In this guide, we will go over how you can set up a Family Bell on your Google Home or Google Nest device, so you never fall behind on schedule ever again.
What Is a Family Bell and How Does It Work?
A Family Bell is a recurring, customizable reminder you can set on all your connected Google speakers at a designated time. It is meant to keep you and your family on schedule, but it’s also very handy when you want to signal dinner time or remind your kids to start studying.
However, unlike a regular Reminder that only informs you that you have a notification, a Family Bell will announce what the message is. When it rings, you will hear a chime, followed by the personalized message, then another chime.
Additionally, Family Bells can be played on targeted Google devices. This is especially helpful if your message is only meant for a specific family member.
To make things easier for you, Family Bells comes with predefined templates you can readily use. But you are free to create your own for whatever purpose you like.
If your kids have different activities planned in the evening, you can set different Family Bells to alert them. You can also use them to remind you of everyday tasks like taking medications, feeding the dog, or attending a Zoom meeting.
How to Set Up a Family Bell
Before setting up a Family Bell on your smart speaker, make sure you have the current Google Home app installed on your Android or iOS device.
Open your Google Home app. At the top-right corner, tap on your profile picture then Assistant settings. Scroll down and click on Family Bell. Tap on Add a bell. Type your customized message on Bell announcement. This will be the message that Google Assistant will announce when the Family Bell rings. Enter the time. Tap on the days you want the Family Bell to repeat on. Click on Plays on to select which devices the Family Bell will use. Tap on Create new bell to save the details.
How to Set Up a Step-By-Step Family Bell
Aside from a single announcement, you can also set up Family Bell to walk you through a series of steps.
For instance, one of the predefined step-by-step Family Bell is called “Good morning!" Here, Google Assistant will help you start your day, telling you to make your bed, then brush your teeth, then get dressed, and finally pack your backpack.
You can customize this predefined template to fit your needs.
Open the Google Home app. Tap on your profile picture on the top right and then Assistant settings. Scroll down until you see Family Bell. Click it. Navigate to the section named Get ready with Family Bell step-by-step. Click on any of the suggested templates. Customize the Bell announcement, time, and days according to your preference. Modify or add the steps you want. Once done, click on Create new bell.
How to Manage Your Family Bells
After creating your Family Bells, you can delete, pause, and modify each one on the Google Home app.
Open your Google Home app. Click on your profile photo on the top right and then Assistant settings > Family Bell. Here, you can see the list of Family Bells you have previously set up. Select the Family Bell you want to modify. Edit the details as you see fit. If you want to disable that certain Family Bell temporarily, tap on the Enable toggle to turn it off. If you want to delete that specific Family Bell, click the trash can in the bottom left corner below Enable. If you want to pause your Family Bell, tap on Get started on the top of the screen, next to “Pause bells while you’re on break. ” Select the Family Bells you want to pause and set the dates, then hit Save.
A More Efficient Way to Go About Your Day
Family Bells can help provide structure to your everyday home life, which is particularly beneficial for households with kids.
But whether you use the bells for school or just to remind your family members of their tasks, they are undoubtedly a nifty tool to keep you organized throughout the day.
