Google's smart speakers and displays have found their way into many homes and have gradually gone from being a novelty to becoming a A super useful tool for organizing your daily life at home.One of the most practical features, and one that many people still don't fully utilize, is the ability to Send voice announcements to all speakers or only to some. using the Broadcast or "Announce it" function of the Google Assistant.
What is Google's Broadcast or "Advertise It" feature?
The Broadcast function, which in Spanish usually appears as "Issue", "Disseminate" or "Announce"It allows a voice message to be played on one or more Google Home or Nest devices that you have set up in your smart home. It's like having a home PA system: you speak into a device and Everyone else plays the warning with a small sound beforehand. For call the atention.
This feature is designed to communicate quickly and easily within your homeEspecially if you have a large home or several devices spread across different rooms. The best part is that it works from both speakers and screens, as well as from... any Android mobile phone with Google Assistant enabledprovided you use the same account and have everything properly configured.
In addition to your personalized messages, Google includes a number of default ads for very common situations (Wake up, breakfast, time to leave, etc.). In these cases, not only is the message played, but the Assistant adds sound effects and pre-recorded phrases which makes the warning clearer and, sometimes, even funny.
Requirements to be able to advertise messages with Google Home
Before you start sending messages willy-nilly, it's important to be clear about what you need for the Broadcast function to work. It works well and you don't go crazy thinking it's broken.The requirements change slightly depending on whether you are streaming from your mobile phone or another speaker/screen.
Advertise from an Android mobile or tablet
If you want to use your Android phone or tablet to send voice announcements home, make sure you meet these conditions, because If something goes wrong here, the messages won't get through.:
- An Android mobile phone or tablet with the Google Assistant active and with permission to listen for "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" throughout the system, not just within the app.
- At least one smart speaker, display, or alarm clock compatible with Google Assistant (such as Google Nest Mini, Nest Hub, etc.).
- Same Google account initiated on your mobile and on all home devices where you want the ads to play.
- On home devices, the option "Do not disturb" should be turned offbecause if it is active, it will block voice ads.
Once you have all this in order, your mobile phone will be able to behave like a kind of central microphone that sends the message to all your Google Home or Nest devices associated with that Google account.
Advertise from smart speakers, screens, or alarm clocks
If you prefer to make announcements directly from a smart speaker or display (for example, from the Nest in the kitchen to notify those in the bedrooms), you will have to meet a different set of requirements to ensure everything runs smoothly and the message reaches its intended recipient:
- Two or more smart devices with the Google Assistant built-in, such as Nest speakers, displays, or alarm clocks set up in the same house.
- Everyone connected to the same Wi-Fi networkbecause the Broadcast system uses your home network as a base to send the audio.
- All devices added to the same house within the Google Assistant or Google Home app and properly organized in rooms.
- On each speaker or screen, Turn off the "Do Not Disturb" option if you want them to be able to play ads and notices.
When you launch a voice announcement from one of these devices, the message will play in all speakers, displays and alarm clocks that meet these conditions: connected to the same Wi-Fi and logged into the same Google account you used to make the ad.
Important: Some ad features and certain commands are only available in specific languages ​​and countriesIf you notice that a default ad doesn't do exactly what you've read, it may be because it's not yet active in your region.
How to announce a message throughout the house
Once you have everything set up, the most basic thing is to learn how to Send a general announcement that plays on all speakers at homeHere are the two main ways to do it.
Using voice commands with Google Assistant
The fastest way It's about speaking directly to the Assistant. Just say "Hey Google" or "OK ​​Google" and then use one of these phrases, which the system interprets as broadcast commands:
- "Announces"
- "Say it out loud"
- "Tell everyone"
- "It warns that..."
For example, you can say: "Hey Google, announce that dinner is ready." or "OK ​​Google, tell everyone I'll be there in five minutes." The speaker or mobile device using the command will send the audio, a short tone will sound on the other devices, and then your message will be played.
If you're using your mobile phone, the Assistant usually confirms with something like "Understood, I'll announce it."And then your voice note will play on all the devices set up in that house. If you have many Google Nest devices scattered throughout the home, your voice will be heard throughout the entire house, like a classic voice-over narrator on a TV show.
Send announcements from the Google Home app
In addition to voice commands, the Google Home app itself includes a direct access to send messages to the whole house, which is very useful if you don't want to constantly summon the Assistant.
- Open the Google Home app On your phone or tablet.
- On the main screen you will see several quick actions; the option should appear among them "To emit".
- Tap on "Cast" and the app will activate the Google Assistant internally.
- Say the message you want to send, or type it if you prefer the Assistant to read it.
In this case, you can Send the ad to all your smart speakers or to a specific one.provided you specify it in the command. For example, you can use the app to say something like "Broadcast: Announce in the children's room that it's time to do homework."
Choose which devices ads can be played on
If you don't want all the devices in your home to play ads (for example, you might not want them playing in an office or a guest room), you can Limit which speakers and displays participate in the Broadcast function.
- Open the application Google Home.
- Tap on Settings > Communication > Announce (Names may vary slightly depending on the version).
- In section "Distribute on home devices"Select the house you want to manage if you have several.
- Mark or unmark the devices that will be able to receive and play ads.
Thus, even if you use general commands like "Announce that the food is ready", only The Google Home or Nest devices that you have allowed in that section will make a sound.preventing the message from reaching areas where you don't want it to.
How to announce a message only in one room or on one device
You don't always want to make a general announcement to the whole house. Often you only want the notice to reach one person or a specific group, for example. either to the living room speakers or to a single device in the bedroomThat's what commands directed to specific rooms or devices are for.
Advertise in a specific room
If you have your devices well organized by room in Google Home, you can send an announcement to all the speakers and displays that are in that room. in a specific roomTo do this, use a structure like this after saying "Hey Google":
- "Advertise on..."
For example:
- "Hey Google, announce in the living room 'It's time to do your homework'"
- "Hey Google, announce in the kitchen 'Dinner is ready'"
The Assistant will send the message only to the devices assigned to that room, which is very practical if you want the speakers in the rest of the house to be able to hear it. remain silent for that specific announcement.
Advertise on a specific device
You can also be even more precise and send the ad only to a specific speaker or screenIn this case, you will need to mention the exact name of the device as you have configured it in the Google Home app.
- "Advertise on..."
For example, you can say:
- "Hey Google, advertise 'It's time to get up' in the Nest Mini bedroom"
- "OK Google, display 'Is dinner ready?'"
It is very important here that the The device name should be short, clear, and easy to pronounce.If you use long or complicated names like "Google Home in the big living room," the Assistant is more likely to misunderstand which device you're referring to. Simple names like "living room," "kitchen," "office," "Ana's bedroom," or "Juan's bedroom" tend to cause far fewer problems.
Default messages: typical pre-made alerts
In addition to personalized messages, Google has incorporated a series of predefined commands for very frequent announcements in daily lifeThese ads usually have a special format: the Assistant not only reproduces your voice (or doesn't even need it), but It sends a standard message accompanied by sounds and effects which make the advertisement more recognizable.
To use these messages, you usually just need to say "Hey Google, advertise" followed by one of the provided phrases. Some very useful examples are:
- Wake: You can say phrases like "It's time to wake up" or "It's time to get up" to give a morning reminder.
- Breakfast: Commands like "Breakfast is ready", "It's time for breakfast" or "Breakfast is served" work.
- Food: The classic "Let's eat" or "Lunch is ready" plays a very recognizable advertisement.
- Price: Commands such as "Dinner's ready", "Dinner is ready", "Dinner is served" or "It's time to eat dinner" will cause the Assistant to issue a special dinner message.
- Time to go: Phrases like "It's time to go", "We have to go", "It's time to leave", "We have to start heading out" or "It's time to leave the house" are perfect for when it's time to pack up and leave.
- Arriving home: You can use "I'm home," "I'm at home," or "I'm here" to announce your arrival.
- On the way: Commands like "I'm on my way", "I'll be right back", "I'll be back soon" or "I'll be home soon" are used to let people know you're on your way.
- Watch a movie: "Let's watch a movie," "The movie is about to start," or "Come and watch the movie" are ideal for inviting people to a family movie night.
- Watching TV: Messages such as "The program is about to start", "The program is about to start", "It's time to watch television" or "Let's watch TV" trigger themed ads.
- Bedtime: You can say "It's time to go to bed," "It's time to sleep," "It's time to rest," "We should go to bed," or "It's time to lie down," and the Assistant will give a gentle reminder for the end of the day.
These predefined messages are especially useful when you want Something quick, clear, and that everyone at home can easily identify.since Google accompanies the ad with characteristic sounds depending on the type of event (food, arrival, night, etc.).
Using your mobile phone as a PA system: practical examples
One of the great advantages of Broadcast is that it doesn't depend solely on your home speakers: any Android mobile with the Google Assistant app It can become the point of origin of the ad, as long as it has the same Google account as the rest of the devices in your home.
Imagine you're running late and want to let someone know you're behind schedule. You could say something like this to your phone: "OK Google, announce that I'm going to be 20 minutes late getting home because of traffic."Automatically, everyone near a compatible speaker will hear the message, even if their phone is switched off or on silent.
You can also use your mobile phone when you're out and about and want to to let them know you're on your way or about to arriveKeep in mind that in some configurations or regions, the Broadcast from outside home feature may have limitations, especially if you try to do it through certain modes of the Google Home or Gemini app, so it's worth testing it and seeing how it behaves in your case.
Tips and tricks to make Broadcast work better
To get the most out of Google's advertising feature, it's worth keeping in mind a few simple tricks that make a difference in everyday life and avoid frustrating mistakes.
Be careful how you phrase the command
When using commands like "Announce that", it is recommended Take a short pause before starting the messageEspecially if you tend to speak quickly. If you say everything in one breath, the system sometimes cuts off the first word of what you want to announce, and the result can be somewhat confusing.
A practical outline might be: "Hey Google, announce in the bedroom... (short pause) it's time to get up"That brief pause helps the Assistant to clearly separate the ad's destination from the message content.
Organize the house and rooms well
The Broadcast feature works much better with a well-organized smart home. In other words, it's a good idea to have the following settings in the Google Home app: Create your house and all the real rooms of the houseand that each device is placed in the correct room.
This not only helps with voice ads, but also with routines, automations, and other actions by roomAs you add more speakers, screens, plugs, or connected lights, having everything organized makes life much easier and reduces errors when you talk to the Assistant.
Choose simple names for the devices
Since segmented commands depend on the speaker or room name, it is essential that Those names should be short, clear, and uncomplicated.The more convoluted the name, the more likely the Assistant is to understand something else.
Using names like "kitchen," "living room," "office," "Ana's bedroom," or "Juan's bedroom" usually works very well. However, expressions like "guest room nest mini" can be a headache every time you want to send an ad only to that device.
What to do if the ads don't play properly or fail
Some users have recently reported situations in which Broadcast seems to be working only partiallyThe speaker makes the typical "ding" warning sound, but the message doesn't play, or the content that was broadcast doesn't appear in the app.
If something similar happens to you, you can try several things:
- Restart all Nest or Google Home speakers and displaysturning them off and on again.
- Check that the option is active in none of them. "Do not bother"because that blocks certain types of ads and notifications.
- Test different commandsIf you usually use "broadcast," try "announce" or "broadcast" to see if there's any difference.
- Run tests from different devices: a Nest Mini, a Nest Hub display, your Android mobile, etc.
- Verify that They all share a Google account and Wi-Fi network and that are still assigned to the same house in the Google Home app.
Also note that Not all combinations of app, language, and region They support the same functions. In some cases, Broadcast may be limited when you try to use it from outside your home or through certain specific apps, so if something isn't working as expected, it might not be a problem with your setup, but a current service restriction.
Repeat and respond to announcements: walkie-talkie mode
Another very useful, and rather unknown, feature is the ability to repeat an announcement you didn't hear properly or reply directly to a received message from another speaker, using the devices almost as if they were walkie-talkies.
To listen again to a message that has been announced
If you were distracted or didn't understand the ad while it was playing, you can ask the Assistant to repeat it to youSimply say something like:
- "Hey Google, what did you say?"
- "Hey Google, say it again."
The speaker will replay the last voice message that played, which is perfect if You don't want to be constantly asking the person who sent it.
Respond to an announcement from another speaker
If someone sends you an announcement from, for example, the living room speaker, and you're in the bedroom, you can answer directly from your speaker with a new voice message addressed to the sender.
To do it, You just have to say:
- "Hey Google, answer"
- "Hey Google, answer"
- "Hey Google, send message"
After that command, the Assistant will let you record a response that will be sent as a new announcement, closing the loop and allowing you to use the speakers. as a two-way communication system inside home.
With all these possibilities, the Broadcast or "Announce It" function becomes one of the most powerful tools of Google Home and Nest devices: It allows you to announce meals, coordinate schedules, communicate delays, wake up the family, organize movie sessions, or simply play a prank.All this without having to go room by room or shout in the hallway.