Google Assistant can get multiple things done automatically with routines. You can schedule a routine for when you need it, or start it at any time with a command. You can also set up Home and Away routines, which start when the first person comes home or when everyone is away.
The routines feature is currently not available in Indonesia and Thailand. In all other regions, routines are only available in select languages.
Note: If Digital Wellbeing is enabled, this feature may be restricted or blocked by Downtime, Filters or Do Not Disturb.
Set up a routine
Optional: You can turn on personal results to get personal info like calendar events and commute information.
Use a ready-made routine
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Routines
choose the routine that you want to edit. If Routines
is not present, follow these troubleshooting steps.
- By default, ready-made routines already have existing triggers that can’t be deleted. If you want to add an additional trigger, tap When I say to my Assistant
Add another
Done.
- Go back to the routines screen, then tap Add action
choose a routine category
choose an action
tap Done.
- Tap Save.
Workday
The workday routine automatically reminds you of all the small and big things to do throughout your working day which can sometimes be easy to forget.
Your Assistant can:
- Regularly tell you the time throughout the day, so that you don’t lose track of upcoming meetings
- Tell you about today's calendar
- Tell you of your customised set of reminders
- Recite prompts over the device at a chosen time, such as:
- 'It’s time to stand up and stretch. Let's take a break for 10 minutes.'
- 'It’s time for lunch! Remember to wash your hands!'
- 'Go have a snack.'
- 'Let's go grab a glass of water. And why don't you go and wash your hands?'
- 'Hope you're having a great day! Want to go for a walk?'
- 'Time to start wrapping up your working day and plan for dinner!'
Good morning
Say 'Hey Google, good morning'
And your Assistant can:
- Take your phone off silent (only when initiated via an Android device)
- Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
- Tell you about today's:
- Weather
- Commute
- Calendar
- Reminders
- Adjust the media volume
And then play:
- Music
- News
- Radio
- Podcast where you left off
- Audiobook where you left off
- Nothing
Bedtime
Say 'Hey Google, bedtime'
And your Assistant can:
- Put your phone on silent (only when initiated via an Android device)
- Tell you about tomorrow's:
- Weather
- First calendar event
- Set an alarm
- Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
- Adjust the media volume
And then play:
- Music
- Set a sleep timer for X minutes (only for music).
- Sleep sounds
- Note: Sleep sounds will play for one hour if not turned off.
- Nothing
Note: You can personalise this routine to your preferences. No one else can edit it. If you want a routine that other people in the home can edit and that can start when everyone is away, use the Away routine.
Say 'Hey Google, I’m leaving'
And your Assistant can:
Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
Note: You can personalise this routine to your preferences. No one else can edit it. If you want a routine that other people in the home can edit and that can start when someone comes home, use the Home routine.
Say 'Hey Google, I'm home'
And your Assistant can:
- Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
- Broadcast to speakers and displays that are in your home
- Tell you home (location-based) reminders
- Adjust the media volume
And then play:
- Music
- News
- Radio
- Podcasts
- Audiobooks
- Nothing
Commuting to work
Say 'Hey Google, let's go to work'
Note: Must be initiated using an Android or iOS device. Not supported on Google Nest or Home devices.
And your Assistant can:
- Tell you about today's:
- Commute
- Weather
- Calendar
- Reminders
- Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
- Adjust the media volume
And then play:
- Music
- News
- Radio
- Podcast
-
Nothing
Commuting home
Say 'Hey Google, let's go home'
Note: Must be initiated via an Android or iOS device. Not supported on Google Nest or Home devices.
And your Assistant can:
- Tell you about your commute
- Adjust lights, plugs, thermostats and more
- Send texts
- Read unread texts
- Broadcast to your speaker or display that you're on the way home
- Adjust the media volume
And then play:
- Music
- News
- Radio
- Podcast
-
Nothing
Create a custom routine
Optional: You can turn on personal results to get personal info like calendar events and commute information.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Routines
Add
near the bottom of the screen.
- Under 'How to start', tap
Add starter
choose the trigger that you want for your routine.
- Voice command: Add the voice commands that you want to use for your routine.
- (Optional) Time: Get your routine to activate at a specific time.
- (Optional) Sunrise/sunset: Choose whether to get your routine to activate at sunrise or sunset.
- (Optional) Dismiss an alarm: Automatically start your routine when you dismiss an alarm on your speaker or display.
- Under 'This routine will', tap
Add action
choose a routine category
choose an action
tap Done.
- Tap Save.
Edit a routine
Change the triggers or actions of a routine.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Routines
.
- Choose the routine that you want to edit.
- Under 'How to start', tap the trigger that you’d like to edit.
- Under 'This routine will', tap the action that you’d like to edit.
- Tap Save.
To delete or reorder existing triggers and actions, tap Edit . You can also tap an action to edit its individual settings.
Use Home and Away routines
Your Away routine will start when everyone’s away from home. Once someone returns, your Home routine will start. You can also start these routines with a voice command (US English only) or the Home app. Anyone who has been added to your home in the Home app can edit Home and Away routines.
Learn more about Home and Away routines.
Set up Home and Away routines
- Open the Google Home app
tap Set up Home and Away routines.
- Tap Home or Away.
- Select the devices and settings that you want the routines to adjust.
- Select the ones that you want to change when the first person comes home.
- Select the ones that you want to change when everyone’s away.
- (Optional) Select the devices that you want to use to determine if someone’s at home.
- (Optional) Set up your phone’s location to be used for presence sensing.
- You’ll need to enter your home address and confirm it by placing a pin on a map.
Edit presence sensing
- Open the Google Home app
tap Settings
.
- Tap Presence sensing.
- Select the devices that you want to help determine if someone’s at home.
Learn how to use your phone location for better presence sensing.
Set up personalisation to get your personal info (optional)
One person using a speaker or displayPersonal results must be turned on to get your personal information, like calendar events and reminders.
- Make sure that your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi network or linked to the same account as your speaker or display.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- At the top right, tap your account.
-
Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.
- Go back to the home screen.
- Touch and hold your device's tile.
- At the top right, tap Settings
Recognition and sharing
Recognition and personalisation
turn on Allow personal results.
Note: If multiple people are using the same speaker or display, everyone who wants to get their own personal information must link their Google Account and set up Voice Match on the device, including the person who set it up.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Home
Settings
Google Assistant
Voice Match
Other devices.
- If you have more than one home, tap the home that you want to add Voice Match to.
- Tap Get started
follow the in-app steps.
- Note: To turn on Voice Match automatically for new devices in the same home, turn on 'Automatically enable on future devices'.
Troubleshooting
Can’t find routines in the Google Home appIf Routines doesn’t appear on the home tab of the Google Home app, try the following.
Set up a compatible device
To use routines, you need to first set up a compatible device in the Google Home app, such as a speaker or display with Google Assistant or a smart home device.
Switch to a language that supports routines
Routines are only available in select regions and languages. If routines are available in your region, you can change your phone’s default language in your phone settings to a supported language in order to use routines. It may take up to 12 hours after you change your phone’s language for the Google Home app to update.
Country or region | Supported languages |
Argentina | Spanish |
Australia | English |
Brazil | Portuguese (Brazil) |
Canada | English, French (Canada) |
Chile | Spanish |
Colombia | Spanish |
Denmark | Danish |
France | French |
Germany | German |
India | English, Hindi |
Italy | Italian |
Japan | Japanese |
Korea | Korean |
Netherlands | Dutch |
Norway | Norwegian, Norwegian Bokmal |
Peru | Spanish |
Singapore | English |
Spain | Spanish |
Sweden | Swedish |
Taiwan | Mandarin (Taiwan) |
United Kingdom | English |
United States | English, Spanish |