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Google Removes 'Call Home' From the Google Home App

Following the app’s redesign, the Duo-era shortcut is gone as calling shifts to Meet and broadcasts move to Assistant or Gemini.

Overview

  • Users noticed the change after the latest Google Home redesign, with Redditor chelitazz flagging the missing button and tech sites confirming its removal in the app.
  • Direct same-account calls to Nest displays are no longer available, and calling now relies on Google Meet, which requires adding other users' accounts to the device.
  • The app’s Broadcast button also disappeared, though announcements can still be triggered via Google Assistant or Gemini despite the UI change.
  • Introduced in 2018–2019 using Google Duo, the feature had limited uptake and was restricted to US English, factors reporters suggest may have influenced its retirement after the shift to Meet.
  • Google has not issued an official explanation, and some households that used the shortcut—such as parents calling children at home—report losing a convenient workflow.