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How to Use Google Home Devices Like an Intercom System Around the House

Google Home devices offer a convenient way to communicate around your house like an intercom system. With the “Broadcast” feature, you can send messages to all Google Home devices signed into your account. You can also make direct calls between devices for two-way conversations.

Prerequisites

To use your Google Homes as intercoms, you’ll need:

  • Multiple Google Home/Nest devices – At least two devices are required to communicate back and forth. Google Home, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and Nest Audio all work.
  • Devices signed into the same account – For Broadcast and calling to work properly, your devices must be linked under the same Google account.
  • Stable internet connection – As your devices connect through the cloud, a strong WiFi connection is essential for reliable performance.

Sending Voice Announcements with Broadcast

The Broadcast feature allows one-way announcements to all Google Home devices signed into your account. Here’s how to use it:

  • On your phone or any Home device, say “OK Google, broadcast…”
  • Speak your message after the beep. Your voice will playback on all connected speakers.

Broadcasts are useful for:

  • Making household announcements – “Dinner is ready!”
  • Waking everyone up – “Time to get out of bed!”
  • Coordinating schedules – “We’ll be leaving in 10 minutes!”

You can also automate broadcasts based on routines. For example, trigger a morning wake-up call at 7 AM daily.

Broadcasting Tips

  • Speak clearly and loudly into the microphone
  • Keep messages brief and to-the-point
  • Add a distinct sound before/after using media playback

Making Direct Calls

For two-way conversations, you can directly call other Home devices signed into your account:

  • Say “OK Google, call the [room name]”
  • Speak into the speaker when prompted
  • Wait for a response on the other device

Continue going back and forth until you or the other person ends the call by saying “OK Google, hang up.”

Calling Tips

  • Ensure devices are named by room for easy calling
  • Only one active call at a time is supported
  • Wait before speaking to avoid audio overlap

Troubleshooting Issues

If Broadcast or calling isn’t working properly on your Home devices, try the following:

  • Check internet connectivity
  • Reboot your routers and speakers
  • Adjust speaker volume
  • Update devices to latest firmware
  • Factory reset any problematic devices

Also ensure your devices are named uniquely and assigned to the correct room in the Google Home app.

Conclusion

With simple voice commands, Google Home allows household-wide communication resembling an intercom system. The Broadcast feature enables convenient announcements while direct calling supports more personal conversations. With proper setup and troubleshooting, your Home devices will become an indispensable part of daily household coordination.

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