Google Assistant is very powerfulSometimes, even more than you think. One of the lesser-known but very useful things about this is routine. A routine is a series of actions that you configure to be activated by a certain voice command or automatically. depending on the time, location, or what a device in your home is doing.
For example, with a good morningGoogle Assistant can tell you temperatureToday's news, your reminders, turning on the living room lights, and starting the smart coffee maker. We'll explain how to set it up step by step, and you'll also see ideas for getting the most out of it on your Android phone and in your smart home.
The first thing we will have to do to enter the configuration is to enter the application Google HomeOnce inside we will Settings > Assistant > RoutineFrom there you will see both personal routines and household routines that will be shared with other members of the household.
Once in Routines, we'll see the ones that Google has configured by default, and there we can modify them to our likingFor the test we will use the routine of Good morningBut remember that there are also preset options like Goodnight, I'm going, I'm home now or alarm-related routines.
What are Google Assistant routines and what types exist?
The Google Assistant routines are a method for automating actionsInstead of giving the assistant commands one by one, you can group several tasks under a single trigger (a voice command, a time of day, turning off an alarm, sunrise, turning on a light, etc.).
By default, Assistant will have several different routines pre-generated so you can get an idea of how they work, and you can edit to your liking. For example, you have the classic commando one. Good morning, which executes up to five different actions such as weather information, route details, the calendar, reading reminders, and playing the day's news. This is a good example of what you can achieve with them.
Within Google Assistant there are two main types of routines:
- Personal routinesThey only affect your Google account; they can use personal results such as your calendar, your reminders, or your usual commutes.
- Household routines: they are associated with a Google Home “Home”; any member of the household With permissions you can start them and they serve to automate shared devices such as lights (for example IKEA light bulbs), plugs, cameras or thermostats.
Google Assistant routines have a series of predefined actions from which you can choose. However, to make it much more versatile, you can also write another manual action so that it's as if you had asked it with a voice command to do something that is not included among these available tasks.
For example, you can manually enter commands like "Open THIS app"You can also enter personalized responses to specific commands, so you have the option to create new jokes or little secret answers to personalize the assistant to your experience. You can also combine and mix all these features and possibilities to your liking.
All the routines you design for the assistant will affect both the Google Assistant on your mobile device and on a Google Home or compatible device. However, keep in mind that there will be actions, such as launching apps, that the smart speaker won't be able to perform. Keep in mind the limitations of each device (speaker, screen, Android mobile, tablet, watch, etc.) when you create your routines.
Setting up the "Good morning" routine and other basic routines
By viewing our existing routines, we can configure each one. In our case, we've configured it so that saying "Good morning" to the Google Assistant triggers a new routine. tell you about the weather, reminders and whatever you want and then read the news to you, with the sources that we can select in the options, although in some countries the list of media is more limited.
In addition to "Good morning", it is advisable to check other predefined routines which work very well as a base:
- GoodnightTurn off lights and plugs, lower the volume, set an alarm, and play sleep sounds.
- I'm going: turn off lights, lower thermostat, close connected blinds, activate security cameras or plugs.
- I'm home now: turn on entrance lights, adjust temperature, announce your arrival over the speakers.
- On my way to workCheck traffic, play a podcast, and read your most important reminders.
Of course you can add any routines you want, so you have one for everyone. "good morning" and also to "good evening" and things like "leave" so it can tell you about traffic to your work or play music. Each routine can have one or more triggers.: voice command, specific time, sunrise/sunset, turning off an alarm or even having a sensor detect movement.
How to access Routines from Android and Google Home
To access the menu where you configure the routines, you have to go to the Google Home app which is available on both Android and iOS. Once inside the application, Open the main settings menu and look for the section of Workouts within the popular settings or in the section Assistant, depending on the version of the app.
Another common way from Android is:
- Press and hold the home button or use the Assistant gesture to open the assistant.
- Tap on your photo icon or the icon of Settings from the Assistant.
- go to section Workoutswhere you'll see the personal ones and the ones for the house.
Once you enter the menu of Settingsgo to the section of Services y click on the option WorkoutsThis is where you will be able to make all the configurations you need, both to edit predefined routines and to create your own.
Practical operation: example of a complete routine
I've set up the "Good morning" routine to tell me The WeatherIt used to tell me reminders and read the news, and then I changed it to play music.
It worked correctly. When activating the function, it says good morning to you, adjusts the volume automatically and if you want it lets you set it to your liking. Automatically "recites" me the reminders and the news are activated, which each newspaper makes available to the attendees. You can choose the order and the newspapers that you want to appear, within those that you have available.
So far so good, but The problem arose when I tried to play music.It asks you to enter the playlist, artist, or music genre you want and a default app. In my case, I selected Spotify (Free) and linked my account. and has not played any Spotify music at any timeAnd the same goes for Google Play Music, their own service.
In all cases has asked me to install TuneIn So that I could play music, when I installed the app it did sound what I had selected. But it is a paid app, and it is absurd to be paying for a service (or have a free version, it doesn't matter) and have another one that you have to pay for yes or yes (you have a 30-day trial), so I quickly uninstalled it a little frustrated on this issue. I think it was something important to note, otherwise it works like a charm.
These types of limitations with the multimedia services and audio actions They depend heavily on the country, your subscription, and the connected apps. Also, you can only add a routine multimedia actionSo if you've already added music, you won't be able to add radio or podcasts in the same routine.
Create new routines step by step
To create a new routine we will have to press the "+" button, located in the lower right corner of the screen. There we can enter a text that serves as a trigger and an actionYou'll have to tinker around a bit and make several attempts if you want it to work properly, but with a little patience you might create a routine that will be very useful in many circumstances.
On the new routine screen you will normally see three key blocks:
- When: here you define the trigger: voice command, time and days, sunrise/sunset, turning off an alarm or the action of a device.
- The Assistant mustIn this block you add actions for information, communication, device control, phone settings, etc.
- And then play: section to choose a multimedia action such as music, radio, podcasts, or news.
Some examples of useful triggers that you can configure:
- Custom voice command: “Hey Google"Let's go home," "OK Google, I'm going to take a nap."
- Time: a daily routine at 7:00 to turn on the lights and read your agenda.
- Dawn or dusk: turn lights on or off at dawn/dusk in your city.
- When turning off an alarm: as soon as you turn off the alarm, your mobile phone will read you the time and your first events.
- When a device does something: turn on a light if a sensor detects movement, or turn everything off if there is no movement for 10 minutes.
In the actions you can create a routine that chain many tasks togetherfrom controlling home devices, even manage the houseFrom announcing messages and reading SMS messages to adjusting Do Not Disturb mode or executing a command that already works in the Assistant, a simple voice command can save you a lot of time every day.
Examples of useful routines for your daily life
In addition to the basic routines we've already mentioned, there are many practical combinations inspired by what Google Assistant allows:
- Turn off all devices at nightSaying "Good night" will silence your mobile phone, turn off lights and plugs, lower the heating, and let you hear tomorrow's weather forecast.
- Preparing the house when you're on your wayUse "I'm on my way home" to turn on the heating, alert those at home, and turn on the hall light.
- I'm going to work: command that activates Bluetooth, loads the GPS with the work address, tells you the traffic and plays your favorite music playlist or a podcast.
- healthy routine: reminders at specific times to drink water, get up from your chair, do light exercise, or record your activity in apps like Google Fit.
- Pretend that someone is home: schedule an all-day routine during your vacation to turn lights on and off, play the radio, and move connected blinds at different times.
- Alarm routineFrom the Google Clock app, associate a routine with your alarm that turns off silence, tells you the weather, traffic to work, and alerts you if your battery is low.
Limitations, common mistakes, and why some routines don't work
As you've mentioned in the comments, there are times when you set up some routines and they simply don't work when you ask the assistant to use them. This happens when you include a command in the routine that is not supported by Assistant in Spanish, or by your region, such as asking for a certain type of calendar or actions that require two-step verification.
They can also fail if:
- You have not indicated the home address and you use triggers based on dawn, dusk or arrival/departure from home.
- You're trying to add more than one multimedia action in the same routine.
- You are using devices that are not compatible as activators or that are not added to the correct house.
- You attempt actions that affect your to maximise security and your enjoyment., such as “unlock doors” or similar commands that Assistant blocks for protection.
If this happens and a routine isn't working, the best approach is to add and remove elements until you find the one preventing it from functioning. Then, adapt the routine using the options that are supported in your language, country, and on your devices.
What did you think? this functionalityWill you use it?
By understanding the different types of routines, their triggers, the available actions, and their limitations, it becomes much easier to design automations that truly fit your daily life, both on your Android phone and in your smart home, and turn Google Assistant into a true control center for your daily tasks.
