How to Set Up Google Home Filters

Do you want your kids to use your Google Nest devices safely without supervision? Then use Google Home Filters to help keep them safe.

You may already be familiar with filter controls for apps and online stores. They are an easy way to manage the available content you see. Google Home also gives you access to content filters through the Digital Wellbeing utility. These filters allow you to manage the content available on your Google Home or Nest speakers and displays.

Google Home and Digital Wellbeing

You need access to Digital Wellbeing to set up filters in Google Home. Digital Wellbeing was introduced as a feature of the Android OS a few years ago. It helps you manage and reduce the time you spend using your digital device.

The Digital Wellbeing feature isn’t available in all territories, nor on all versions of Android. You can usually find it as one of the main settings categories on your phone. It might also be under Parental Control settings. If you don’t see it in settings, you can’t set up filters in Google Home.

What Filters Can You Set Up?

Google Home provides several filters, covering most content types consumed through Google Home/Nest devices. You can manage access for everyone who uses the device or filter by individual account.

Videos

You can filter videos on a Google Home or Nest device with a screen. You can limit it to play only YouTube Kids or YouTube videos in restricted mode, or you can block all videos from playing.

Music

You can stop songs with explicit lyrics playing on your Google Device. You can do this for all songs that play, or you can select individual music services to filter.

News and Podcasts

There isn’t any fine control for filtering news and podcasts, but you can block or allow either to play through your Google speaker.

Google Assistant

There are a few Google Assistant features you can filter. You can block calls from being made or received on the speaker. You can also restrict the answers the Assistant gives when asked a question and the actions it can perform.

Setting Up Google Home Filters

You can set up filters through the Google Home app on your phone. As mentioned, you need to be using a device that has Digital Wellbeing on it.

1. Open the Google Home app and tap Settings > Digital Wellbeing.
2. Tap the Set up button and then Next to start configuring your filters.
3. Choose who you want the filters to apply to. You can set the filter for everyone or only for supervised accounts, such as a child’s account.
4. You also need to choose the device the filter applies to. If you have more than one device connected to your account, you can select more than one.
5. Continue through the setup, setting filters for each content type as you see fit. As you enable filters, you may see additional options, such as available music streaming services.

When the filter is set up, you will be prompted to set up Downtime. This is a Do Not Disturb mode for your Google speaker or display. You can skip the Downtime setup if you wish.

Managing Your Google Home Filters

You can only set up one filter at a time. After setting up the filter, you can edit it or delete it and start again.

1. Open the Google Home app and tap Settings > Digital Wellbeing. You will see your filter displayed with the name of the Home devices it is enabled on.
2. Tap the filter to see the configuration. You can turn the filter off using the slider switch at the top.
3. Tap any of the filter sections to edit the settings for that section. After making your required changes, tap the Save button.
4. To delete the filter, select it, tap the More button (three dots), and then tap Delete.

Filtering Google Home Content

The option to set up filters for your Google Home or Nest speakers is great for parents. It means you don’t have to worry about children accessing content they shouldn’t be seeing or hearing while still letting them use the devices.