How To Send a Message from Google Home

Google Home is a great device that allows you to surf the internet, send messages, and make calls using only voice commands. The device is connected to the Google database and all you have to do to get the information you want is ask.

That’s the obvious part of using Google Home, but many people don’t really know that they can use it to send SMS messages and make calls. Here’s how you can do those things.

Making Calls with Google Home

Google Home officially supports making phone calls in the US, UK, and Canada. That makes calling your friends or your boss, or whoever else much easier than ever before. Google already has millions of registered phone numbers, so you can ask the Assistant to call any of them at any time.

All you have to say is: “Hey Google, call (company name)” and wait for someone to answer. You can ask Google about the nearest restaurant if you’re hungry, and the Assistant will tell you your options. You can also call to make a reservation through Google Home.

If you want to dial a specific number, just say: “Hey Google, call 1122-235-226” or any other number you want to call. If your call isn’t answered, you can ask the Assistant to redial at any time. End the call by saying: “Hey Google, stop/end call/hang up,” or just tap Google Home.

Calling Friends by Number

When you make calls using Google Home, the recipient will see your number as “Private.” However, you can make some changes, so the person you are calling knows it’s you. Here is what you have to do:

1. Open the Google Home app on your phone.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines.
3. Tap “More settings.”
4. Find the “Services” tab and tap “Calls on speakers.”
   
5. Select “Your own number.”
6. Tap “Add or change phone number.”
7. Enter your phone number and verify.
8. You will receive an SMS from Google with the code you need to enter.

Calling Friends by Name

You can also call contacts by name instead of saying their number to Google Home. If that’s what you want, follow the instructions below:

1. Open the app on your phone.
2. Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your Google Home device.
3. Tap the Main Menu icon (three horizontal lines).
4. Tap “More settings.”
5. Find the “Devices” section and select your Home device.
6. Tap the switch for “Personal Results” to turn it on and the letters will turn blue.

When you’ve finished the setup, say: “Okay Google, call (your contact’s name).”

You can ask the Assistant anything while talking to someone, but the call will be interrupted until the Assistant tells you what you wanted to know. It will return to normal once you get the information you wanted. Direct calls to other Google Home devices are still not possible, but they probably will be sometime in the future.

Sending SMS Text Messages Using Google Home

Before we start, unlike making calls, sending SMS via Google Home is not officially supported. However, there’s a way to make your Google Home able to send SMS text messages.

The first thing you have to do is create an IFTTT applet for every person you want to text using Google Home. IFTTT stands for “If This Then That”, and it’s a smart home automation service included with Google Home devices. Download the IFTTT app to your smartphone and follow the instructions to set it up:

1. Open and log into the IFTTT app.
2. Tap the “My Applets” tab.
3. Tap the “+” icon.
4. Tap the blue “+this” to set up the IFTTT input action.
5. Select Google Assistant from the list.
6. Tap “Say a phrase with a text ingredient”.

You will now see the “Complete trigger” screen where you have to say the words you want the Assistant to act upon. Where it says “What do you want to say?”, you have to type “text (name of the person)”

You can enter multiple phrases that trigger the same action. The dollar sign has to be in each phrase like the on-screen instructions say.

When you finish the setup, tap on the blue “+that” option to tell the applet what to do when you instruct it to send SMS text messages.

The list of available apps will pop up again. Search for “Android SMS” and select it. Enter the phone number of the person you’ve already mentioned in the steps above and check the option that includes the “TextField” into messages.

Sending SMS Text Messages Is Easier Than Ever Before

Now, when the setup is done, you can turn the action on or off by tapping the on/off switch at any time. Try it for the first time by saying: “Hey Google, text (name) (Message)” and the message will be sent. Remember to state your message the moment you give the order.