If you're not using night mode on Google Home, you're doing it wrong

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

Google Home Max
Google Home Max (Image credit: Android Central)

When you think of "night mode" on a device, you think of a dimmed screen and muted notifications. I'd never really thought about it on something that doesn't have a display.

That is, until I stashed the Google Home Max in my bedroom.

Because there's nothing quite like enjoying a day full of Norwegian death metal in the comfort of one's own chambers, only to retire to bed in the evening and command Google Assistant to turn off all the lights and OK TURNING OFF NINE LIGHTS — IT LOOKS LIKE FOUR LIGHTS AREN'T AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW GOODNIGHT PHIL SORRY ABOUT WAKING THE KIDS AND FOR TOTALLY KILLING THE MOOD BUT DON'T WORRY I'M SURE THIS SORT OF THING HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

Google Home — and especially Google Home Max when kept where the magic happens — badly need a night mode.

Turns out Google Home has a night mode.

Head into the Google Home app (opens in new tab) and hit that awful little devices icon to get to the list of all your Googles Home. (Or is it Google Homes? Whatever.) Then find the device you want to enable night mode on. Hit the three-button overflow menu and choose settings. Then choose Night Mode.

From there, you can set the Night Mode schedule (mine is now at a depressingly early 9 p.m.), adjust the LED brightness (less of a big deal) and maximum volume (a very big deal).

What you can't do is set this from the Google Home itself — you'll have to go into the app to do the deed. So much for smart assistants, eh?

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson
16 Comments
  • Thanks Phil!
  • This is a great idea. Need this for my Harman Kardon invoke.
  • Yeah, I turned on Night Mode as soon as I came across it. If I recall correctly, you have to do it for each Home speaker individually, which makes sense. However, I'd like if you could also set an optional default volume for when it resets. That way, you could increase/decrease volume for a specific occasion, knowing that it'll reset the next day.
  • I can't find this menu inside the Google Home app. Nevermind, figured it out. You have to be on the same network as the Google Home to access these settings.
  • 9am! I would kill for that! I'm up at 5:45am everyday! 😕🤣
    I didn't know about this feature, so thanks again Phil!
  • I'm up at 230am for work bro
  • 9 pm he said. He was referring to how early Night Mode has to be activated in his house
  • Nice, now if only there was a way to turn off the bootup sound for when the power flickers in the middle of the night.
  • i was going to suggest connecting to a small UPS, but then I imagined the UPS screaming about the power outage as well. i guess we can't have electrics without noise these days.
  • I wish I could set the voice audio and the media audio at separate volumes. My wife listens to music sometimes really quiet, so then when I ask it something, I have to then turn up the volume and ask it again. I just want it to be at volume 5 all the time.
  • It already is, sort of. When I play white noise during the night and set it to 5%, the voice still stays the same. But that only works for some things. And only sometimes.
  • Norwegian death metal. I always knew you were cool, Phil.
  • Go DEVILS!!
  • Great article and funny. Thanks!!
  • Well if it would work in Europe...
    Apparently the wrong time zone is used. It sets the night mode through almost the whole day just for getting out of it for 3 hours, then back on night mode.
    This does not apply to the Google Home Mini I have, but to the original Google Home.
  • I've tried this. It does not suppress all acknowledgement responses, not even if the level is set to "0" Without Night mode active, some commands don't get acknowledged, some do.