- Gemini for home is slowly rolling out to users now
- There may be a way to jump ahead of the queue
- The hack does not work fully for everyone who tries it
Google is slowly rolling out the big Gemini for Home upgrade to its smart home platform, but there’s a waiting list and limited access based on where you live and what devices you have. Now it looks like there may be a way to skip the queue.
According to a user on Reddit (via Android Authority ), you can force the update by entering the “googlehome://assistant/voice/setup” URL in Chrome on your Android device. It’s not yet clear if this works on iPhones with the Google Home app installed as well.
If the trick works, you will be able to start a free trial of Google Home Premium and then get the Gemini upgrade. However, some users who have tried the hack only get new Gemini voices for the same Google Assistant AI, so it doesn’t work for everyone.
Interestingly, the Redditor who discovered the fix seems to live in Italy. According to Google, early access to Gemini for Home won’t expand beyond the US until the end of 2025.
Try this at home (if you want)
If you’re desperate to start playing around with Gemini for the home—perhaps to trick misbehaving pets—then the hack is worth a try. However, keep in mind that you will need to continue to maintain the Google Home Premium subscription for all the best features.
While simple voice commands and actions are free, video history and more interactive chats with Gemini require a subscription – starting at $10 / £8 / AU$15 per month, after a free trial. You can also get these benefits with a Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscription.
Everything seems to be working fine for Reddit users who have tried this hack, but it is a hack so bugs are to be expected. If you want to play it safe, it might be better to sign up for early access and wait for Google to officially invite you to the program.
The main part of the switch is getting the smarter, more conversational Gemini over the Google Assistant, and it will also work with all of Google’s older smart home devices. The upgrade also gives you features like more detailed AI descriptions of video clips.
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