How to connect Google Home to Wi-Fi

💡Need to know

• Download the Google Home app.
• Make sure your smartphone is on the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band.
• Have your Wi-Fi network name and password ready.

A Google Home® device is a convenient, hands-free assistant in your home. With it, you can easily control connected lights, thermostats, and cameras with voice commands or the Google Home app.

But before you can start taking advantage of everything Google Home has to offer, you need to connect your device to Wi-Fi. Google Home uses a Wi-Fi internet connection to control all of your connected smart devices.

Asurion is here to walk you through everything you need to know to set up and start using your Google Home device. Our experts learn tech inside and out and have helped millions of users like you with their tech. Follow our guide on how to connect your Google Home to Wi-Fi.

Setting up your Google Home for the first time

When you first get your Google Home device, you’re probably eager to start using it. Don’t worry—the setup process is fairly quick and easy. Make sure you have your Wi-Fi router name and password handy, then just follow these steps:

1. Unbox your Google Home device and plug it in.
2. Download the Google Home app on your smartphone or tablet.
3. Make sure the device you’re using is connected to the 2.4GHz band of your Wi-Fi network.
4. Sign in to your Google account.
5. If you don’t already have your home set up:
   • Select Add> Home.
   • Follow the onscreen instructions to set up and name your home.
   • Make sure you see the new name of your home at the top of your screen.
6. Go to the Devices tab and select Add> New Device.
7. Select the home you want to add this device to and choose Next.
8. The Google Home app will search for your device, which may take a moment. Wait for it to find the right device, then select Yes.
9. Tap Yes if the code you see in the Google Home app matches the code on your display.
10. Select I agree to agree to the legal terms and conditions.
11. Select Yes, I’m in to share device stats from your Google Home device anonymously with Google.
12. Select the room where your device will be located. You can either choose from one of the existing rooms (if any) or create a new room. Choose Next.
13. Choose your Wi-Fi network from the list of available networks, then select Next. Make sure you connect your smart home devices to 2.4GHz WiFi, not the 5GHz band. Most smart home devices are only compatible with the 2.4GHz band. Both bands typically have the same name, with the 5GHz band adding 5G to the end.
14. Enter your Wi-Fi router password, then choose Connect. It may take a moment to connect to the Wi-Fi network.
15. Follow the remaining on-screen prompts to set up your preferences for features like Voice Match and Duo Calling.

Once your Google Home setup is finalized, the device may restart. Wait for it to reboot, and then you’re ready to go.

Updating Wi-Fi settings for an existing device

Sometimes, you have to change the Wi-Fi settings for your Google Home device after the initial setup. Maybe you moved, got a new router to make your home internet faster, or changed the password for your network. Whatever the reason, it only takes a few steps to connect Google Home to a new Wi-Fi network:

1. Open the Google Home app and go to the Devices tab.
2. Select your device.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under Device Information, find Wi-Fi. Select Forget next to Wi-Fi.
5. Choose Forget Network to disconnect from the current Wi-Fi network.
6. Go back to the Devices tab and select Add.
7. The app will prompt you to connect your smartphone or tablet to the Google Home hotspot in your Settings app. From the available Wi-Fi networks, select the name of your Google Home device.
8. Back in the Google Home app, select Yes if you hear your device play a sound.
9. Choose the location of your device and select Next.
10. Select the new Wi-Fi network you want to use and select Next.
11. Enter the Wi-Fi password, choose Connect, and wait for your device to connect to the new Wi-Fi network.

How to reset your device to start over

If you run into trouble during the Wi-Fi setup, restarting your device may help. Unplug your device, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in.

The next thing to try is a full factory reset. This will clear your settings so you can set the device up from scratch. The steps to factory reset a Google Home depend on the device, so make sure you follow the corresponding instructions. Then, set up your device again like it’s brand-new.