Google’s connected speaker incorporates a voice assistant capable of interacting with the user. This allows him to perform a multitude of tasks such as giving the weather, booking a taxi or even driving connected devices. But that's not all. For the past few weeks, Google Home has been able to make and receive hands-free voice calls..
Use your connected speaker as a phone
Technical progress often lends itself to criticism. Connected speakers are no exception. Spying, collecting data, recording conversations, the list of grievances is long. But everyone agrees that connected speakers offer a wide range of services.
Among the many features offered by Google Home and its variants (Mini and Max), one in particular caught our attention. This is the possibility of making or receiving a phone call directly to your Google Home in hands-free mode..
Second good news, calls made from Google Home are largely free. However, before rejoicing too quickly, you should know that this option is currently only available in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada (English and French).
In addition, the use of the telephone is limited to the country in which we are located. Concretely, this means that if you live in Canada you will only be able to contact Canadian telephone numbers. Likewise, people living in the United States can only make calls to American numbers..
International calls are only available to Google Fi subscribers or people with a Google Voice number. What must be admitted, however, limits its use a little. Impossible no, no longer to start a conference call from your speaker.
Configure Google Home to make phone calls
Before trying to make a call from your connected speaker, you will need to review some parameters of your speaker. First, you will need to make sure that the Google Home app installed on your smartphone (Android or Apple) is up to date.
To do this, you will open in the application store of your phone and then download the latest version of Google Home. Then you will also need to check that the Google account that contains the contacts you want to call is linked to your Google Home.
- Open the Google Home app
- Click on the account tab at the bottom right
- Make sure the Google account is the one you want to use. If necessary click on the arrow pointing down to change it
Now that your Google account is set up correctly, you will need to activate personal results. Without this option, your connected speaker will not be able to access your contact list.
- Return to the Google Home app
- Open the app menu located in the upper left corner
- Select the option More parameters
- Search in the Devices section for the name of your Google Home
- Press the Personal results slider to activate the function.
Synchronize your contacts
Not all contacts saved in your Android smartphone are necessarily available from your Google account. It all depends on the configuration of your Android smartphone. To be able to access all your contacts from your speaker, you will have to perform a series of operations.
- Open the Google Home app
- Click on the Account tab that you are now getting to know well
- Select the following options Settings then Accounts and privacy then Control of Google activity and finally Device information
- Press the button to activate information related to this device.
You now need to associate a phone number with Google Assistant. This number will be displayed on the correspondent's phone. Be careful when choosing it, especially if there are several of you using Google Home in your household.
Note that this step is optional. If you do not change these settings, all calls made from the connected speaker will be automatically hidden. Private or anonymous will appear on the recipient's device.
- Launch the Google Home app then open the main menu as explained above
- Select the option More parameters
- Press the calls via speakers section
- Then enter your phone number
- Press the Check button
An SMS containing a 6-digit verification code will be automatically sent to you. You will then need to enter it into the Google Home app. Important detail, the change is not immediate. It usually takes about ten minutes before seeing its number appear in the application settings.
Hands-free calling via Google Home
Your connected speaker is now set up to receive and make calls. Then simply speak one of the following voice commands aloud to contact a correspondent. Note that the procedure described below works even if your contacts do not have Google Home
- Ok Google: to activate the speaker
- Call (name of your contact or name of a company): this command will allow the painter to automatically dial the number of your correspondent. For example: Ok Google calls mom
- Call (phone number): you will need to say each digit making up your contact number
- Redial: to automatically redial the last number dialed
- Ok Google hangs up: command to end the call
Make international calls
All Google Home speakers allow you to make phone calls. However, in the basic configuration, you can only make national calls. To call across borders, you will need to sign up for a Project Fi or Google Voice account. Please note these two services incur additional costs. Please refer to the price list issued by Google. Here’s how to make calls using a Google Fi or Google Voice number.
- Open the Account section in Google Home
- Go to Settings then to Voice and video call services then to Mobile calls
- Select one of the services offered Google Fi or Google Voice
- Follow the instructions on the screen
