show the "Welcome to Google Home" screen with "SIGN IN" and "CONTINUE AS APP AIRTAKE" options, and a screen for adding a Google account.
- The Google Home app scans nearby devices that are energized and ready to set up. If no devices are found, ensure you are near the Google Home device being set up and that it's plugged into a wall outlet. Then tap "Try Again".
- If only one device is found, tap "CONTINUE". If the Google Home app finds a list of devices, scroll to find the device card you want to set up and tap "SET UP". Screenshots show the "Google Home found" screen with a "CONTINUE" button, and a device list with a "SET UP" button.
- The mobile device is now establishing a connection with Google Home. If Google Home can't establish a connection, move closer to the Google Home device and tap "TRY AGAIN". A screenshot shows the "Connecting to Google Home" screen, indicating the mobile device will switch to a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot on your Google Home.
- When the Google Home app is successfully connected to the Google Home device, tap "PLAY TEST SOUND". It will play a test sound to confirm you are connected to the right device. If you heard the test sound, tap "I HEARD IT". If you did not hear it, tap "TRY AGAIN". Screenshots show screens prompting about the test sound, with "PLAY TEST SOUND", "TRY AGAIN", and "I HEARD IT" buttons.
- Select the Room (e.g., Living Room) where your Google Home is located. This helps identify the device when you want to cast to it. Then tap "CONTINUE". A screenshot shows the "What room is your Google Home in?" screen with a room selection dropdown and a "CONTINUE" button.
- Choose the Wi-Fi network you want to connect your Google Home to. To automatically fetch the password for this network on this device, tap "OK". The password will then populate in the password field. You can also manually enter your password. Then tap "CONTINUE". Screenshots show screens for connecting to Wi-Fi, with options to "Get Wi-Fi password from this mobile device?" (OK/NO THANKS) and to "Enter Wi-Fi password" (CONTINUE).
- Google Home will now attempt to connect to the provided Wi-Fi network. When Google Home is successfully connected to your Wi-Fi network, tap "CONTINUE". If it was unsuccessful, tap "TRY AGAIN". Screenshots show "Setting up your Google Home" and "Google Home connected to your Wi-Fi" screens with "CONTINUE" buttons.
- In order for the Google Assistant to answer your questions and to enjoy a personalized experience, you must sign into your Google account. Then tap "SIGN UP". Choose the Google account you want to link to your Google Home device, then tap "CONTINUE AS [Your Account Name]". Screenshots show "Meet your Google Assistant" screens with "SIGN IN" and "CONTINUE AS" options.
- Google Home can answer personal questions about your calendar, package, flights, and more. If you allow these answers, other people in your home can ask about your info. If you can accept that, tap "ALLOW", otherwise tap "SKIP". A screenshot shows the "Get personal results" screen with "SKIP" and "ALLOW" buttons.
- Enter the address where this Google Home is installed, then tap "SET LOCATION". A screenshot shows the "Set Google Home's location" screen with address fields and "SKIP", "SET LOCATION" buttons.
- Select your default music service. Tap the radio button to the left of the service, then tap "CONTINUE". A screenshot shows the "Link your music services" screen with options like Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, and Pandora, and a "CONTINUE" button.
- Tap "SKIP TUTORIAL" to finish the setup. You can also tap "CONTINUE" to watch the Google Home tutorial. A screenshot shows the "Setup complete" screen with "SKIP TUTORIAL" and "CONTINUE" buttons.
3.2 Link Smart Life account to Google Home
You can do this by either of the two following ways.
3.2.1 By saying the invocation name (Smart Life)
You can invoke Smart Life by saying, "Ok Google, talk to Smart Life" to your Google Home device. When you hear the response voice from Google Home, you can check the link request on the homepage in the Google Home app. Tap "LINK" to be directed to the account link page. Be noted that the country/region, the account, and the password must match the content in Step 2.2. Then, select the country that your Smart Life account belongs to, type in your Smart Life account and password, then tap "LINK NOW".
Screenshots show the "Link to smart life" page with fields for country selection, phone number or email, password, and a "Link Now" button. Another screenshot shows the Google Home app's "Home" screen with a prompt related to linking Smart Life.
3.2.2 By setting up in the Google Home app
Tap the hamburger menu (☰) [menu icon] on the top left corner of the Google Home app, then tap "More Settings".
Screenshots show the Google Home app's main screen, followed by the settings menu where "Services" and "Smart Life" are visible.
Tap "Services", find "Smart Life" in the list, and tap it. Tap "LINK ACCOUNT" to be redirected to the account link page. Select the country that your Smart Life account belongs to, type in your Smart Life account and password, then tap "LINK NOW". Be noted that the country/region, the account, and the password must match with content in Step 2.2.
Screenshots show the "Services" menu with "Smart Life" highlighted, and then the account linking page.
4. Control your smart devices through Google Home
Now you can control your smart devices through Google Home. Invoke Smart Life by saying "Ok Google, talk to Smart Life" to Google Home, then you can use the following commands to control your devices (e.g., bedroom light):
- Turn on/off bedroom light.
- Set bedroom light to 50 percent.
- Set bedroom light to red. (Only RGBW Light)
- Set bedroom light to party mode. (Depends on product)
The system also supports light strips, smart plugs, smart switches, air conditioners, air purifiers, etc.
Note: After Smart Life is invoked, it will wait for your command until you say "Cancel" or "Stop". You can also quit Smart Life by answering "Nothing" when it asks "What can I do for you". Once you quit Smart Life, you need to invoke it again before you can control smart devices through it.
A screenshot shows the Smart Life app interface with example voice commands for controlling devices.
