Create and manage speaker groups in the Google Home app

Important: This feature is not supported on Chromecast (1st gen).

Group any combination of Google smart speakers and displays, Google streaming devices, and Google Pixel Tablets together for synchronous media throughout the home.

You can create pre-set speaker groups you use often or use the mini-player to add, remove, or move speakers when playing media.

Compatible devices

Speakers

  • Google Nest Audio
  • Google Nest Mini (2nd gen)
  • Google Home Max
  • Google Home Mini (1st gen)
  • Google Home

Displays

  • Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
  • Google Nest Hub Max
  • Google Nest Hub (1st gen)

Create, edit, and delete pre-set speaker groups

Important: Speaker group creation is only available on a phone or tablet. This feature is not supported on the Chrome browser. However, you can still cast to a group from Chrome. Learn how to cast audio from Chrome.

Create a speaker group

  1. Make sure your phone or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or Google Account as your speaker, display, Google streaming devices, or Pixel Tablet.

  2. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  3. At the top, tap Add Add Icon and then Speaker group.
  4. Choose the devices that you want to add to the group. A check Check will appear next to each selected device.
  5. Tap Next, thenenter a name for your group.
  6. Tap Save.

Tip: You can only add a Pixel Tablet to a speaker group when it's attached to the Charging Speaker Dock.

Edit a speaker group

Important: If you make edits to a group that's currently casting media, group playback stops and all audio devices in the group also stop playing. You need to return to the Cast-enabled app or say a voice command to start casting media again.

  1. Make sure your phone or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or Google Account as your speaker, display, Google streaming devices, or Pixel Tablet.

  2. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  3. Tap Home and then All devices and then the group you want to edit.
  4. Tap Settings Choose devices.
  5. Choose the devices that you want to add or remove. All devices in the group will have a check Check.
  6. Tap Save.

Tip: You can only add a Pixel Tablet to a speaker group when it's attached to the Charging Speaker Dock.

Delete a speaker group

Important: If you delete a group that's currently casting media, group playback stops and all audio devices in the group also stop playing.

  1. Make sure your phone or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or Google Account as your speaker, display, Google streaming devices, or Pixel Tablet.

  2. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  3. Tap Home and then All devices and then the group you want to delete.
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Tap Delete group Remove orDelete.

Use and control pre-set speaker groups

Use a voice command to start playing media on a speaker group. Then, control your media with the Google Home app, voice commands, or touch controls on your device.

Tip: Your phone and tablet's volume buttons won't adjust the volume of your speaker group.

Control speaker groups in the Google Home app
​​​​​​
  1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your speaker or display.
  2. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  3. Tap Home and then Favorites .
  4. Tap the current media session for:
    • Playback controls
    • Volume control (media and voice assistant)
    • Playback device selection
Control speaker groups with voice commands

Important: During group playback:

  • Volume commands only change the device you said the voice command to.
  • Make sure all devices in the group are powered on and connected to the WiFi network.

To do this:

Say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google," then:

Play music using group name

"Play rock on [group name]"

Control music using basic commands

"Pause"
"Resume"
"Stop"
"Play next song"

Control volume of a device in a speaker group

"Louder"
"Set volume to 40%"
From the Google device

Important: Each device's touch controls adjust only its own volume, not the speaker group's volume.

Google smart speakers

Important: Speaker touch controls change the volume of media and your voice assistant only. To change the volume of alarms and timers, use the Google Home app or the Quick settings menu on a smart display.

Google Nest Audio Google Nest Audio
Action Image

Pause, resume, or stop media

Tap the center of the Nest Audio.

tap area

Turn up the volume

Tap the right side of the Nest Audio.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 5%.

volume up touch location

Turn down the volume

Tap the left side of the Nest Audio.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 5%.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Your voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
volume down touch location
Nest Wifi point Google Nest Wifi point
Action Image

Pause, resume, or stop media

Tap the center of the Nest Wifi point.

Nest Wifi center tap

Turn up the volume

Tap the right side of the Nest Wifi point.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

Nest Wifi point volume up

Turn down the volume

Tap the left side of the Nest Wifi point.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Your voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
Nest Wifi point volume down
Googel Nest Mini Google Nest Mini (2nd gen)
The Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) has a wall mount screw slot on the back. If your device doesn’t have a wall mount screw slot, it's a Google Home Mini (1st gen).

To reverse right and left controls:

  1. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  2. Tap Home and then All devices , then touch and hold your Nest Mini's tile.
  3. Tap Settings and then Audio and then Reverse device controls.
Action Image

Pause, resume, or stop media

Tap the center of the Nest Mini.

Google Nest Mini center tap

Turn up the volume

Tap the right side of the Nest Mini.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

Google Nest Mini volume up

Turn down the volume

Tap the left side of the Nest Mini.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Your voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
Google Nest Mini volume down
Google Home Max Google Home Max
Action Image

Pause, resume, or stop media

Horizontal placement: Tap the line on the top.

Vertical placement: Tap the line on the right side.

tap vertical line
tap vertical placement

Turn up the volume

Horizontal placement: Swipe from left to right along the line on the top.

Vertical placement: Swipe up along the line on the right side.

google home max volume adjust
vertical volume adjust

Turn down the volume

Horizontal placement: Swipe from right to left along the line on the top.

Vertical placement: Swipe down along the line on the right side.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Your voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
google home max volume adjust
vertical volume adjust
Google Home Mini Google Home Mini (1st gen)
Action Image

Pause, resume, or stop media

Press and hold either side of the Home Mini.

google home mini tap diagram

Turn up the volume

Tap the right side of the Home Mini.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

volume up

Turn down the volume

Press and hold the left side of the Home Mini.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each tap changes the volume by 10%.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Your voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
volume down
Google Home Google Home
Action Image

Turn up the volume

Swipe clockwise on the top.

volume up rotation

Turn down the volume

Swipe counterclockwise on the top.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
volume down rotation

Start your request

Press and hold on the top.

touch start access

Google Nest displays

Important: To control the volume of alarms and timers, use the Quick settings menu. The volume button and media card adjust the volume of media and your voice assistant only.

Use the media card to pause, resume, play the previous or next song, or change the devices that are playing media.

Volume button
Action Image

Turn up the volume

On the back of the Nest display, press the upper volume button.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each press changes the volume by 5%.

nest hub volume up button

Turn down the volume

On the back of the Nest display, press the lower volume button.

The volume ranges from 0-100%. Each press changes the volume by 5%.

When the volume is set to 0:

  • Media is muted
  • Voice assistant speaks at 5% volume
nest hub volume down button
Quick settings menu
  1. To open the Quick settings menu, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  2. Tap Volume .
    • Use the main volume control slider for media and your voice assistant.
    • If needed, tap Expand to open the volume control slider for timers and alarms .
  3. To change the volume, swipe the slider left or right.
Media card
  1. To find the media card, swipe down from the top, then tap Media.
    • If the screen shows the media that's playing, tap the screen instead.
  2. Use the controls on the card to pause, resume, or play the previous or next song.
  3. To open more controls, tap [display name] . You’ll get a list of available devices and a volume control slider for each device that’s currently playing.
    • To start or stop playing media on a device, tap the radio button next to its name.
    • To change the volume on an active device, swipe its slider left or right.

Google Pixel Tablet (Hub Mode)

When you change the volume on your Pixel Tablet while it's docked, the volume on the speaker dock will also change.

Volume button
To do this: Touch Google Pixel Tablet like this:
Turn up the volume

Press the side button closest to the power button.

Volume up

Turn down the volume

Press the side button that's farthest from the power button.

Volume down

Media widget

When media is playing in Hub Mode, you can control playback on your lock and Home screens by touch. A media widget will automatically appear with buttons to control what's playing.

For easy touch control, some media apps have widgets you can add to your Home screen. When the widget on your Home screen, you can control the volume, pause playback, skip or change songs, podcasts, radio station, and more.

Add, remove, or move speakers while playing media

You can add or remove speakers from playback or move media from one speaker to another without creating a pre-set speaker group.

  1. Make sure your phone or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or Google Account as your speaker, display, Google streaming devices, or Pixel Tablet.

  2. Open the Google Home app Google Home app.
  3. Tap Home and then Favorites .
  4. On the mini-player, tap Cast .
  5. Tap each device that you want to add or remove. All selected devices will have a check Check.

Audio delay issues

If there's a delay between one device in the group and the others, refer to How to correct group playback delay.

Troubleshoot issues with speaker groups

Make sure your speakers are updated to firmware version 3.73 or above. This should allow you to setup speaker groups for the following device types:

  • Nest Audio
  • Nest Mini
  • Google Home Mini
  • Google Home

Speaker groups with these devices should not experience disrupted playback. If you continue to have issues with your Speaker group, remove any devices not listed above then test again.

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