Google Nest Audio: These 8 Features You Should Know

Google Nest Audio: These 8 Features You Should Know

Google Nest Audio can do a lot more than meets the eye. Did you know that two Nest speakers can be connected to a stereo system – or that the voice assistant can find your compatible smartphone if you wish? We present eight functions that show: the loudspeaker really is that versatile!

1. Use Nest Audio as a stereo speaker

Nest Audio delivers impressive sound quality for its small size. If you are using two speakers in the same room, you can switch them together for true stereo reproduction. To do this, both devices must be assigned to the same home and room in the Google Home app.

Google Nest Audio 16

Two Nest Audio can be used in a stereo setup. Image:

  1. Open the Google Home app and select one of the Nest audio speakers.
  2. At the top of the Nest Audio screen, tap the gear icon and select the Audio tab .
  3. Tap on " Stereo Coupling " and select " Next ".
  4. Now you have to select the two speakers that are to be paired and confirm with "Next ".
  5. One of the speakers starts to flash. In the app, tap on " left " or " right " to determine which side the speaker should be on in your stereo set-up.

Then you choose the room in which you will place the speaker pair and define a name. The paired speakers will then be listed as one device in the Google Home app.

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2. Create speaker groups

A special feature of Nest Audio is that several smart speakers can be connected to speaker groups with little effort. This way you can set up multiroom setups in your home. This means that different speakers in different rooms play music in parallel and are perfectly synchronized.

The prerequisite is of course that you have several Nest audio speakers in use. You can pair with the other Google Home and Nest speakers, as well as speakers that are equipped or connected to a Chromecast.

  1. Open the Google Home app and tap the plus icon in the top left.
  2. Select " Create loudspeaker group " and in the next step the loudspeakers and devices that you want to connect to a group. Tap on " Next ".
  3. Now give the group a suitable name and complete the setup.
  4. The speaker group then appears on the start screen of the Google Home app in the lower area.
Nest-Audio-Speaker-Group-01

Tap "Create Speaker Group" and select the devices you want to be part of the group. Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

Nest audio speaker group 02

After you have saved the name of the group, it will be displayed in the start menu of the Google Home app. Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

Nest-Audio-Speaker-Group-01
Nest audio speaker group 02

You can then ask the Google Assistant to play music on the speaker group you have created.

  • "Ok Google, play music on the study group!"

3. Use Nest Audio via Bluetooth

Nest Audio can not only stream music via WiFi, but can also be paired with a device via Bluetooth. You also need the Google Home app for this.

  1. Select the speaker you want in the app and tap the gear icon for settings.
  2. Tap on " Audio " and " Paired Bluetooth Devices " and select the "Activate Pairing Mode" button at the bottom.
  3. Nest Audio is now in Bluetooth pairing mode and can be found and paired with another compatible device (smartphone, tablet, PC) via the Bluetooth settings.
Nest-Audio-Bluetooth-01

Tap the gear icon, then select "Audio". Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

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Under "Paired Bluetooth Devices" you put the Nest Audio into pairing mode. Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

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Nest-Audio-Bluetooth-02

4. Adjust the sound using the equalizer

Everyone's musical tastes are different, and different genres of music sometimes require slightly different mixes. Nest Audio offers you the option of adapting the sound to your taste using an integrated equalizer: You can set the extent to which highs and lows should be present in the music.

  1. To do this, open the Google Home app and select your Nest Audio.
  2. Tap the little slider icon at the top to open the equalizer. Now you can adjust the sound.
Nest audio equalizer

The equalizer can be opened using the slider symbol.

5. Control smart home devices by voice

An important feature of Nest Audio is the ability to control your smart home using voice commands. There is now a huge selection of more than 50,000 smart home devices that are compatible with the Google Assistant. The list includes lighting systems like Philips Hue and Lifx, heating controls like Tado and Netatmo, security cameras like the Nest Cam, smart sockets from TP-Link and Osram – and much more. A full list of compatible manufacturers, devices and services can be found here .

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Google Nest Audio cuts a fine figure as a smart home controller. Image:

The linking of smart home devices also works via the Google Home app.

  1. Open the app, tap the plus symbol and select "Set up device ".
  2. Tap the " Compatible with Google Devices " button and select the manufacturer of the device you want to link from the list.
  3. Depending on the manufacturer, you will be asked to link your respective account with Google Home
  4. Now select the device that you want to link.
Nest Audio Smart Home

Tap on "Devices Compatible with Google" and select from the list of manufacturers of compatible devices. Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

The extent to which voice control of the linked devices is possible via Google Assistant differs from device to device and depends largely on how the respective manufacturer has implemented this function.

6. Make everyday life easier with processes

The Google Home app allows you to program certain actions yourself, which the Nest Audio then takes for you. These actions can be started by voice command or time-controlled.

  1. Open the Google Home app and tap the " Processes " button.
  2. Now you can choose from a number of ready-made processes or create your own process using the plus symbol.
  3. You can select one or more " start options " for the process – for example a specific voice command or a time at which the action should start automatically.
  4. In addition, under " Actions " you determine what should happen when you give the specified voice command or when the time is reached. Here you can also combine several actions.
Nest audio routine

A sequence always consists of at least one "start option" and "action". Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

In our example we have created a process for a simple work-out. We want Nest Audio to play music when we start training. So we set the voice command "Let's train" as the starting option and playing music as the action. If we also had a smart lighting system, we could also stipulate that Google Assistant adjusts the color of the lighting for the work-out as desired.

7. Control the Chromecast by voice

If you use Google Chromecast on your TV, you can use the Nest Audio to control it with your voice. If you want to watch the series "Stranger Things", the voice command " Hey Google, play 'Stranger Things' on Chromecast " is sufficient.

The prerequisite is that the Chromecast and the Nest Audio are linked to the same Google account and are on the same WiFi network. You also have to link the streaming apps for which you want to activate voice control in the settings of the Google Home app. You can currently choose from Netflix, Disney +, Maxdome, YouTube Kids and Zattoo.

  1. Open the Google Home app and tap on " Settings ".
  2. Select the sub-item " Video " for the list of compatible apps.
  3. Tap behind the desired apps on "linking" to enable voice control. You have to enter your user data for the respective streaming services once.
Nest Audio Smart Home

Under "Settings> Video" you can set up voice control for various streaming services. Image: © Google / Screenshot: 2021

In order for the whole thing to work, you also have to activate the HDMI-CEC function in the settings of your television. It ensures that the connected Chromecast transmits control commands to the television.

8. Find the compatible smartphone

If you are one of those people who like to move their smartphone and then turn half the apartment upside down, the Nest Audio can also help. Simply ask the Google Assistant, " Ok Google, where's my phone ?" The Nest Audio then makes the device ring.

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Even if you've misplaced your smartphone, Nest Audio can help. Image:

The prerequisite is that both Nest Audio and the smartphone are linked to the same Google account. If several smartphones are linked to the device, you can choose which one you want to find again.

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