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Google Home Now Supports Multiple Accounts

Now, up to six people can connect their accounts to one Google Home, and the speaker will recognize each person's voice and respond accordingly.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Do you have a bunch of people fighting over the single Google Home in your abode? Google is about to restore the peace.

The Web giant today started rolling out a highly requested feature for its voice-powered speaker: support for multiple accounts. Now, up to six people can connect their accounts to one Google Home, and the speaker will recognize each person's voice and respond accordingly. The feature is launching today for Home users in the US, and should arrive in the UK in the "coming months," Google said.

So now, when you say "Okay Google, good morning," the speaker will tell you what's on your schedule for the day and how your commute looks instead of responding with information for your spouse, who set up the device.

To try out this feature, be sure you have the latest version of the Google Home app. Then, open the app and look for a card that says "multi-user is available." If you don't see this card, click on the icon in the top right to see all your connected devices. When you see your Google Home on the list, select "Link your account."

From there, the device will ask you to say the phrases "Ok Google" and "Hey Google" two times each. Those phrases will be analyzed by a neural network that can detect the characteristics of your voice.

Through this process "you'll teach your Assistant to understand it's you, not your partner, family member or roommate—and vice versa, based on who's speaking," Product Manager Yury Pinsky wrote in a blog post.

That way, in the future, "any time you say 'Ok Google' or 'Hey Google' to your Google Home, the neural network will compare the sound of your voice to its previous analysis so we can understand if it's you speaking or not," Pinsky explained. "This comparison takes place only on your device, in a matter of milliseconds."

For certain features, such as personalized music and commute information, you'll also need to set up your preferences in the app.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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