Patrick Hearn · February 21, 2024 · 5 min read The Google Home Mini is one of the most popular smart assistants. It’s a small size, has a sleek design, and a wide range of functionality which makes it an appealing option for many people. Especially if they don’t want the air freshener design of the Google Home on display.
Another reason why the Google Home Mini is such a popular option is due to the number of functions it has. Outside of its basic smart assistant functionality (that is, answering questions, playing music, and controlling smart home devices), the Google Home Mini—or Nest Mini, if you have the most recent version) can do much more.
Here are the best additional Google Home Mini features that you will love.
Google Can Find Your Phone
How often do you lose track of your phone throughout the day? Sometimes it’s as simple as the device slipping between the couch cushions, but sometimes you set it down and forget where you put it. It happens to everyone.
The good news is that Google can ring your phone for you. All you have to do is program your number into your account and then ask, “Hey Google, find my phone.” This function works with both Android and iPhones, so you can avoid bugging your spouse to call your phone.
Google Can Perform Daily Routines
One of the major benefits of owning a smart home is the ability to automate many mundane tasks. You might not think much of doing it, but flipping off every light (or even asking Google to do it individually) takes up a lot of time.
With Google Home Mini, you can create routines that will trigger when you say a specific phrase. For example, you can say, “Hey Google, good morning,” and the device can be programmed to turn on lights throughout the home, begin brewing your coffee, and start your morning playlist.
You can set up custom phrases for custom routines. Something like, “Hey Google, game time” could dim the lights, crank up the volume on a connected sound bar, and turn on your Xbox for a great night of gaming.
Google Can Broadcast To All Devices
How many times have you needed to gather every member of the family, but couldn’t find an easy way to do so without yelling at everyone in the house? If you have more than one Google Home Mini inside the home, one Google Home Mini feature is the ability to broadcast to every device at once.
You can say something like, “Hey Google, broadcast that it’s time for dinner.” After you give the command, a dinner bell will ring from each device. You can also use it like an intercom, even if you aren’t at home. Telling Google Assistant on your phone that you want to broadcast that you’re on the way home will pass the message to each device within the home.
Google Can Be A White Noise Machine
Many people find it impossible to fall asleep without some kind of sound in the background—a TV, a ceiling fan, or a white noise machine. If you fall into one of these camps, your Google Home Mini can help. You can ask Google to play a variety of sounds, and the device will respond.
The sounds aren’t limited solely to white noise, either. You can ask for specific tracks, like the sound of rain or the sounds of the forest. No matter what ambient noise helps you sleep best, there’s a better than average chance that Google can play it.
Google Can Function As A Phone
If you have linked your contacts to your Google account, Google Home Mini features hands-free functionality. It’s simple. All you have to do is say, “Hey Google, call mom,” and the device will dial your mom’s number.
Best of all, Google’s Voice Recognition function means that it will recognize the voices of regular users. Since everyone has “mom” in their phone, Google can distinguish who is speaking to it and call the right “mom” based on the speaker.
Google Can Be A Personal Assistant
How often do you set something down and think to yourself, “I’m going to forget where that is?” Instead of trying to remember where you put something, just tell Google. If you say, “Hey Google, my spare key is in my desk drawer,” Google will remember.
When you start to look for your key and can’t find it anywhere, just ask Google where it is and it will tell you where you last placed it.
Google Can Adjust The TV Volume
Misplaced the remote? No worries—just ask Google to turn the TV on, to stream your favorite show, or to adjust the volume. If you have a Chromecast plugged into the back of your TV, your Google Home Mini can act as a remote.
If you have linked your streaming services to your Google account or your Chromecast, you can stream specific episodes, skip over those you don’t like, and much more with just your voice alone.
The Google Home Mini is a fantastic tool with an equally approachable price point. Many people see it as subpar because it is a previous model than the Nest Mini, but there are no worthwhile differences between the two devices.
If you’re looking for a useful, affordable smart assistant to use around the home (or even to serve as a Bluetooth speaker in an office), try and pick up a Google Home Mini. You won’t be disappointed.
