- The features included in this article may not be available for automations created with the previous automation editor or the script editor.
- These features are for household automations. For more information on Personal Routines, refer to Create and manage Routines in Google Home.
Automations generated with Ask Home, Help me create, and the improved automation editor in the Google Home app have 3 components:
- Starters: These tell the automation when to begin. An automation can have more than one starter. Any one of them can start the automation.
- Conditions: These are optional restrictions. They define when your automation can begin. Conditions are checked each time an automation starts.
If an automation has multiple conditions, you can set it to start in 2 ways:- Any: The automation starts if any selected conditions are met.
- All: The automation starts only if all selected conditions are met.
- Actions: What the automations will do once the starter is triggered and conditions are met.
To learn about Help me create, refer to Create automations in Google Home with Help me create. For a more detailed guide on how to use the improved automation editor, refer to Manage smart home automations in Google Home.
Learn about supported behaviors
The enhanced automation editor and Help me create includes support for select behaviors and devices, with continuous efforts to enhance and expand their capabilities. Before you get started, make sure you have eligible devices set up and linked in your Google Home app.
Learn to set up your device:
- Set up Google devices in the Google Home or Nest app
- Set up and manage Matter-enabled devices in the Google Home app
- Connect third-party smart home devices in the Google Home app
Tip: For third-party smart home devices, compatibility may vary. For example, you might be able to turn a smart light on and off with your voice, but you might not be able to adjust its brightness or change its color. For the most accurate information, you may need to refer to your device's manual or reach out to your device's manufacturer.
Expand all Collapse allOne-time automations
Important: Use words like “only once” or “the next time” to make sure that the automation only happens once.
You can create automations that only happen once with Help me create. These automations are automatically deleted once they start. For example, you can ask it to “Turn on the lights next time I get home”, and it creates an automation that only happens once.
Starters and conditions
Important: Not all devices support all available starters, conditions, and actions.
Device starters and conditions start an automation when a specific device changes state or detects a specific event or condition.
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Volume on media device is set to a specific level | “When the volume is 50…” |
January 12, 2026 (not yet supported on Help me create) |
| Media device is playing, not playing, paused, or buffering |
“When the speaker is paused…” “If the TV is playing…” |
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| Automatic chicken coop doors or gates are opened or closed | “If the chicken coop gate is below 90% open…” | |
| Brightness is set to a specific level | “When the brightness is above 80%...” | |
|
A smart appliance is running, stopped, paused, or has an error Important: Supported on select devices such as washers, dryers, coffee machines, and others |
“When the washer is running…” “If there’s an error…” |
|
| A TV is muted or unmuted | "When the TV is muted..." | December 3, 2024 |
| A specific device is turned on or off (except camera) | "When my plug turns on…" | |
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When a temperature sensor detects temperature changes or a specific temperature level is reached Available as a starter only. |
"If the temperature rises above 80 degrees…" | |
| Window coverings are opened or closed | "If the blinds are fully closed..." | |
| When a sensor detects occupancy | "If the living room is occupied..." | |
| Detected carbon monoxide | "If CO reaches…" or “If the CO alarm senses elevated levels…” | |
|
Door is opened or closed Available as a starter only. |
"When the door is locked…" or "When the door is unlocked…" |
Thermostat event starter
Important: Local temperature readings as a starter are currently available. More thermostat support to come soon.
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Local temperature | "When the temperature is 75 degrees…" | September 10, 2025 |
Important:
- When you add a starter based on camera event detection, your cameras' ability to detect faces, people, packages, and animals may not always be reliable. Lighting, camera position, and weather may cause variability in camera performance.
- Automations that involve familiar face detection require a Google Home Premium subscription.
These features are only available as starters on:
- Nest cameras set up in the Google Home app.
- Legacy cameras that have been migrated to the Google Home app. Learn more about device migration.
Additionally, some event types are available only for select cameras. To find out which features are available on your camera, refer to Supported behaviors for Nest Cameras.
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Start an action when camera detects motion | “When the front door camera detects motion…” | October 1, 2025 |
| Smoke detector detects smoke | “If smoke is detected…” | |
| When familiar or unfamiliar faces are seen |
"When a familiar face is seen..." "When an unfamiliar face is seen between 8:00 PM to midnight..." |
December 3, 2024 |
| When packages are seen | "When a package is seen on the doorbell cam…” or “When a package is picked up…” | |
| When a person is seen | "When a person is seen…” or “If a person is detected…” | |
| Activity or animal seen | "When an animal is detected…” | |
| Vehicle seen | "When a vehicle is seen…” |
Supported behaviors for Nest Cameras
| Description | Supported events | Date added |
| Nest Camera Indoor and Nest Camera Outdoor | Person seen | December 3, 2024 |
| Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Nest Cam IQ Outdoor |
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| Nest Camera (outdoor or indoor, battery), Nest Cam Indoor (wired), Nest Camera Indoor (wired, 3rd gen), and Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen) |
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| Nest Hub Max |
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| Nest Doorbell (wired) |
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| Nest Doorbell (battery), Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen), and Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) |
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This starter lets you activate your automation with a specific voice command that begins with "Ok, Google" or "Hey Google.” For example, you could say "Hey Google, turn on party time" to start an automation that dims your lights.
“Hey Google” is only available as a starter.
You can choose to start automations based on the presence or absence of people in your home. If you don't have presence sensing setup, learn how to change presence-based automations settings.
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| When someone is home or everyone is away | "When everyone is away…” or "When someone is home…" | December 3, 2024 |
Start your automation based on specific days and times.
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Set to a particular day of the week | "On Tuesday..." | December 3, 2024 |
| Set with a delay or offset | "Ten minutes after sunset..." | |
| Set a precise start time | "At 4:00 PM..." | |
| When it’s sunset or sunrise | "After sunset..." | |
| Start on a specific date or hourly, monthly, or annually |
“On June 1st…” “Every month…” “Annually…” “On New Year’s Day…” |
October 1, 2024 |
Actions
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Turn a specific device on or off | “...turn off the coffee machine.” |
January 12, 2026 (not yet supported on Help me create) |
| Arm a security system | “...arm the security system.” | |
| Open or close automatic chicken coop doors or gates | "...open the chicken coop gate.” | |
| Set robot vacuum to pause, resume, or dock |
“...pause the vacuum.” “...dock the vacuum.” |
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Start, stop, resume, or pause smart appliances Important: Supported on select devices such as washers, dryers, coffee machines and others |
“...start the coffee machine.” “...stop the washer.” “...pause the dryer.” |
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| Stop light effects on smart bulbs | “...stop the light effect.” | |
| Set the thermostat to a specific mode or temperature | “...set to Heat, Cool, Heat • Cool, Off” or “...set to 72 degrees.” | October 1, 2025 |
| Turn a camera on or off |
“...turn on the lights on the front porch.” "...turn off the living room TV." “...turn on the coffee machine plug." |
|
| Broadcast an announcement or a message | “...broadcast a reminder to take out the trash at 5:00 PM.” | December 3, 2024 |
| Turn a device on or off |
“...turn on the lights on the front porch.” "...turn off the living room TV." “...turn on the coffee machine plug." |
|
| Open or close window coverings | “...open the blinds in the bedroom.” | |
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Lock a smart lock Smart locks that require pin codes aren't supported. |
“...lock the front door.” | |
|
Adjust the volume to a specific level This feature doesn't support muting. |
“...lower the music volume.” | |
| Set the brightness to a specific level |
"...dim the lights in the bedroom." “...change the brightness to 50%.” |
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Issue a command using “Hey Google” |
“...play my morning playlist on the kitchen speaker.” “... tell me today’s weather.” "...turn the indoor lights on." "...start my morning coffee." (requires a smart plug) |
December 3, 2024 |
Media actions are available on these devices:
- TV
- Chromecast
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Start playback of media content | "Play music" | December 3, 2024 |
| Pause playback of media content | "Pause" | |
| Go back to the previous track | "Play previous track" | |
| Skip to the next track | "Next track" | |
| Stop playback | "Stop whatever is playing" |
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Send a notification |
|
December 3, 2024 |
| Description | Sample prompt | Date added |
| Add a delay between actions |
|
December 3, 2024 |
Troubleshoot known issues and limitations
- Help me create requires a Google Home Premium subscription.
- Help me create is only available to home admins who aren't minors.
- A large number of devices in your home in the Google Home app may cause delays in automation creation or loading time while editing an automation.
- Familiar face detection isn't available on Nest Cameras used in Illinois.
- If you're unable to save an automation, make sure:
- Your devices are set up and linked to the Google Home app.
- The devices are in the right home in the Google Home app.
- Features, such as presence sensing, are set up.
- To prevent unexpected behavior, avoid creating automations that conflict with each other. For example:
- Automation 1: At 6pm, turn off the lights
- Automation 2: At 6pm, turn on the lights
- Features currently not supported:
- Turning cameras on or off with automations is supported as an action only.
- Light color adjustments and light effects.
Tip: Home members with Activity access can check their automation history in the Activity tab.