Google has recently enhanced its Home app by introducing a ‘Member’ role, providing users with more granular control over who can access and manage their smart home devices. This update, part of the v3.33 release, aims to offer a more secure and customizable experience for households.
Understanding the ‘Member’ Role
The ‘Member’ role is designed to allow trusted individuals—such as family members, roommates, or guests—to interact with your smart home devices without granting them full administrative privileges. By default, members can perform basic operations like turning devices on or off and viewing live feeds from Nest cameras. However, they are restricted from adding or removing devices, altering device settings, or making significant changes to the home configuration.
Customizable Permissions
To cater to varying needs, Google offers additional permissions that can be assigned to members:
– Settings Access: This permission allows members to have full device control and adjust device settings. They can also manage home-wide settings, including household automations, home address, Nest Wifi network configurations, and features related to Nest Aware and Nest Renew.
– Activity Access: With this permission, members can view device and home-wide history, such as camera footage, lock activity, Nest Wifi statistics, and home presence history.
These permissions ensure that members have the necessary access to perform their tasks without compromising the overall security and integrity of the smart home system.
Comparison of Access Levels
To provide a clear understanding of the differences between Admin and Member roles, here’s a comparative overview:
| Permission | Admin | Member |
|————|——-|——–|
| Add, manage, and remove people | ✔ | |
| Delete the home | ✔ | |
| Add and remove devices | ✔ | |
| Share devices and data with partner services | ✔ | |
| Link a subscription to the home | ✔ | |
| Set up or manage presence sensing for the home or shared devices | ✔ | |
| Full device control and device settings | ✔ | Only with Settings access |
| Manage home-wide settings (household automations, home address, Nest Wifi device network and features, Nest Aware and Nest Renew features) | ✔ | Only with Settings access |
| Use the home’s devices in the Nest app | ✔ | |
| Check device and home-wide history (camera, lock, Nest Wifi, home presence history) | ✔ | Only with Activity access |
| Check or manage camera clip-lending for devices in the home | ✔ | |
| Deletion of any history in the home | ✔ | |
| Basic device controls (e.g., live view of cameras) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Personal settings (Assistant features like Voice and Face Match, sharing linked media services, managing personal presence) | ✔ | ✔ |
Adding Members to Your Google Home
To add a member to your Google Home:
1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Navigate to the Settings tab.
3. Select ‘Household & access.’
4. Tap ‘Add’ and choose ‘Home member.’
5. Enter the individual’s name and email address.
The invitee will receive an email prompting them to accept the invitation. Notably, while the inviter must be enrolled in the Public Preview program to send invitations, recipients only need the latest version of the Google Home app to join.
Inclusion of Child Accounts
A significant enhancement with this update is the ability to add children under 13 to the Google Home app. By setting up a Google account for your child through the Family Link, you can invite them to join your Google Home as a member. This inclusion allows children to interact with smart home devices in a controlled environment, ensuring safety and appropriate access.
Conclusion
The introduction of the ‘Member’ role in the Google Home app marks a substantial step forward in smart home management. By offering customizable access levels, Google ensures that users can share their smart home experience with others without compromising security or control. Whether it’s granting a roommate the ability to adjust the thermostat or allowing a child to turn off the lights, the ‘Member’ role provides the flexibility and peace of mind that modern households require.
