Google Home allows you as a family manager to add household members with different access roles. However, some users report that they can’t add a family member to Google Home for no apparent reason. If you’re among them, check the instructions we provided below.
Why can’t I add a family member to Google Home?
In most cases, the problem with adding a family member to Google Home Household (in any capacity) lies in the incompatible email address. All household members need to have a standard Gmail address ending with gmail.com. Workspace addresses and addresses from other services won’t work and you won’t be able to add a family member.
On the other hand, if you still can’t add a family member to Google Home, we recommend reinstalling the Google Home app. Some users even suggest downloading an older version of Google Home on Android via an APK. You can find older versions available for download on the dedicated Google Home section of APK Mirror. Just don’t forget to uninstall the current version before you install the APK. Also, make sure to allow installation from unknown sources before sideloading (installing) the APK.
On the other hand, if you can add a family member as a Manager but they can’t control certain devices, check the Google Nest app and make sure that they access these devices in the Nest app rather than in Google Home. This seems to be a compatibility issue limiting access to certain devices in Google Home (e.g. cameras and smart locks) that are available in the Google Nest app. You can also try changing the member role back and forth and definitely do inspect the list of devices that a certain member can use.
Finally, we can only recommend creating a new Gmail address (new Google Account) and using it strictly for home control in the Google Home app. For some reason, certain Google Accounts just can’t be used for Google Home Household membership.
And, on that note, we can conclude this article. Don’t forget to report the problem to Google in the Google Home app, under Account > Help & feedback. Thank you for reading and feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions with us in the comments below.
