Google is one of many companies that offers a home automation system and frequently changes the service to provide the best experience. Of course, not all changes are wins: in 2025, Google removed the “Call Home” feature, which allowed you to connect to Nest devices through the Google Home app. However, Google has been on a roll lately. Lately, Google has implemented its dedicated AI assistant, Gemini, in its Google Home products. In late April, the company introduced the Continuous Chat feature for free, which removes the need to say “Hey Google” before making a request.
Additionally, Google is adding even more AI-based features with the latest update. These features help you streamline your day, better monitor your home or office, and more. These inclusions don’t reinvent the wheel, but they do make a good smart home experience even better. Read on to learn more about the features you should use with the Google Home May 2026 Update.
Improved automation
Automation is half the reason to invest in smart home devices. A smart speaker, like a Google Nest device, is one of the cheapest ways to create a smart home. Arguably the biggest new feature in the latest Google Home update is an avalanche of new “starters, conditions, and actions for automation.” These are the Google Home network’s “if-then” statements that tell devices what to do and when to do it. For example, the update now allows you to tell robot vacuums to pause and resume cleaning routines, as well as to connect. Additionally, smart locks can regularly check whether they are locked, unlocked, blocked or ajar. And these are just a few examples of Google’s new home automation capabilities.
Of course, you have to program these functions yourself, and this expanded functionality is not compatible with all potential smart home devices. You can visit the Google Nest help page to get an idea of how to set up automation in the Google Home app, and you should check that your devices are supported. However, once you take the necessary steps, you may never have to worry about manually starting your coffee machine again.
Improved cameras
The Google Nest Cam is a solid and affordable way to secure your home, provided you’re willing to pay a subscription fee. Now Gemini can potentially make your home even more secure without overwhelming you with notifications.
Google Nest’s latest update aims to enable cameras and their apps to provide “more information.” For example, thumbnails are now animated clips that zoom in and summarize what they’re recording about, which can potentially help you navigate recorded videos. You can even use different filtering options, which ask Gemini to show you only certain videos. Did you come home to broken glasses because an earthquake hit your house or because your cat decided to become a nuisance? The update allows you to quickly identify the culprit, with event descriptions.
Google’s latest update also aims to improve performance, particularly when it comes to facial recognition. Not only does Google claim its face detection capabilities are more accurate, but Google Home now stores a library of recognized faces and automatically ignores “low-quality examples.” Additionally, you can provide feedback that allegedly helps improve your smart camera’s facial recognition skills. Assuming, of course, that these cameras aren’t fooled by reflective glasses designed to fool facial recognition software.
Early Access to Upgraded Features
Technically speaking, Google’s latest Google Home update isn’t universal; some lucky people who wanted to test the first iterations of the updates can do so. Everyone with a Google Home network will receive them eventually, but a few testers will receive them sooner than others, so they can provide feedback that will improve the eventual full release.
One of the first preview features is to use Gemini to do more than just summarize videos. Some Google Home users can now ask Gemini to perform voice commands in multiple steps. Well, technically they can just ask for a voice command as usual, and Gemini’s complex reasoning capabilities will allow Google Home to perform the task with greater precision. Another preview feature is managing your home through, uh, Google Home. If your computer is connected to the Google Home network, you can use it to view your camera history and create home automation tasks. This functionality also extends to more careful control of specific devices.
If you haven’t signed up for early access, you’ll have to wait to use preview features, but you can easily request permission for future releases. Well, signing up is simple, but Google offers several preview programs. Depending on the feature you want to try, you may need to sign up for Early Access (for Gemini for Home), Public Preview (for the Google Home app), or the Preview Program (for smart speakers, displays, and streaming devices). Just make sure you have the required devices first.