Google Assistant

The google_assistant integration allows you to control your Home Assistant devices via Google Assistant on your mobile, tablet, or Google Home device.

If you want to send commands to Google Assistant to control devices supported by Google Assistant but not by Home Assistant, or broadcast messages to Google Assistant speakers and displays without interrupting music/video playback, take a look at the Google Assistant SDK integration.

Automatic setup via Home Assistant Cloud

With Home Assistant Cloud, you can connect your Home Assistant instance in a few simple clicks to Google Assistant. With Home Assistant Cloud you don’t have to deal with dynamic DNS, SSL certificates, or opening ports on your router. Just log in via the user interface and a secure connection with the cloud will be established. Home Assistant Cloud requires a paid subscription after a 30-day free trial.

For Home Assistant Cloud users, documentation can be found here.

Manual setup (if you don’t have Home Assistant Cloud)

The Google Assistant integration (without Home Assistant Cloud) requires a bit more setup than most due to the way Google requires Assistant Apps to be set up.

Google Cloud Platform configuration

1. Create a new project in the Actions on Google console.

   1. Select New Project and give your project a name.
   2. Select the Smart Home card, then select the Start Building button.
   3. Under Quick Setup, select Name your Smart Home action. Give your Action a name - Home Assistant will appear in the Google Home app as [test] <Action Name>
   4. Select the Overview tab at the top of the page to go back.
   5. Select Build your Action, then select Add Action(s).
   6. Add your Home Assistant URL: https://[YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT]/api/google_assistant in the Fulfillment URL textbox, replace the [YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT] with the domain / IP address and the port under which your Home Assistant is reachable.
   7. Select Save.
   8. Select the three little dots (more) icon in the upper right corner, select Project settings.
   9. Make note of the Project ID that are listed on the General tab of the Settings page.

2. Account linking is required for your app to interact with Home Assistant.

   1. Start by going back to the Overview tab.
   2. Select on Setup account linking under the Quick Setup section of the Overview page.
   3. If asked, leave options as they default No, I only want to allow account creation on my website and select Next.
   4. Then if asked, for the Linking type select OAuth and Authorization Code. Select Next.
   5. Enter the following:
      1. Client ID: https://oauth-redirect.googleusercontent.com/r/[YOUR_PROJECT_ID]. (Replace [YOUR_PROJECT_ID] with your project ID from above)
      2. Client Secret: Anything you like, Home Assistant doesn’t need this field.
      3. Authorization URL: https://[YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT]/auth/authorize. (Replace [YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT] with your values.)
      4. Token URL (replace with your actual URL): https://[YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT]/auth/token. (Replace [YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT] with your values.) Select Next, then Next again.
   6. In the Configure your client Scopes textbox, type email and select Add scope, then type name and select Add scope again.
   7. Do NOT check Google to transmit clientID and secret via HTTP basic auth header.
   8. Select Next, then select Save.
   

3. Select the Develop tab at the top of the page, then, in the upper right hand corner, select the Test button to generate the draft version Test App. If you don’t see this option, go to the Test tab instead, select the Settings button in the top right below the header, and ensure On device testing is enabled (if it isn’t, enable it).

4. Enable device sync (see below for more information).

   1. Go to Google Cloud Platform.
   2. Go to Select a project.
   3. In the window that popped up, select your newly created project from step 1.
   4. Go to the menu and select APIs and Services and next Credentials.
   5. In the Credentials view, select Create credentials and next Service account.
      1. Service account name: Give your account a self-selected name.
      2. Select Create and Continue.
      3. Under Select a role, select Service Accounts > Service Account Token Creator.
      4. Select Continue and then Done.
   6. Under Service Accounts, there should now be an account called [name from 5.1]@[projectname].iam.gserviceaccount.com.
   7. Select the pencil button of that service account.
   8. Go to Keys and Add key.
   9. Create a private key in JSON format.
   10. This will start a download of a JSON file.
       1. Rename the file to SERVICE_ACCOUNT.JSON.
       2. Add this file to your config-folder. This will be the same folder as yourconfiguration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more].
   11. Go back to Google Cloud Platform and select Close.
   12. Then select Save.
   13. Go to the Search products and resources and search for Homegraph API and select it.
   14. Enable the HomeGraph API.

5. Add the google_assistant integration configuration to yourconfiguration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more] file and restart Home Assistant following the configuration guide below.

6. Add services in the Google Home App (note that app versions may be slightly different).

   1. Open the Google Home app.
   2. Select the + button on the top left corner, select Set up device. In the Set up a device screen, select Works with Google. You should have [test] <Action Name> listed under Add new. Selecting that should lead you to a browser to login your Home Assistant instance, then redirect back to a screen where you can set rooms and nicknames for your devices if you wish.

Allow other users

If you want to allow other household users to control the devices:

1. Open the project you created in the Actions on Google console.
2. Select Test on the top of the page, then select Simulator located to the page left, then click the three little dots (more) icon in the upper right corner of the console.
3. Select Manage user access. This redirects you to the Google Cloud Platform IAM permissions page.
4. Select Grant access at the top of the page.
   1. Enter the email address of the user you want to add.
   2. Select Select a role and choose Project > Viewer.
   3. Select Save.
   4. Copy and share the Actions project link (https://console.actions.google.com/project/YOUR_PROJECT_ID/simulator) with the new user.
5. Have the new user open the link with their own Google account, agree to the Terms of Service popup. Then select Start Testing, select Version - Draft in the dropdown, and select Done.
6. Have the new user go to their Google Assistant app to add [test] your app name to their account.

Enable device sync

If you want to support active reporting of state to Google’s server (configuration option report_state) and synchronize Home Assistant devices with the Google Home app (google_assistant.request_sync service), you will need to create a service account. It is recommended to set up this configuration key as it also allows the usage of the following command, “Ok Google, sync my devices”. Once you have set up this component, you will need to call this service (or command) each time you add a new device in Home Assistant that you wish to control via the Google Assistant integration. This allows you to update devices without unlinking and relinking an account (see below).

The service account is created by following Step 4 (Enable device sync) in the previous section Google Cloud Platform configuration.

Try it with “OK Google, sync my devices” - the Google Home app should import your exposed Home Assistant devices and prompt you to assign them to rooms.

Enable local fulfillment

Google Assistant devices can send their commands locally to Home Assistant allowing them to respond faster.

Your Home Assistant instance needs to be connected to the same network as the Google Assistant device that you’re talking to so that it can be discovered via mDNS discovery (UDP broadcasts).

Your Google Assistant devices will still communicate via the internet to:

• Get credentials to establish a local connection.
• Send commands that involve a secure device.
• Send commands if local fulfillment fails.

1. Open the project you created in the Actions on Google console.
2. Select Develop on the top of the page, then select Actions located in the hamburger menu on the top left.
3. Upload Javascript files
   1. Download app.js from here
   2. Select the Upload JavaScript files button.
   3. Select Upload your JavaScript targeting Node and upload the app.js from step 3.1.
   4. Select Upload your JavaScript targeting Chrome (browser) and upload the app.js from step 3.1.
4. Check the box Support local query under Add capabilities.
5. Add device scan configuration:
   1. Select + New scan config if no configuration exists.
   2. Select MDNS.
   3. Set MDNS service name to _home-assistant._tcp.local
   4. Select Add field, then under Select a field, choose Name.
   5. Enter a new Value field set to .*\._home-assistant\._tcp\.local
6. Save your changes.
7. Either wait for 30 minutes, or restart all your Google Assistant devices.
8. Restart Home Assistant Core.
9. With a Google Assistant device, try saying “OK Google, sync my devices.” This can be helpful to avoid issues, especially if you are enabling local fulfillment sometime after adding cloud Google Assistant support.

You can debug the setup by following these instructions.

YAML configuration

Now add your setup to your configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more] file, such as:

# Example configuration.yaml entry
google_assistant:
  project_id: YOUR_PROJECT_ID
  service_account: !include SERVICE_ACCOUNT.JSON
  report_state: true
  exposed_domains:
    - switch
    - light
  entity_config:
    switch.kitchen:
      name: CUSTOM_NAME_FOR_GOOGLE_ASSISTANT
      aliases:
        - BRIGHT_LIGHTS
        - ENTRY_LIGHTS
    light.living_room:
      expose: false
      room: LIVING_ROOM

Available domains

Currently, the following domains are available to be used with Google Assistant, listed with their default types:

• alarm_control_panel (arm/disarm)
• button (scene)
• camera (streaming, requires compatible camera)
• climate (on/off, temperature setting, hvac_mode)
• cover (on/off/set position/stop/start=toggle cover)
• event (only entities with device class doorbell are supported)
• fan (on/off/speed percentage/preset mode)
• group (on/off)
• humidifier (humidity setting/on/off/mode)
• input_boolean (on/off)
• input_button
• input_select (option/setting/mode/value)
• light (on/off/brightness/rgb color/color temp)
• lock
• media_player (on/off/set volume (via set volume)/source (via set input source)/control playback)
• scene (on)
• script (on)
• select
• sensor (temperature setting for temperature sensors and humidity setting for humidity sensors)
• switch (on/off)
• vacuum (dock/start/stop/pause)
• valve (open/close/set position/stop/start=toggle valve)
• water_heater (on-off/temperature setting/operation mode)

Secure devices

Certain devices are considered secure. This includes devices in the lock domain, the alarm_control_panel domain, as well as covers with device types door, garage, or gate.

By default, secure devices cannot be opened by Google Assistant unless a secure_devices_pin code is set up. To allow opening, set the secure_devices_pin to something. You will then be prompted to speak the pin when opening the device. Closing or locking these devices does not require a pin.

If a code is set for the Alarm control panel, it must be the same as the secure_devices_pin. If code_arm_required is set to false, the system will arm without prompting for the pin.

Room/Area support

Entities that have not been explicitly assigned to rooms but have been placed in Home Assistant areas will return room hints to Google with the devices in those areas.

Climate operation modes

There is not an exact 1-1 match between Home Assistant and Google Assistant for the available operation modes. Here are the modes that are currently available:

• off
• heat
• cool
• heatcool (auto)
• fan-only
• dry
• eco

TV Channels

There is no TV channel object in Home Assistant. TV channel can only be changed by number, not by name (for example, Turn to channel two).

Troubleshooting

404 errors on request sync

Syncing from Google Assistant may fail after a period of time, likely around 30 days, due to the fact that your Actions on Google app is technically in testing mode and has never been published. Eventually, it seems that the test expires. Control of devices will continue to work but syncing may not. If you say “Ok Google, sync my devices” and get the response “Unable to sync Home Assistant” (or whatever you named your project), this can usually be resolved by going back to your test app in the Actions on Google console and clicking Simulator under TEST. Regenerate the draft version Test App and try asking Google to sync your devices again. If regenerating the draft does not work, go back to the Action section and just hit the enter key for the URL to recreate the Preview.

Syncing from Home Assistant will always work and will automatically update entity changes.

The request_sync service requires that the initial sync from Google includes the agent_user_id. If not, the service will log an error that reads something like “Request contains an invalid argument”. If this happens, then unlink the account from Home Control and relink.

The request_sync service may fail with a 404 if the project_id of the HomeGraph API differs from the project_id of the Actions SDK found in the preferences of your project on Actions on Google console. Resolve this by:

1. Removing your project from the Google Cloud API Console.
2. Add a new project to the Actions on Google console Here you get a new project_id.
3. Run through the previously mentioned [Actions on Google console] setup instructions until the step to create a service_account.
4. Once you begin to create a new service_account in the [Google Cloud API Console], ensure you select the project created in [Actions on Google console] by verifying the project_id.
5. Enable HomeGraph API to the new project.

Verify that the Google Assistant is available on https://[YOUR HOME ASSISTANT URL:PORT]/api/google_assistant If it is working it should return 405: Method Not Allowed when opened in a browser or via curl.

403 errors on request sync

The request_sync action may fail with a 403 if the HomeGraph API is not enabled. Go to Google API Console and verify that HomeGraph API is enabled for your project.

404 errors on report state

If you receive 404 errors linked to reporting state in your log, Home Assistant is reporting state for entities that were never synced to Google. Ask your Google Home to Sync my devices or run the google_assistant.request_sync action.

Error during linking: “Could not update the setting. Please check your connection”

Your fulfillment URL may be invalid or unreachable. Recheck the Fulfillment URL as specified in Manual Setup and verify that it’s publicly reachable.

500 / 429 error on request sync

This error may occur if the service key is invalid. Try deleting and creating a new service account and key.

NGINX

When using NGINX, ensure that your proxy_pass line does not have a trailing /, as this will result in errors. Your line should look like:

proxy_pass http://localhost:8123;

Unlink and relink

If you’re having trouble with Account linking failed after you unlinked your service, try clearing the browser history and cache.

Failed linking - Could not update the setting. Please check your connection

If you’re having trouble linking your account, with the error message Could not update the setting. Please check your connection after logging into your Home Assistant instance, try setting expose_by_default: false then exposing a single simple device (light or switch preferably). It is also worth checking if any home ad blocker is disabled if you are having issues.