Google Home on the web just got a lot more useful

A truckload of exciting Google Home news is expected to hit next week, including new smart devices and more details about Gemini for Home. But Google still managed to sneak in a different smart home announcement this week, and it’s a welcome one. 

The news focuses on the web-based version of Google Home, which just added a major new feature: the ability to control your Google Home-connected devices directly over the web. 

A new Devices tab now sits in the left-hand column of the Google Home web interface, snuggled in-between the existing Cameras and Automations tab. Click the tab, and you’ll get a room-by-room rundown of your Google Home-connected smart devices, including clickable controls. 

For example, I can now adjust the smart lights in my office by dragging their sliders, or click to toggle their power states on or off. Light groups are also available, as well as smart plugs, thermostats, and even smart blinds. 

Ben Patterson/Foundry

The addition of smart device controls is a major step forward for the Google Home web interface, but the new controls aren’t yet perfect. While you can adjust the brightness and power state of your smart lights, you can’t yet change their colors or engage a light scene, for example. I was also unable to check the status of an Airthings air quality sensor, while a third-party TP-Link Tapo camera was unviewable. 

For its part, Google says it’s “continuing to invest in expanding controls for more device types and will share more information when they’re available.” 

Still, the addition of even basic smart home controls is a big win for Google Home on the web, giving Google Home users a way to take charge of their devices without needing to track down their phones. 

The web interface for Google Home first launched nearly three years ago, namely as a way to monitor your live Nest Cam feeds in a web browser. 

In March 2024, Google added the ability to review your Nest Cam timelines on the web, as well as download recorded clips and trim the length of a video event. 

The rollout of device controls for Google Home’s web interface is just the first Google Home announcement expected in the coming days. 

On October 1, Google is slated to unveil more details about its Gemini for Home plans, and it also appears poised to unwrap new Google Home hardware, including a smart speaker and new Nest cams. 

This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras.