Google’s Digital Wellbeing Arrives on Google Home With Downtime and Filters

Google is really big on this whole Digital Wellbeing thing, where they want to give you the tools to help you disconnect a bit more from the technology around you. First starting with smartphones, they are now expanding Digital Wellbeing to Google Home products.

The rollout of Digital Wellbeing to Google Home started today, with Google posting support pages on how to get everything setup. And to set everything up, you’ll do so within the Google Home app.

Google says to head into the Google Home app, tap on your Account tab, then “your structure,” and then Digital Wellbeing. From within there, you will be able to setup Downtime schedules or Filters.

What the hell is Downtime and Filters, you ask? They are:

Downtime
With Downtime you can help your family take a break from Google Home. When your Google Home devices are in Downtime, they will not respond to most commands or questions. During Downtime, you also will not receive notifications from your Google Home devices. Alarms and Timers will still work.

During downtime, Routines can not begin to run, even if they are scheduled. A Routine that has already begun, will not be stopped by Downtime.

Example:
You have scheduled a routine that plays video on your Android TV. If Google Home is in Downtime when the Routine is scheduled to begin, the Routine will not start and no video will be played on your TV.

If the Routine has already started, and video is playing on your TV when Downtime begins, the video will still play uninterrupted.

Filters
Filters can help you place limits on how people in your household can use Google Home. You can use Filters to do things like block access to music with explicit lyrics, or define which video services are available.

Routines do not bypass filters. Music, video services and other actions that are part of a routine will still be restricted or blocked by filters.

For example, if music is blocked when a routine that includes playing music starts, music will not be played.

To get started, grab the latest Google Home app and then be on the lookout for that Digital Wellbeing section. For other FAQ on Google Home Digital Wellbeing, hit up this link.

Google Play Link