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Access Google Photos on a speaker, display or Google streaming device

Enjoy a slideshow of your personal photos from your Google Photos library using only your voice.

What you need

To access Google Photos using the Google Home app, you must have a Google Nest display with Photo Frame enabled, Chromecast device, device that works with Google Cast, Chromecast with Google TV, or Google TV Streamer (4K) linked to your Google Nest or Home speaker or display.

Step 1. Set up personalization

One person using your speaker or display
  1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi network or linked to the same account as your speaker or display.
  2. Open the Google Home app .
  3. Tap your account.
  4. Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.

  5. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  6. Tap Settings  and then Recognition & sharing and then Recognition & personalization and then turn on Allow personal results.
Multiple people using speaker or display
If multiple users use the same speaker or display, everyone who wants to access photos on the device must link their Google Account and voice to the speaker or display, even the person who set it up. If you've already linked your Google Account and voice, skip these steps. 
  1. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  2. Tap Settings  and then Google Assistant and then Voice Match.
  3. The app will show you all devices that support Voice Match. Tap a device to enable or disable Voice Match.
    • If you don’t have any devices with Voice Match enabled, tap Get started and follow the in-app steps.
    • To turn on Voice Match automatically for new devices in the same home, turn on Devices you add later.

 

Step 2. Set up Google Photos to display on your TV 

To display Google Photos on your TV using your speaker or display, you must complete the two steps below:

Link TVs to your speaker or display

 

Note: The following steps are optional if you only want to control your TV with your mobile device or tablet. However, if you want to use voice commands through your speaker or display to control your TV, follow the steps below.
  1. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  2. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi as your Google device. 
  3. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your Google device.
    1. At the top right, tap your account.
    2. To switch accounts, tap the down arrow  next to the Google Account, then tap another account or Add another account .
  4. Tap Favorites or Devices ..
  5. Tap and hold your device's tile  Settings , or More More menu  Settings .
  6.  At the top right, tap Settings  and then Recognition & sharing.
  7. Check for a banner at the top of the page that says “Enable voice control and more.”
    • If the banner appears, tap it and follow the steps to link your TV.
    • If the banner doesn't appear but your email address appears under “Linked account(s),” your TV is already linked.
Note: If you get an "Error when linking device" message, factory reset your Google streaming device.
Allow Google Photos to display on TVs using the Google Home app
  1. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  2. At the top left corner, tap Add  and then Videos.
  3. Turn on "Photos."

Note: The Google Photos that are displayed are associated with the Google Account linked to your speaker or display.

Step 3. Access your slideshow using voice commands

To use a voice command on your Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer, you can press and hold the Google assistant or microphone button on the Voice Remote and then state the command. No need to say “Hey Google” or “OK Google.”

To do this: Say "Ok Google" or Hey Google," then:

Display photos of named people (face grouping)

Note: Face grouping isn't available in all countries. Learn more on the face grouping feature.

"Show me photos of [person's name] on [device name]"

Display photos of places "Show me photos of [place name] on [device name]"
Display photos of things "Show me photos of [category] on [device name]"
Display photos by date "Show me photos from [date] on [device name]"

Note: These commands only work for photos that you've already backed up and organized through your Google Photos account.

Step 4. Control your slideshow using voice commands

After you use one of the voice commands above to start a slideshow, you'll find the Google Photos logo on your TV screen while the slideshow opens. Once the slideshow starts, use any of the commands below to control the slideshow.

Note: After you say a command, a confirmation of the command will appear in the top left corner of your screen.

To do this: Say "Ok Google" or Hey Google," then:
Display next photo in slideshow “Next photo on <device name>" or "Next slide on <device name>"

Display previous photo in slideshow

“Previous photo on <device name>" or "Previous slide on <device name>"

Pause slideshow

Note: Each photo shows for 5 seconds

“Pause photos on <device name>" or "Pause slideshow on <device name>"

Resume slideshow

“Resume photos on <device name>” or "Resume slideshow on <device name>"

Stop slideshow

“Stop photos on <device name>" or "Stop slideshow on <device name>"

Note: A slideshow shows the most recent photos first. Duplicates and lower quality photos are removed.

Prevent Google Photos from displaying on TVs

If personal results are on, Google Photos will show on TVs using your device by default. To turn this feature off, follow the steps below:
  1. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  2. Tap your account.
  3. Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Google device. If correct, tap to close the account window. To switch accounts, tap the dropdown icon , then tap another account or Add another account

  4. Tap Assistant settings  Videos & photos.
  5. Under "Photos," turn off Google Photos.

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