Over the years, we got multiple generations of Google Home smart speakers and displays powered by Google Assistant. And, most devices are usually reliable although one could’ve thought years ago that the advancements won’t be marginal with each new device. Not to mention that there’s a plethora of issues and overall functionality seems to be declining for many users. One common error concerns voice responses that inform users about an error or a glitch. For some Google Home keeps saying that Something went wrong and that you should try again in a few seconds. Learn how to fix it below.
Table of contents:
- Restart your smart speaker or display
- Check the network
- Clear the data or reinstall Google Home App
- Remove and add the smart bulb again
- Reset the Google Home device to factory settings
How to fix There was a glitch error on Google Home?
If you get Something went wrong or There was a glitch, try again in a few seconds on your Google Home speaker or display, give it a quick restart, check the network, or reinstall the Google Home app on your Android or iPhone. If that does nothing, check the linked devices (in my case, the smart bulb was causing the error), or reset the Google Home speaker or display to factory settings.
1. Restart your smart speaker or display
The first thing you can do to, hopefully, fix this problem is restart your smart speaker or display. To do that, just unplug the device from the power source, plug it in again, and wait for it to boot again. Some users claim that the issues stopped after a restart although we can’t claim that it will work for everyone.
If the issue persists, the next step is to check the network as your Google Home device might keep having connectivity issues, especially when trying to control other devices like smart bulbs or cameras.
2. Check the network
Google Home speaker or display will usually say that something went wrong whenever it tries to perform a task but it can’t connect to the internet or can’t communicate with a smart device or a linked service. If your Google Nest device keeps disconnecting you can try restarting your router, switching to the 2.4 GHz wireless band, or removing and setting up your speaker/display once again.
Make sure that your Google Home/Google Nest device is positioned close to the router and that there are no settings in place that might affect the network connection. If you’re certain that the network is not causing the error messages (Something went wrong or There was a glitch), check the next step on the list.
3. Clear the data or reinstall Google Home App
Although rarely, the issue might lie in the Google Home app you use on your Android or iPhone. Some users suggest that certain functionality issues disappeared after they reinstalled the app. But, before you do that, we suggest clearing local data first and looking for changes. If the issue persists, you can remove the device from your Home and add it again.
Here’s how to clear local data from the Google Home app on Android:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Choose Google Home from the list of available apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear data and restart your phone.
- Open Google Home and sign into your home again.
- Test the speaker/display to see if the glitch happens again.
Alternatively, you can reinstall the app in the Play Store or in App Store if you’re an iPhone user.
4. Remove and add the smart bulb again
After a few tries, I managed to recreate the “Something went wrong, try again in a few seconds” error and the cause was a smart bulb that was perpetually loading when I asked Google Nest Hub to turn the lights on. This probably applies to other smart devices that either glitch out for some reason or have a temporary connectivity problem. If that’s the case, you can remove the device (unlink it from Google Home) and try adding it again. In some cases, we would even suggest resetting it to factory settings by using the companion app.
Here’s how to remove and unlink a third-party device from Google Home:
- Open Google Home.
- Select your home and tap on the device that gives you trouble.
- Tap on the cog icon to open Settings.
- Tap Unlink and confirm.
- Then go back and tap on the plus icon at the top left corner.
- Select Works with Google.
- Search for the OEM and select it.
- Sign in with the account you used in the companion app to set up the device.
To reset a certain smart device like a smart plug, camera, or bulb/LED strip, install the companion app (e.g. Philips Hue App) and follow the instructions provided there. Later on, you can link it again by following the instructions provided above. Also, don’t forget that Google Home might keep double entries for the same device, so make sure to remove the old entry before linking the same device anew.
Also, if the error appears in certain linked services, like Spotify or Netflix, you can unlink them and link them again.
5. Reset the Google Home device to factory settings
Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, you can go for a factory reset of the Google Home/Google Nest speaker or display (Nest Hub) to factory settings and set it up again. The exact procedure vastly differs on a per-device basis but you can find complete instructions on the official support page.
Once you reset the device, use the Google Home app on your phone to set it up and check for improvements. And, with that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in November 2022. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
