Public Preview gives you early access to the latest Google Home app features before they're made broadly available. Participants can try new features and give feedback so that Google can continue to make improvements before the features are released to everyone.
Public Preview features are available on select devices that support the Home app.
- iOS and Android: Follow the instructions below to join the program with the Home app.
- Web: Go to home.google.com and sign in to your account.
- Wear OS: When you opt in to Public Preview in the mobile app, you will also be enrolled in the Preview version of the Home app on Wear OS. Make sure you have the latest version of the Google Home app for Wear OS installed.
How to join Public Preview
- In the Google Home app
, tap Settings
Public Preview
.
- Tap Join Public Preview.
- The Google Home app will show a notification that says it'll soon update to Public Preview.
- When you get the Public Preview update notification, tap Got it.
- If you decide not to join, tap Decline acceptance.
- If you decide not to join, tap Decline acceptance.
Once you've successfully joined Public Preview, a Preview icon will appear at the top of the screen. You might also see occasional reminder notifications when you open the Google Home app.
To ensure you can be added to the public preview program, please confirm your Google Groups settings:
- Sign into Google Groups.
- At the top right, tap Settings
Global settings.
- Confirm "Add me to their groups" is checked.
- To ensure that your settings remain intact, tap Save.
Submit feedback
- In the Google Home app
, tap Public Preview
.
- Tap Submit feedback.
- Let us know your level of satisfaction, and then tap Next.
- (Optional) If there are any details you'd like to add, share them in the provided text box.
- Note: Don't share any personal information.
- Tap Submit.
How to leave Public Preview
Leaving Public Preview will opt you out of both the mobile and Wear OS preview programs.
- In the Google Home app
, tap Public Preview
at the top, or go to Settings
.
- Tap Public Preview
Leave Public Preview.
Features currently in Public Preview
Features available through Public Preview will vary over time. When you join or leave Public Preview, you might not get the updated features right away. You'll get the new features once they're ready for you to use. The following features are available in Public Preview:
Custom clip creation
Note: If you have a Nest Aware (1st gen) subscription, you’ll need to migrate from a Nest account to a Google account before you can create custom clips.
You can create a custom video clip from the timeline view when you save and download video clips. In the camera history view, select where you want the clip to begin and then tap Controls
Save Clip. You can choose:
- Full event
- 30 seconds
- 1 min
- 3 min
- 5 min
Note: If you choose to download the full event, the downloaded clip will begin from the beginning of the event. But if you choose a fixed time (1, 3, or 5 min), then it’ll start from the point in the timeline view where you tapped Save clip and selected the specified duration.
If you have 24/7 continuous video history with a Nest Aware Plus subscription and compatible Nest Cam or Doorbell, you’ll be able to download custom-length clips from any part of your video history using the same steps.
Garage door detection
Garage door detection is currently available in Public Preview and is supported in the US and Canada only. It lets you set up your Nest camera so you get notifications when your garage door opens, closes, or is left open. If you have a 1st gen Nest Aware subscription, you need to migrate your account before you can use garage door detection.
Learn how to use garage door detection.Script Editor
Script editor is currently available in Public Preview on Google Home for web and in the Google Home mobile app. With the script editor, you can create and edit your own scripted automations using additional starters, conditions, actions, and logic. You'll also be able to use presence sensing to create more custom automations than are currently available with Home & Away Routines. You can access the script editor on Google Home for web now at home.google.com/automations.
Mobile Home app features
Most Home app features for Android and iOS phones and tablets are available to everyone. The following additional features are also available in the mobile Google Home app when you join Public Preview.
Migrate Nest App Cameras to the Google Home App
Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam Outdoor owners can add their cameras to the Home app. If you're eligible, the app will let you know. Learn more about device migration.
Script editor
The script editor is currently available in Public Preview in the Google Home app.
View live streams for Works with Google Home cameras
You can view compatible Works with Google Home camera live streams in the Google Home app. This feature is still under development and isn't available for all cameras. To try this out with an eligible camera:
Link a camera
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Devices
Add
Works with Google
.
- Choose your camera manufacturer from the list and link your account to finish setup.
View live stream
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Favorites
or Devices
the camera you want to view.
Wear OS features
All Home app features for Wear OS are currently available to everyone. New Wear OS features will come to Public Preview in the future.
Known Issues
- Camera or doorbell migration from the Nest app to the Home app might freeze or fail. If you're unable to complete device migration after retrying, please Contact Us for assistance.
- When a household member joins Public Preview and transfers the Nest Cam Indoor or Nest Cam Outdoor to the Google Home app, any members of the household will no longer have full access to the camera in the Nest app. For other household members to get access to the full controller experience in the Home app, they'll need to join the Public Preview first. Learn more about device migration.
- The new camera controller experience (with live and vertical history views) is only available for Nest cameras and doorbells that were set up using the Google Home app and older Nest cameras that have been migrated to the Google Home app.
- The re-designed Google Home app does not support a number of older devices (ex: Nest Protect) from the Nest App. Support for these devices will roll out over the next year, you can learn more here.