- On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Google released “What’s new in Google Home,” the latest update detailing new features and improvements rolling out across Google Home-related services.
- Updates include expanded speaker and display support for “Gemini Live” under “Gemini for Home (Early Access),” as well as “Conversational Memory” improvements extending conversational recall time to 15 minutes.
- The “Google Home” app now features enhanced guidance for automations and smart locks, along with fixes for multiple camera-related bugs.
On Thursday, July 23, 2026 (local time), Google released “What’s new in Google Home,” the latest update detailing new features and improvements rolling out across the “Google Home” smart home ecosystem.
This edition of “What’s new in Google Home” introduces expanded speaker and display support for “Gemini Live” under “Gemini for Home (Early Access),” improvements to “Conversational Memory” which extends conversation recall time to 15 minutes, enhanced guidance for “Automations” and smart locks in the Google Home app, and several bug fixes related to cameras.
Additionally, support has been added for two new models of Walmart’s “onn” cameras.
Release notes for 2026
Gemini for Home (Early Access)
Voice Assistant
Gemini Live now available on additional speakers made by Google
- Gemini Live on 1st gen smart speakers and displays: Google Home Premium subscribers with 1st generation Google Home Mini and Google Nest Hub can now go live with Gemini for fluid, back-and-forth conversation. This joins existing Gemini Live support across Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and the newest Google Home Speaker.
Try saying:
- “Hey Google, let’s chat.”
Conversational memory improvements
- 15-Minute Conversational Memory: the conversational memory window across the entire Gemini for Home experience is now 15 minutes. You can ask Gemini a follow-up question to a topic that was discussed during this window, and Gemini will understand the context.
Try saying:
- “Hey Google, turn on the kitchen lights.” … then a few minutes later say, “Hey Google, dim it to 50%.”
Google Home App
Automation
- Clearer automation saving guidance: We’ve added helpful alerts when saving automations with conditions but no starters, helping ensure your automations run successfully as expected.
- Expanded window covering controls: We’ve updated controls and labels for smart blinds and window coverings, making it simpler to set precise shade positions.
Smart Locks
- Clearer security action disclaimers: We’ve added reminders that if you remove a member or leave a home to clarify that smart lock passcodes for those users need to be manually changed or removed.
Bug, Reliability, and Performance Fixes
- Enhanced iOS Video Experience: We’ve lowered playback error rates and improved stream availability closer to real-time on iOS Google Home App.
- Seamless video playback resuming: We’ve fixed an issue where video feeds that had been in progress failed to resume properly after unlocking your phone.
- Improved app link navigation: We’ve fixed deep link navigation so opening device setup or settings links brings you directly to the correct screen.
- Fixed missing battery alerts: We’ve corrected an issue where full camera batteries were incorrectly reported as having zero hours remaining.
Google Home Devices
Nest Camera July 2026 Software Update
These bug fixes and performance improvements apply to Nest Cam Indoor (wired, 3rd gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen), and Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen). To ensure optimal system stability and the best possible experience, this update is being rolled out gradually to all users.
Support for New onn Cameras from Walmart: Outdoor Plug-In and Outdoor Floodlight Hardwired
We’re expanding our lineup of Gemini built-in cameras with two new Walmart onn cameras: the new onn Outdoor Camera Plug-In and onn Floodlight Camera Hardwired. These devices offer affordable and weather-resistant security options that integrate seamlessly into the Google Home ecosystem, providing features like 1080p HDR video and two-way talk. And with Google Home Premium you can unlock even more advanced features such as more detailed event descriptions (for example, “Robin drives toy car in garden” vs. Person seen), ability to search video history with Ask Home, daily Home Brief summaries and up to 60 days of extended video history so you never miss a moment. For more details check out the full blog post here.
Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
What’s new in Google Home – Google Nest Help
- More reliable connectivity: Improvements to help cameras stay online with fewer unexpected drops or crashes.
- Smoother setup: Under-the-hood updates deliver a more reliable, consistent, and faster setup flow when adding new cameras to your home.
- Accurate Activity Zones: Fixed person and familiar face alerts triggering inside ignored zones.
- Improved app reliability: Fixed issues where the app might freeze or display the incorrect camera online status.
- Camera settings: Fixed issues where camera settings were not applied when changed in the app.
“Gemini for Home (Early Access)”
Under “Gemini for Home (Early Access),” support is being expanded to additional smart speakers and smart displays, alongside improvements to conversational memory features.
Expanded Speaker and Display Support
The Google Home Mini and 1st-generation Nest Hub have been newly added as supported devices for “Gemini Live,” the intuitive conversational feature available for “Advanced” members of the Google Home Premium subscription service.
As a result, in addition to existing support on the Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and the latest Google Home Speaker, users can now also use Gemini Live on the Google Home Mini and 1st-generation Nest Hub.
Conversational Memory Improvements
The conversational memory window across the entire “Gemini for Home” experience has been extended to 15 minutes.
Within this 15-minute window, when you ask a follow-up question regarding a previous topic, Gemini can now understand the context and respond accordingly. For example, you can say, “Hey Google, turn on the kitchen lights,” and then a few minutes later follow up with, “Hey Google, dim it to 50%.”
Google Home App
Automations
When attempting to save an automation that has “Conditions” set but no “Starters,” helpful alert messages will now appear to guide users in ensuring the automation runs as intended.
Additionally, control interfaces and labels for devices such as smart blinds have been updated, making it easier to precisely configure opening and closing positions.
Smart Locks
Reminders have been added to clarify that when removing a member or leaving a home, the smart lock passcodes for those users must be manually changed or removed.
Bug Fixes, Reliability, and Performance Improvements
- Reduced playback error rates and improved real-time streaming performance in the iOS version of the “Google Home” app.
- Fixed an issue where ongoing video feeds failed to resume properly after unlocking the device.
- Fixed deep link navigation issues so that links for smart home device setup or settings screens direct users to the correct page.
- Fixed an issue where fully charged network camera batteries were incorrectly reported as having “0 hours remaining.”
Google Home Devices
Nest Cam July 2026 Software Update
The July 2026 software update applies to the Nest Cam Indoor (wired, 3rd gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen), and Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen).
This update focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements and is being rolled out gradually.
Support for Two New Walmart “onn” Camera Models
The lineup of Gemini-integrated cameras is expanding with support for two new Walmart models: the “onn Outdoor Camera Plug-In” and the “onn Floodlight Camera Hardwired.”
These devices offer affordable, weather-resistant security options with features like 1080p HDR video and two-way talk, integrating seamlessly into the Google Home ecosystem. Furthermore, using “Google Home Premium” unlocks advanced features such as more detailed event descriptions (e.g., “Robin drives toy car in garden” instead of simply “Person seen”), searching video history with “Ask Home,” daily “Home Brief” summaries, and up to 60 days of extended video history.
Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
- Improvements to help cameras stay online with fewer unexpected connection drops or crashes.
- Faster, more reliable, and consistent setup workflows when adding new cameras.
- Fixed an issue where person and familiar face alerts were incorrectly triggered within ignored areas defined in “Activity Zones.”
- Fixed issues where the app might freeze or display incorrect online statuses for cameras.
- Fixed an issue where changes made to camera settings within the app were not being applied.
Google Home App Links
Source: Google