One application that is constantly evolving is Google Assistant , a fundamental and widely used tool for users who own Google Home devices . Through this ecosystem, it's possible to control multiple smart home functions, especially household routines , which are essential for automating daily life, whether waking up, arriving home, or leaving.
Recently, Google Assistant implemented a highly beneficial double routine: "Sunrise" and "Sunset ." These two actions allow you to synchronize your home with natural light cycles, making them ideal for automatically turning smart lighting on and off. Scheduling these routines is flexible, allowing you to activate or deactivate them on specific days of the week according to your needs—a vital feature for those with different schedules during the week and on weekends.
To create a new routine and access these options , simply tap the "+" button. The system will display the "Sunrise or Sunset" option, although it's essential that the app is properly updated . On devices with Android 8.0 or higher, keeping the Google app up to date is a prerequisite for unlocking these advanced assistant features.
How to schedule sunrise or sunset in the Google Assistant
Creating these automations follows the same logic as any Google Assistant routine. To do this, you need to have the app installed on your Android device. The app is free and highly configurable . To maximize the experience, it's recommended to integrate a Google Home smart speaker , which acts as the central hub for voice control in your home.
It's essential to understand that there are two main categories of automations we need to know to optimize home management: personal routines , which are configured for the individual user's benefit (such as reading calendars, traffic updates, or personal reminders), and family routines , which affect shared devices in the home and can be managed by any member with administrator privileges. While personal routines are private and only visible in the creator's activity feed, family routines allow any guest or resident to initiate the action.
To schedule sunrise or sunset times in Google Assistant, follow these steps carefully:
- Open the Google Assistant app or Google Home on your device.
- Click on the your profile icon (top right corner) and access the "Assistant" menu.
- Locate and select the option "Routines".
- Click on the "New" box (+ icon) and select "+ Add first item"The triggers will appear here; choose "Dawn or Dusk".
- Configure the details: first, choose the location (It is essential to have your home address configured so that the system knows the exact time of sunrise in your area); second, choose between "When dawn breaks" or "When night falls"Third, select the desired days of the week.
- Once you've defined the trigger, press "Done" and define the action the routine will perform (for example: "Turn on living room lights" or "Play relaxing music"). Finally, press "Save".
Types of triggers and available actions
In addition to sunlight, Google Assistant offers several ways to start an automation. Triggers are the events that set off the action and can be:
- voice commands: Custom phrases like “Hey Google, let's go home” or default phrases.
- Fixed schedules: A specific time on specific days of the week.
- Alarm dismissal: Activate actions immediately after turning off the alarm in the Clock app.
- Device events: When a motion sensor detects presence or a light turns on.
- Presence detection: "At home" and "Away" routines based on smartphone location or sensors.
- Sunrise or Sunset: Automatic synchronization with the sun's position according to geographical location.
As for actions , the range of possibilities is immense. You can configure device settings (lights, thermostats), media playback (news, music, podcasts), get information (weather, calendar), or send announcements to other speakers in the house, and you can even connect multiple Google Home speakers at once for an immersive experience.
It's important to note that some actions may not be available depending on the routine type. For example, actions that reveal personal information (such as calendar events or message reading) are only available in personal routines and require that personal results are enabled in the settings.
Automation through alarms and wake-up call
A very effective alternative is to start the action by turning off the alarm . To do this, you must set the alarm in the Google Clock app. When creating the alarm, you will find the "Google Assistant Routine" option.
Within this menu, you can add actions such as "Check the weather," "Read reminders," or "Play news." You can change the order of the tasks by dragging them or even add a start delay so the actions don't begin the exact second you turn off your phone. Keep in mind that if you manually turn off the alarm before it goes off, the associated routine won't run.
These features allow you to wake up to a personalized message or prepare your home for the start of the workday. Similarly, the Sunset feature is ideal for gradually turning off lights or activating security systems, regardless of whether you have a physical Google Home device or only use the app.
Advanced configurations and practical examples
For those who want to take home automation to the next level, there are specific configurations that transform daily routines:
- Optimization for work: If you work from home, you can create a routine that silences mobile notifications and plays white noise in the background to improve concentration.
- Message management: Set up a command like "Read my pending tasks" so the assistant reads unread messages, ideal for those who spend time away from the screen.
- custom music: You can link services like Spotify, YouTube Music, or Deezer so that your favorite playlist plays at dawn or when you say a command.
To create a music routine, go to Assistant settings, tap "+ New", choose the trigger (voice, time, or sun), and under action, select " Place Google Home routines on the desktop for quick access".
To do this, access the routine you've set up (or a pre-set one). At the top of the screen, next to the save button, you'll see an icon with an arrow and a mobile device . Tapping it will prompt you to add the shortcut to your home screen. Accepting this will create an icon that you can move or group into folders, allowing you to start the automation with a single tap.
This method is especially effective for complex routines that require several steps, avoiding having to repeat long voice commands or navigate through the menus of the Google Home app.
Integrating these tools transforms the home into a smart space that adapts to the user's biological rhythm and the sun's position, optimizing energy consumption and improving quality of life through invisible and efficient home automation management. By combining geographic, scheduling, and status triggers, the user stops managing the house and allows the house to manage the environment for the benefit of its inhabitants.