Yes, your Google Home can make phone calls — here’s everything you need to know

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Google HomeHollis Johnson/Business Insider

You can use Google Home — Google’s smart speaker with Google Assistant built in — to place phone calls. 

And since Google Home’s phone calls use an internet technology called Voice Over IP (VoIP), rather than a cell service like T-Mobile or Verizon, it doesn’t affect your smartphone’s cellular voice plan at all. All you need is an internet connection.

Here’s everything you need to know about making phone calls with Google Home.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Google Home (From $99.99 at Apple)

Amazon Echo (From $69.99 on Amazon)

How to make a phone call with Google Home

For most users, their Google Home will be ready to make phone calls without any extra setup. 

There are a few ways you can start a call. Start by saying "OK Google" or "Hey Google," and then:

  • "Call [name]." You can call anyone in your Google contact list by name, as long as they have a phone number attached to their contact listing.  
  • "Call [business name]." Google Home can look up the name of a business and place the call. 
  • "Call [phone number]." Google will dial a number that you speak out loud.

Google Home whiteGoogle

When you’re done, say "OK Google," and end the call by saying "stop," "hang up," or "end call."

You can also tell Google Home to redial the most recent call with "OK Google, redial."

How to set the number that appears when Google Home places a call

By default, Google Home calls appear with no Caller ID, which (especially with the deluge of robocalls we’re subjected to these days) some people might consider suspicious and ignore. To remedy that, you can configure Google Home calls to show your personal Caller ID number. 

1. Start the Google Home app on your phone. 

2. In the bottom right corner, tap the account icon. 

3. Tap "Settings," then at the bottom of the page, "More settings." 

calls 2Dave Johnson/Business Insider

4. Tap the "Services" tab at the top of the More settings page, then tap "Voice and video calls."

5. Tap "Mobile calling."

6. On the Calls on speakers page, tap "Your own number" and then tap "Add or change phone number."

calls 3Dave Johnson/Business Insider

7. Finally, enter your phone number and tap "Verify" at the top right of the page. 

calls 4Dave Johnson/Business Insider

8. When you get a text with the verification code, enter it.

How phone calls from Google Home are different than from Amazon Echo

You might be aware that you can make calls with Alexa, the personal assistant on Amazon Echo devices. But the two kinds of calling — from Google Home and Amazon Echo — are somewhat different. 

Google Home places calls to other phones, both mobile and landline — the smart speaker can place a call to any phone (in the US or Canada). Because Google Home doesn’t have its own phone number, however, it cannot receive calls. It makes outgoing calls only. 

Amazon Echo (2nd gen) vs Google HomeAmazon/Google

Amazon Echo can do that as well. You can use it to make calls directly to phones from your contacts or by speaking the phone number. But unlike Google Home, the Echo also has the ability to make direct Alexa-to-Alexa calls, letting you call someone else’s Alexa. Similarly, you can place calls device-to-device from the Echo itself, or from the Alexa app on your phone. 

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Dave Johnson)

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