Google just killed a key Home app feature, and parents are going to miss it

What you need to know

• Google has removed the “Call Home” button from the Home app, disrupting how many Nest owners communicate with their smart displays.
• Google hasn’t offered a reason, leaving support reps to give the vague “send feedback” response.
• The only workaround — using Google Meet per device — is clunky, account-heavy, and nowhere near as seamless as “Call Home.”

If you rely on your Google Nest display to keep an eye on your home when you're out, you might want to check your Google Home app today. Google has quietly removed the “Call Home” button, a beloved feature that allowed you to ring your smart displays directly from your phone.

Introduced in 2019, the feature made it easy to call a smart display in the house without needing extra phone numbers or apps. Many parents used it to check in on kids while running errands.

Now, when users open the Google Home app, the familiar button that used to appear above “Broadcast” is missing. One parent shared their frustration about this change on Reddit (via Android Authority). We can confirm that the "Call Home" button is gone from our Home app.

The frustration bubbling up across Reddit makes it clear how disruptive this change is. Owners report that the feature was woven into their daily routines, and losing it felt like Google cutting functionality from products people already paid for.

Google has not explained the change, and support teams are only telling users to send feedback.

Speculation points to Google’s broader smart-home overhaul, especially with the new Gemini integration and changes to the Home app. But without an official statement, it’s just a guess.

The workaround is clunky

The current alternatives aren’t great. You can set up Google Meet calling on Nest devices, but it requires assigning unique Google accounts and jumping through setup steps most households won’t bother with. It works, technically, but it’s nothing like the simple, friction-free Call Home button people relied on for years.

This change seems like another example of Google making its services simpler but at the expense of features people are used to. We have seen similar changes before, like when Google Keep reminders moved to Tasks.

Now, the question is whether Google will bring back this feature in a new form or if it is gone for good. Until Google releases a statement, Nest owners have to find workarounds or rethink their smart-home setup.