How to Hard Reset Google Home

Original Google Home smart speaker, during booting, along with AC power adapter plugged Into wall outlet.

Covers How to Hard Reset Google Home. Now you can reset this original version of the speaker to restore proper operation. A hard reset readies the unit for transfer to another person. Here, we show how to hard reset google home original.

How to Hard Reset Google Home: Step by Step

1. Connect the Google Home to AC Power

First, wait for speaker to boot. After it does, then move on to the next step.

2. Press and Hold the Mic Mute Button

Once the light ring finishes spinning and flashing, wait for it to go completely dark after booting finishes. Then, press and hold the Microphone Mute button. Find this button on the back near the top of the Google Home speaker, as shown next. Hold it in for roughly five seconds.

The first Google Home, rear view. Showing the -Mic Mute / Hard Reset- button.

While holding in the mute button, notice that the ring of lights on the top begin glowing orange. In varying brightness patterns, these give a visual cue of a countdown to hard reset.

The flashing orange light pattern, meaning that a reboot is about to occur.

3. Confirm Reboot by Continuing to Hold the Mic Mute Button In

Then, after about five seconds, the speaker says, “You’re about to completely reset Google Home. To cancel, release the button.” Release the Microphone Mute button NOW if you decide not to erase all speaker settings.

4. Keep the Mic Mute Button Depressed to Continue with How to Hard Reset Google Home

So this continues with the hard reset. After a little while, the orange ring goes out. Then, the top turns white in a spinning pattern. At this time, the speaker performs its hard reset action, as shown next.

The original Google Home with reset in progress, displaying white spinning light ring pattern.

5. Reboot Begins

Then after about ten seconds, the unit’s top goes dark. Next, a system reboot starts, with a multi-colored pattern lighting up, as shown next.

The multi colored light ring during reboot.

6. Reboot Finishes

Then, you hear the startup complete music and then the speaker speaks, “Welcome to Google Home. To start then, download the Google Home app on a phone or tablet.”

7. The Google Home Then Enters Setup Mode

Then, after hard reset, the unit enters Setup mode. This means that the Google Home is now ready to accept setup directives from the Home app. The speaker tells us this by displaying the four white blips in a dimming and then brightening pattern.

The four glowing white dots that mean setup mode is active.

The light ring turns white with the four dots lighting up, meaning setup mode. The unit then stays in setup until you run the setup routine. Note that the unit will not work until set up and linked to a Google account.

8. Done !

Feel free now, to give your Google Home to another person. Don’t worry that they’ll access the settings or personal info on your Google account. They won’t. Or, you can set it up again on your own account. Perhaps with a new WiFi network or device name.