Google published a new set of Google Home release notes on 29 October 2026. Most of the list is bug fixes, but two changes matter for anyone running Matter devices through Google Home, and a speaker fix will interest people who have already moved to a Wi-Fi 7 router.

Energy readings from Matter plugs (Android)

Matter smart plugs and energy monitors that measure cumulative energy now show two numbers in the Android app: current power draw and total energy used in kWh. Both appear on the device tile and on the full controller screen. The condition is in the wording: the device has to report cumulative energy. A plug that only reports instantaneous power will not get the kWh total.

The release notes mention only Android, so iOS users will have to wait.

Closures stop being "a gate"

The Android app now tells Matter closure types apart: garage doors, gates, windows, blinds and cabinets each get their own icon and controls. Previously every Matter closure was shown as a generic gate, so a roller blind and a garage door looked and behaved the same in the app.

Thermostats also get a one-tap shortcut that sets energy-saving temperatures from the thermostat controller or the home view.

Speakers, cameras and Wi-Fi

The speaker section has the most practical fixes:

  • Google speakers could fail to set up or connect to Wi-Fi 7 access points using WPA3. That is fixed.
  • Stereo pairs and speaker groups no longer vanish from the app.
  • Local discovery of Google Home Speaker, Nest Audio and Nest Mini in the app is faster.
  • Bluetooth audio from a laptop no longer pauses after a voice "resume" command.

Older Nest cameras that moved to the Google Home app (Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor 1st gen, Nest Hello, Nest Cam IQ) get better Wi-Fi reconnection, and Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor (1st gen) no longer take 15 to 20 seconds to switch to night vision. Chromecast with Google TV moves to the August 2026 Android security patch. Nest Wifi Pro can now fall back to the ISP's DNS when public DNS is blocked.

On the Gemini side Google fixed speakers saying "Sorry, I didn't understand" when nobody had spoken, mixed-up sleep timers and regular timers, and alarms that were set to zero volume.

Worth knowing

Google says these release notes are written with the help of Gemini and may need corrections. Features also roll out gradually, so having the latest app version does not mean you will see everything today. 9to5Google and Android Authority covered the update on the same day.