Can You Use Google Home Mini Without WiFi?

Google Assistant is the answer to Amazon’s Alexa on Echo devices. The smart home segment is picking up the pace, and the market is flooded with different smart speakers.

The common denominator has been a high-speed, disruption-free internet, which can be an issue for some consumers.

These smart-speakers are offering a handful of utilities that makes your home “smart”, powered by WiFi and smart appliances.

Google Assistant is the next generation of Google Now, which is a standard assistant on Android devices. 

The assistant is aimed at providing a more conversational experience with a friendly voice and tone. Google has released several smart speakers in the segment, such as Google Home, Mini, Nest Hub max, apart from third-party speakers with proprietary smart assistant. 

Does Google Assistant work without an internet connection?

Right now, all the smart-speakers rely solely on WiFi or an internet connection to perform their functions.

When you try to use Google Home Mini by saying “Hey Google” without Wi-Fi, it replies “I can’t reach the internet right now, check your modem or router connection, and try again”.

The options at hand without an active WiFi connection are slim as Google Home relies solely on the internet for interpreting your language and translating. 

To sum it up, at this point in time, there isn’t much that you can do with Google Home Mini when it is not connected to the Internet.

What can Google Assistant do offline?

Unlike the Echo devices, Google Home Mini lacks on the offline front. It requires WiFi for virtually all functions, except one. 

Your Google Home Mini can be used as a humble Bluetooth speaker to crank out some tunes even when the internet is out of the equation.

To do this, you’ll need to set it up whilst you do have WiFi for pairing.

Step One: Enable Pairing on Google Home Mini

Just say “OK Google!” followed quickly by  “Bluetooth pairing” or “Pair Bluetooth” or “Turn on Bluetooth pairing”.

Now we have made Google Home Mini discoverable. 

Google Assistant on the Mini shall respond with “To connect, open Bluetooth settings and look for the device called XXX.

Alternatively, you can head to the Google Home app on your smartphone. Tap on the Google Mini device that you wish to pair. 

After that, select Paired Bluetooth Devices which will open a new menu. 

Select the option which reads Enable Pairing Mode.

Step Two: Pairing the devices

For Android:

• Head to the Bluetooth settings after turning it on. Tap on the Pair new device option, given above the Previously Connected Devices section.
• Give your phone a moment to scan for the devices available for pairing. The Mini should appear in the list of available devices. Tap on the Mini as it appears with your given name to the smart speaker.
• Google Home mini will play a sound to indicate that the pairing has been successful. 
• From now onwards, any audio played by you on your smartphone will be played on the Mini which is acting as a Bluetooth speaker.
• For disconnecting the device, all you need to say is “Ok Google! Disconnect Bluetooth”

For iPhone:

• Head to the Settings app
• Tap on Bluetooth from the first segment of options.
• Let the iPhone scan for devices and select the Google Home Mini as it appears in the list(with the name set up by your).

Will Google Home Mini alarms work without WiFi?

The answer is a hard NO. The first generation of Google smart home devices lack the functionality to use alarms, reminders and several other features as they require the internet.

Every function of the Home Mini is synced across all your logged into devices, such as TV, phone or even tablet, amongst other devices.

Therefore, when you Google home goes dark, other devices shall receive the reminders, alarms and more set for the smart speaker.

Can I use a mobile hotspot with Google Home Mini?

Yes, you absolutely can use a hotspot with a Google Home Mini. It is on the steeper side of the difficulty spectrum since you need to devices to make it work.

You will need:

• Device A such as a tablet, phone with working mobile internet connection
• Device B will have Google Home app, which is connected to the Google Home mini device.

1. Turn on the WiFi hotspot on Device A.

2. Connect device B to device A’s hotspot.

3. Install Google Home app on device B – Android, iOS on your smartphone.

4. Connect device B to Google Home mini via the mobile hotspot.

The thing to remember: The mobile internet and the WiFi bridge needs to be stable for the Home mini to function to its fullest potential. 

Keeping them in each other’s proximity is a great way to ensure a stable, consistent network. 

Conclusion

Google entered the smart speaker segment with broad ambitions, backed by technology, features that now have been undercut by Amazon’s Echo line of speakers, powered by Alexa.

Whilst the 1st generation have shown promise, the newer generations need to hit the market before the consumers wave swerve on a different path.

Amazon is making strides by being everywhere and Alexa already has some offline features for controlling alarms and smart home devices. On the other hand, Google Assistant is yet to grasp the market in a similar fashion.