Google Home Spring 2026 Update Adds Gemini 3.1, Web Interface, and Improved Camera Navigation

Google is set to release a comprehensive update for Google Home this May. The update includes new AI features, improvements to the camera interface, a newly designed web-based control interface, and expanded automation options.

The details were shared in a post on the Google Nest Community forum and also covered in a Google blog post.

Gemini 3.1 and Camera Upgrades in the Google Home App

Users enrolled in the Gemini for Home early access program are receiving an upgrade to Gemini 3.1. Google describes the model as its most advanced for home use, with better reasoning that is designed to handle multi-step requests in a single command.

Users can link tasks such as adding items to a list while updating existing ones or combining alarm setting, calendar updates, and smart home controls in one instruction rather than issuing separate commands.

The Nest camera experience within the Google Home app is getting a series of updates:

• Event notifications now automatically crop and zoom to focus on the subject that triggered the alert, instead of showing the full frame.
• The new user interface provides faster navigation and smoother video scrubbing. Additionally, the event list can be scrolled through without closing the video player
• Some of these new features are being extended to older Nest camera models, not just the latest hardware.

Ask Home on Web and Expanded Automation Controls

A new feature called Ask Home on Web is arriving soon in public preview for desktop and ChromeOS users. It will enable users to search through camera history, check device statuses, and create home automations directly from a browser, without needing to open the mobile app.

The update introduces support for more precise device states as automation triggers. New conditions now include the status of robot vacuums, appliance cycles, door lock states, and device battery levels. The notification improvements feature Quick Action buttons that take users directly to the relevant device panel and automatically switch between homes in the background for those managing multiple properties.

Additionally, users can opt into Public Preview features through the Google Home app settings.

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Posted Wednesday 6 May 2026 at 5:12 pm AEST (my time).

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