Gadronics Google is speeding up the rollout of Gemini for Home, making it far easier for people in the U.S. to try the company’s next-generation smart home assistant.
Until now, the early access program has been limited to small waves of testers, but starting December 10, anyone with a U.S. household address can request access, and receive an invitation within 24 hours.
In a post on the Google Nest community forum, the company says it will “start sending out invitations more rapidly,” marking the biggest expansion yet for Gemini’s transition into the smart home. To join, users simply need to open the Google Home app, tap their profile picture, head into Home settings, and select Early Access.
This program is separate from the Google Home Public Preview, which traditionally handled early feature tests. Gemini for Home has followed its own, slower path, likely because it’s replacing Google Assistant across Google’s smart speakers and displays. That shift is now accelerating.
Every Google Home or Nest speaker released since 2016 will get Gemini, though support varies. Devices like the Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Audio, Nest Mini (2nd gen), and Nest Hub Max will receive the full experience, including Gemini Live. Older speakers — such as the original Google Home, Home Mini, and first-gen Nest Hub — will only get the basic version without Live features.
One of the bigger surprises is Google confirming that Gemini will also replace Assistant on third-party hardware. These devices lost official Assistant support back in 2023, but they’ll still receive the Gemini for Home update when it rolls out.
If you’ve been waiting for access, Google suggests double-checking your app, some early testers may already have an invite sitting in their Home settings. And once Gemini is running on your devices, you can send feedback by saying, “Hey Google, send feedback,” or by checking the known issues thread.
For U.S. users who’ve been eager to see what Gemini can do in the smart home, this is the easiest entry point yet, and a clear sign that Google is ready to move the transition forward.
