Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Google Home Settings screen, showing that a Wi-Fi connection was made successfully.

Google Home Change WiFi

You may get WiFi connection errors when booting your Google Home speaker. Or, you may notice that your speaker device does not show as connected in the Google Home app.  Both problems occur when the speaker is no longer linked to your WiFi network, unless it is online (i.e. connected successfully to your  network with internet access).  These situations can occur if you’ve changed your WiFi network name (SSID) or the network password, but have not yet updated your Google Home device accordingly.  This post details how to Google Home change WiFi instructions to account for new router additions or replacements. They show you how to add your Home speaker to a new WiFi network.

With your iOS or Android based tablet and the Google Home app, connecting your smart speaker to a different Wi-Fi network is a breeze, as follows.

We assume here that the Google Home App has previously been linked to your Google account.

The screenshots below were taken from an Apple iPad Air.  However, a similar Google Home app for Android is also available from the Google Play store.

Now, to the procedure.

Google Home Change WiFi Instructions, Step by Step

1. Connect your Google Home to Power

If not already operating, plug your speaker into a power source, as you’ll need to access the network parameters stored in its memory, as described below.  You won’t be able to change these settings without AC power.  The next picture shows the Google Home speaker connected to AC power via the included AC adapter.

Picture of the Google Home speaker powering up, showing multi-colored ring of lights on top, spinning and blinking during boot.
Google Home speaker powering up, showing multi-colored ring of lights on top, spinning and blinking during boot.

Wait until the Home finishes booting before proceeding to the next step.

2. Move your Mobile Device Close to the Speaker

Avoid being further than fifteen to twenty feet away, for fastest setup speed and fewest errors.

3. Start up the Google Home App

Run this app on your phone or tablet.  This app gives you access to your current Google devices and settings, and allows you to change them as needed.

Find the app somewhere on the home screen pages, depending on where you might have moved it.  On our iPad Air, it’s on home page three, as shown next, as pointed at by the purple arrow.

Picture of the Google Home App entry, as shown on the iOS home screen.
Google Home App entry, as shown on the iOS home screen. Google Home change WiFi.

We got the following screen at Google Home App startup.

Picture of the Home app on iOS, displaying the startup banner screen. Google Home change WiFi.
The Home app on iOS, displaying the startup banner screen. Google Home change WiFi.

After a short period, you’re taken to the home screen.  Ours displayed as follows.

Displaying its Home screen after successful smart speaker setup.
Displaying its Home screen after successful smart speaker setup.




4. Tap the Hamburger Menu to Continue with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

This item (the three horizontal stacked lines) is located at top left corner of the Home screen, as displayed in the previous picture.  The app’s main menu then displays as shown in the next picture.

Screenshot of the main menu, with the Devices item highlighted.
The main menu, with the Devices item highlighted. Google Home change WiFi.

5. Tap the Devices Menu Item

In the main (hamburger) menu, find the Devices item, as pointed at by the purple arrow in the previous screenshot.  You may have to swipe up in the menu area in order to scroll the Devices item into view.

Depending on whether or not your speaker is connected currently to a WiFi network,  different screens will appear at this point.

If your speaker is currently connected and wirking  correctly, you’ll then see a screen like one in step 6.  Go there for further instructions in this case.

If your speaker is powered up but not connected to any WiFi, then you’ll see a screen like the one pictured at the top of step 7.  Go there to continue.

6. Speaker Online or Connected

Screenshot of the Devices screen, with its hamburger menu link highlighted.
The Devices screen, with its hamburger menu link highlighted.

This shows that your speaker is online and can accept voice commands and questions. This would be the case if you have multiple Wi-Fi networks in your home, and you wish to disconnect your speaker from one of them that is working, and connect it to another of them.  Maybe you moved the speaker from the first to the second floor, and would like to connect it to the second floor access point if you have one, because its Wi-Fi signal is stronger and more reliable up there. In short, you’re moving your speaker from one working Wi-Fi network to another.

6a. Tap the Device’s Hamburger Menu

Find this pointed to by the purple arrow in the next picture.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying the hamburger menu on the Devices screen.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying the hamburger menu on the Devices screen. Google Home change WiFi.

Your speaker’s Settings screen then appears, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app running on iOS, displaying the Device Settings screen.
Google Home app running on iOS, displaying the Device Settings screen.

6b. Tap the Wi-Fi setting on the Device Settings Screen

See this in the last picture.  This setting displays the WiFi network to which the speaker currently connects, as displayed in the next screenshot in step 6c.

In this demo, we wish to disconnect from the 937T681J4059H_5G network, and connect to the 937T681J4059H_2G  network.  Both are in range and available to the Google speaker.





6c. Tap the Forget This Network Bar to Continue with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

As shown next, our speaker is currently connected to the 937T681J4059H_5G network.  We want to forget that network.  So we do so by tapping the red bar. Doing this step disconnects your speaker from its current WiFi, as well as forces it to forget the settings for that network (SSID, security type, and password et al).

Screenshot of the Forget Wi-Fi Network option on the Wi-Fi Settings screen.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Forget Wi-Fi Network option on the Wi-Fi Settings screen.

6d. Confirm Current WiFi Network Forgetting

The Forget Network Confirmation screen then appears, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Forget Wi-Fi Network confirmation dialog box.
The Forget Wi-Fi Network confirmation dialog box. Google Home change WiFi.

Then, tap the  Forget This Wi-Fi Network link.

The app then displays the Forgetting Wi-Fi network screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Forgetting Wi-Fi Network screen.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Forgetting Wi-Fi Network screen.

After a short pause, the app returns you to its Home screen, as shown next.

Back to the app's Home screen.
Back to the app’s Home screen.

6e. Again, Tap the Hamburger Menu

Find this in the top left corner of the app’s Home page.

The main menu then displays as shown in the next picture.

Screenshot of the main menu, with the Devices item highlighted.
The main menu, with the Devices item highlighted. Google Home change WiFi.

6f. Tap the Devices Item

In the main (hamburger) menu, find the Devices item, as pointed at by the purple arrow in the previous screenshot.

You’ll now get the same screenshot as covered in step 7, next.





7. Speaker Offline or Disconnected from WiFi 

If your speaker is offline (i.e. not able to connect to any in-range Wi-Fi networks), or if you previously disconnected it from WiFi as described in step 6, then you’ll see something like the next screen.

Picture of the Devices screen, showing that the speaker it found needs setup.
The Devices screen, showing that the google speaker it found needs setup.

Your speaker may not be able to connect to a wireless network for example, if you have just replaced the Wi-Fi router / access point that your speaker had been connecting to previously, but you used a different network name (SSID).  In that case, the old Wi-Fi network is no longer “on the air.”  But the Google speaker cannot yet connect to the new one, as it does not yet have valid network SSID and password for it.

The screen above indicates no Wi-Fi connectivity by flagging your speaker as needing setup.

Further, with the speaker not connected to any internet network, Google Home will be unable to respond to any questions / commands directed at your speaker, except to say, “I can’t find your Wi-Fi network.  You can reconnect to Wi-Fi from your Google Home app, under Devices, then Setup.”  This audio message from the speaker is a sure sign that it is not connected to any WiFi networks currently.

8. Press the  SET UP  Link on Devices Screen to Continue with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

Reminder: Be sure your tablet is within several feet of the speaker.  If it is not, then setup may fail.

But if all goes well, the app then searches for your speaker, and finds it, as shown in the next screen.

Picture of the Setup screen, with a Google Home device found.
The Setup screen, with a Google Home device it found. Google Home change WiFi.

9. Tap the   CONTINUE >  Link

The app then tries to connect to your speaker.

When it succeeds, it puts up the following screen.

Picture of the screen showing a successful connection to speaker.
The app showing a successful connection to speaker.

Then after a few seconds, it prompts you for permission to play a test sound on the speaker,

The app displaying the Setup screen, prompting to play a test sound on the speaker.
The app Setup screen, prompting to play a test sound on the speaker. Google Home change WiFi.




10. Tap the  PLAY TEST SOUND  Link

When you tap this link, your speaker should play a short chord sequence, further indicating that the app connected to the right speaker.

Then, the following screen appears on the tablet, asking if you heard the test sound from your speaker.  If you did indeed hear the test sound, then go on to the next step, and confirm that.

Picture of the Setup screen, asking if we heard the test sound from the speaker.
The Setup screen, asking if we heard the test sound from the speaker.

11. Tap the   I HEARD THE SOUND  Link

Then, the app asks you to choose a room name for your speaker, as shown in the next screenshot.

Picture of the app prompting us to choose a room for the speaker.
Google Home app on iOS, prompting us to choose a room for the speaker. Google Home change WiFi.

12. Pick a Room Name for your Speaker to Continue with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

from the pull-down list box on the previous screen.  The screen then changes to the following, showing our room choice (Living Room), as shown next.

Picture of the Setup screen, showing Living Room selected for speaker.
The Setup screen, showing Living Room chosen for speaker.

13. Tap the  CONTINUE > Link

The   Select a Wi-Fi network  prompt then appears as follows.

The setup screen, prompting user to select the WiFi network to which the speaker should connect.
The Setup screen, prompting user to select the WiFi network to which the speaker should connect.

14. Tap the Arrow in Pull-Down List Box  

A list of available networks appears as shown next.

Picture of the Setup page, showing the Select WiFi Network From List window.
The Setup page, showing the Select WiFi Network From List window.

15. Tap the WiFi Network Name you Want

In our case, we wish our speaker to connect to the 937T681J4059H_2G Wi-Fi network.  So that’s the one we selected.  Note that the network list window disappears, revealing once again the Wi-Fi network select screen. But this time however, our chosen network is filled in, in the network name field.

Picture of the Setup screen, showing a WiFi network selected.
The Setup screen, showing a WiFi network selected. Google Home change WiFi.




16. Enter Password of the New WiFi 

Tap the Enter your Wi-Fi password field, see the virtual keyboard appear, and then type in the password.  Your screen should look similarly to the next screen shot.

Picture of the Setup screen, with a WiFi password entered.
The Setup screen, showing a WiFi password entered.

17. Tap the   CONTINUE >  Link to Continue with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

Touch  CONTINUE> once you’ve typed in the password.  Your speaker then connects to your Wi-Fi network of choice.  If it encounters no trouble, the Wi-Fi Connection Successful screen appears, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Settings screen, showing that a WiFi connection was made successfully.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Settings screen, showing that a WiFi connection was made successfully.

18. Tap the   FINISH > link,

Touching FINISH> takes you back to the Google Home app Home screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Home screen.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying the Home screen.

19. Done with Google Home Change WiFi Instructions !

Your speaker is now connected to a different WiFi network.  Ask it the time, and you’ll know the connection is good if the speaker responds with the correct answer.

Other Posts About the Original Google Home Smart Speaker

    1. Does Google Home Speaker have Bluetooth ?
    2. Pandora Setup on Google Home Instructions
    3. Google Home Pairing Instructions for this Smart Speaker
    4. How to Unlink Pandora from Google Home
    5. Google Home Speaker Review, Features, Functions

Related Posts to Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

    1. Original Google Home Smart Speaker Review
    2. Bookport Plus Change WiFi Instructions
    3. Change WiFi on Logitech Squeezebox Boom Internet Radio
    4. Original Google Home Wi-Fi Smart Speaker Picture Gallery
    5. Resetting Original Google Home Smart Speaker to Factory Default State

References for Google Home Change WiFi Instructions

    1. Google Assistant Official Page

Revision History

    • 2020-05-15: Further optimized text and added more tags.
    • 2019-05-13: Added targeting for ‘Google Home Change WiFi’, removed ad scripts, and added tags.
    • 2017-01-03: Originally published.