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Google Home Now Connects to Other Bluetooth Speakers

Until now, you could only connect Home Mini to a larger, Chromecast-enabled speaker for better sound quality.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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When we here at PCMag reviewed the Google Home Mini last fall, one of our chief complaints was that it didn't "play well with others." That should be less of an issue in the future, as Google has announced that all Home devices can – finally – connect to other Bluetooth speakers.

"We brought this feature to life after hearing how much you wanted to amp up the sound with your Google Home Mini," Google Home Product Manager Surbhi Kaul wrote in a blog post.

Until now, you could only connect Home Mini to a larger, Chromecast-enabled speaker for better sound quality. But as we noted in our review, there aren't a ton of Chromecast-enabled speakers available. And by itself, Home Mini's sound is "tinny and harsh."

Fortunately, you can now connect the device to any Bluetooth speaker you have. To do that, open the Google Home app, open device settings, and follow the pairing instructions. Once you get it all hooked up, just use voice commands like you normally would with your Home to play whatever you want.

"The music will automatically play on your Bluetooth speaker—without you having to tell Google the name of the device," Kaul wrote.

You can even put your Bluetooth speaker in one room and your Google Home in another, and pump the jams all over the house.

"Turn on background music at dinner and have it follow you into the living room for dessert," Kaul wrote. "Or catch up on your podcasts as you move room to room tidying up."

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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