Many users have recently reported issues with their “Works with Google” smart lights, specifically regarding voice commands in Google Home that control color changes. While the lights themselves function normally, the integration with voice commands has been problematic. Voice command malfunctions are not new. Earlier this month, we covered a similar incident where common commands for Nest Thermostats, such as “turn off the thermostat,” failed to work.
Users were forced to use less intuitive phrases like “set the thermostat off.” This time, the focus is on the inability to change the color of smart lights through voice commands. Feedback over the past few days has surfaced on platforms like Reddit and Google’s Nest community forum, indicating a widespread issue across various smart light brands including Phillips, Govee, Wiz, Xiaomi, and Tuya. One user expressed frustration, stating, “I used to change lamp color using Google Home without any problem.
Now it is impossible…I can only turn the lamps on and off.” Another user noted they faced similar challenges, emphasizing that every control aspect, apart from color change, still works via voice. Users have discovered that when attempting to adjust the colors, Google Home incorrectly reports the lights are “offline.” However, commands for dimming or turning lights on and off continue to work.
Interestingly, modifying the color manually through Google Home or the dedicated app remains functional. Personally, I’ve encountered the same issue with my Philips Hue lights, and re-pairing them hasn’t rectified the problem. It seems color-change voice commands function correctly with Alexa, pointing to a specific flaw in Google Home’s integration. Google is aware of this issue and is actively working on a fix.
In the meantime, users will need to resort to manual controls using either Google Home or the lights’ native apps for color adjustments.
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