6 must-try features that unlock the real power of Google Nest devices

Your Google Home and Nest devices have seen big changes recently. Google Assistant is moving aside for the newer, smarter Gemini for Home, and new cameras are arriving. Despite all this new technology, many users still miss the best, simplest ways to use their devices every single day.
Here is a set of features that truly change everyday use. These are easy to try, and most of them take only a few minutes to set up. Here are the top settings you should explore.
1. Let Google handle your schedule
Start with something simple: your Google Calendar. When you set up a device like a Nest Mini or a Nest Hub, it connects to all your Google apps. This means it is automatically linked to your Calendar, which is more helpful than it seems.
You can check your schedule anytime using your voice. Just say, "Hey Google, set an event to call my doctor for tomorrow at 9 a.m." Google adds it right away. If you use a display, you can check the event for any mistakes before saving it. You can also easily delete or change the time of an event. These scheduling tools are even better with Gemini, which allows for more natural conversations and lets you fix commands while you are still talking.
2. Make lists with only your voice
Everyone who has a Google speaker or display should try this trick. First, go to Google Keep and create a new note. Call it something practical, like “Shopping List” or “To-Do List.” Make sure this list uses checkboxes, so Google knows it is an itemised list.
Now, anytime an idea or task comes to mind, you can simply say, "Hey Google, in my Shopping List, add an item to buy milk." Google updates the list instantly. You can then look at your Google Keep notes from any phone or computer later.
3. Turn on Gemini for smarter help
The old Google Assistant sometimes struggled with understanding people. Now, the Gemini for Home service is coming to replace it. Be sure to keep your devices and the Google Home app fully updated to look for it. The new Gemini provides a better conversational experience. You no longer need to say "Hey Google" repeatedly when asking follow-up questions or giving long commands.
If you are willing to pay for a premium subscription, you unlock all of Gemini’s advanced abilities. This lets you ask security questions like, "Did you see the courier truck arrive at the door?" Or get a summary of everything that happened at your front door today. This saves a lot of time and makes your home security much more powerful.
4. Use the "Good Morning" jumpstart
With the new voice assistant features turned on, try saying, "Hey Google, good morning." This starts the built-in Good Morning routine.
You can change this routine in the Google Home app’s Routines section. By default, it tells you the time, the current weather, traffic conditions, any tasks you have scheduled for today, and a short news summary. It is the perfect way to begin building your own routines, as most of the basic work is already done. You can easily add or remove actions, like having the routine turn on your lights, play a specific wake-up song, or adjust the thermostat.
5. Link all your smart devices
The Google Home app can control nearly every compatible smart device and use those devices as options for creating routines. But they must be active and linked first. Many of us forget to link every compatible device, or we miss that a certain device can be linked.
Take a few minutes with the Google Home app and check what it can connect to. Make sure all your important smart technology, including speakers, locks, lights, TVs, and cameras, is added. Once your connections are set up, you can tell Gemini to create a routine for you. Google will suggest ideas based on your connected devices, helping you set up helpful commands for things like "Movie Night" or "Game Day."
6. Set up voice match
Have you had trouble in the past with Google not understanding your voice? That was a frequent issue. It is a good idea to enable Voice Match for your Google Home speakers if you have not done so already.
Voice Match is a feature that helps Google recognise your unique voice and how it sounds, so it responds to you more quickly and accurately. You can also add the voices of others who live with you, or record your voice again to improve the results. This is one of the top steps to make all your other voice commands work without a hitch.