Google home not responding – How to Fix (9 Tips)

If your Google Home purchase has left you worried because it is not responding, do not worry.

This guide will walk you through several solutions that you can easily try at home to make the best of your Google device and get your money’s worth. 

Google home not responding – How to Fix (9 Tips)

1. Reboot your Google Home device:

The first thing that you should do is reboot the Google Home Speaker. 

1. Unplug the power cable from the main supply 
2. Reconnect it and press the power button to turn Google Home on again 
3. The LED light on the back of your device should turn white when it is turned on 
4. Try asking your query from Google Home again

You can also reboot your speakers by using the Google Home application. 

1. Open the Google Home application 
2. Go to the option that says “Devices”
3. Tap the three-lined dots in the upper right corner of your screen to take you to the settings menu
4. Tap the option that reads “More”
5. Select “Reboot”

2. Check the Network Connection:

To check if your network connection is active, do the following:

1. Check the back of the Google Home machine to see if the light is a solid white. If it isn’t, you might have to check to troubleshoot options. 
2. Open the Google Home application 
3. On the home page, tap on the option that says “Add” 
4. Proceed to the option that reads says “Set up device”
5. Select “Set up new devices” in your application and complete the steps that are needed to ensure there is a valid network connection 

3. Remove obstructions: 

If Google is not responding to your voice, it may be because of a high amount of background noise, which is causing an obstruction. Check the following to make sure you have limited external sources of noise:

1. Is the device placed near other noisy appliances?
2. Is the device placed too close to a wall?
3. Are there other electronic devices situated close to your machine?
4. Check if the Google device responds if you speak loudly or when you are closer to it.
5. Check www.myactivity.google.com to show your past activity. Here, walk through your logs to point out any sources of static or other issues. 

If any external noise-producing culprits are found, move your device to a new location where it can easily pick up on your voice without interference. To lessen noise, it is also recommended to connect your Google Home to a 5GHz wireless network instead of 2.4 one. 

4. Make sure the Mic is on:

Do the following to ensure that the mic is receiving information: 

1. On Google Home, touch the mute button on the back of the device. Your virtual assistant should tell you if the mic is on 
2. On a Google Home Mini, the mic switch is on the side of the device. Toggle that to hear your assistant tell you the status of your mic. 
3. If your mic is on, another simple thing you can do is blow in the microphone holes to clear any dust that might have settled onto them. The mics are located on the top of the device. 

5. Check device permissions: 

Google requires certain permissions to be allowed so that it may run correctly. To check if permissions have been granted, do the following: 

1. Open your Google Home application 
2. Go to settings, by clicking on the vertical dots on the corner of your screen 
3. Go to the option that reads “Apps”
4. Go to “Google App”
5. Under the option that reads “permissions”, make sure you’ve selected “Select all”

6. Retrain the voice model:

If the device is not responding, there might need to retrain the voice model. To do this, follow the following steps:

1. Open the Google application 
2. Select the “More” option located at the bottom of your screen
3. Go to “Settings” 
4. Tap on the option that says  “Voice”
5. Select “Voice Match”
6. Tap on “Retrain voice model”

The screen should then provide you step-by-step instructions on how to retain the voice model. Follow the easy steps to get your device responding again. 

7. Check your firmware:

If the Google Home device is not operating on the latest software update, certain glitches can appear that can obstruct the complete Google Home experience. To check the firmware of your device, do the following:

1. Open the Google Home application 
2. On your “Home” page, tap the option of the Google Home device you’re seeking information for 
3. Select “Settings” 
4. Scroll to the bottom to see a statement reading “Cast firmware version:…” 
5. Proceed to this Google information page: https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7365257?hl=en
6. Find the latest firmware for your device 
7. Compare it with the one currently running on your device. 

If your firmware is not updated to the latest one, make sure that the Google Play services are up to date and permission has been given to allow auto-updates. 

8. Make sure that Google Home is recognizing questions clearly:

Every time you say “Ok Google”, the LED ring on the top of your device should blink. If it’s blinking but not responding to your questions, try the following:

1. Ask the question in a different phrasing
2. Ask your assistant to repeat the question 
3. Try speaking slowly or ask a different question

9. Incorrect home location: 

If your Google Home is not responding to questions about the weather, news or traffic, this might be because you’ve set your location incorrectly. Do the following to ensure that Google Home has the correct location: 

1. Open the Google Home Application 
2. Tap the Hamburger icon on the top left 
3. Select “More settings”
4. Select “Personal info” listed under Google Account Settings 
5. Select “Home and work location”
6. Update your addresses and confirm the update.

These nine tips should help clear up by the issue of your device not responding. If the problem persists, your next option is to contact the Google Help Center using the following link: https://support.google.com/googlenest/?hl=en-GB#topic=7029097. Alternatively, you can also submit a feedback report to get further assistance. Follow the following steps to submit a report:

1. Open the Google Home application 
2. Tap “Account”
3. Select “Feedback”
4. Select the device that you want to submit feedback for
5. Fill the form by supplying a valid email address and an exact description of the issue. Include logs and screenshots if available 
6. Submit the form by tapping on the arrow icon 

That’s all you need to do. Google has great customer support so you’ll likely get a response on your report in a matter of hours.

Kickstarting its way into the fourth industrial revolution, Google Home is a brand developed by Google that offers devices that are nothing short of being a product from Sci-Fi movies. The smart speakers offer diverse facilities such as home automation, audio and video playback, music control – all through voice control. With an attractive price tag, it is no surprise that this multi-purpose device has created a storm of publicity for itself.  Hopefully one of these Google home not responding fixes worked for you!