Thursday, 3 July 2025
27.4 C
Singapore
26.3 C
Thailand
20.3 C
Indonesia
28.9 C
Philippines

Google lets you share smart home access more easily with family and kids

Google Home lets you easily assign Admin or Member roles, even for kids under 13, to manage your smart home access better.

Google is making sharing control of your smart home with others is simpler. Whether it’s a trusted adult or a child, the latest update to the Google Home app now gives you more control over who can do what with your connected devices.

Share access with Admins and Members

With this new feature, you can now assign people in your household as “Admins” or “Members” when managing your smart home. Admins will have full access, meaning they can manage devices, change settings, and even control who else can access the house.

On the other hand, Members will have more limited control. They can perform basic actions like turning lights on and off or viewing live feeds from your security cameras. However, if you want to give them more control, you can enable specific permissions. You can provide a Member access to device and home settings, or allow them to view the activity history, such as when your doorbell camera picks up a visitor.

These updates make it much easier to customise smart home access based on your family’s needs. Whether you want your partner to help manage the system or allow your teen to check who’s at the front door, it’s now more straightforward to set limits without sacrificing convenience.

More straightforward setup for kids under 13

Previously, adding a child under the age of 13 to your smart home setup was a complicated task. You had to juggle between Family Link, Google Home, and Google Assistant settings to add their voice to the system—and even then, many users found it difficult to complete the process.

Now, things are much more user-friendly. If your child has a Google Account managed through Family Link, you can invite them directly through the Google Home app. Once invited, they’ll automatically be added as members with the default permissions set.

This makes it easier for younger family members to interact with smart devices safely. Whether turning on a light, adjusting the temperature, or playing music in their room, your child can now participate in the smart home experience without giving them full access to sensitive settings.

A more family-friendly smart home

These improvements are part of Google’s efforts to make smart homes family-friendly and less technical. With clearer roles, simpler setups, and easier ways to share access, it’s now more practical for everyone in your household to engage with your smart home system.

Whether you live in a busy family household or share your space with housemates, these changes make it easier to decide who should have access to what. No more confusion or hassle—open the Google Home app, invite the right people, and customise their access to suit your home.

These updates are already rolling out, so if you haven’t seen the new options yet, check your Google Home app soon. It’s one more step toward making your smart home work for the whole family.

Hot this week

NVIDIA reveals RTX 5050 entry-level GPU – but is it worth your money?

NVIDIA’s RTX 5050 launches at US$249 with DLSS 3 and Blackwell tech, but better GPU options are only slightly more expensive.

Meta may buy PlayAI to boost its voice cloning technology

Meta may buy AI voice cloning startup PlayAI to expand lifelike voice features in its apps, smart glasses, and AI assistants.

Josys introduces AI-powered risk analyser and automation workflows to enhance IT security and governance

Josys launches AI-powered risk analyser and identity workflows to improve SaaS governance, security, and operational efficiency for IT teams.

Moneythor launches AI Suite to help banks deliver deeper customer experiences

Moneythor unveils AI Suite to help banks deliver personalised, app-like customer experiences and improve digital engagement.

Dubai gears up for air taxi revolution

Joby delivers its first air taxi to Dubai, moving closer to a 2026 launch and signalling real progress in the future of flying taxis.

Meta’s investment doesn’t change Scale AI’s priorities, says new CEO

Scale AI CEO Jason Droege confirms the start-up stays independent despite Meta’s 49% stake and outlines plans for broader AI growth.

Mainland investment boom lifts Hong Kong’s market

Chinese firms turn to Hong Kong listings after mainland investors spend US$93B on stocks, eyeing global growth and fresh funding sources.

Alibaba Cloud marks 10 years in Singapore with major AI and cloud expansion

Alibaba Cloud celebrates 10 years in Singapore with global AI tools, new data centres, and expanded services for your digital transformation.

Figma files for IPO and plans to boost AI investment

Figma files for IPO under the ticker “FIG” and plans to boost AI investment, even if it slows short-term efficiency.

Related Articles

Popular Categories