You can now use the Google Home app to change the color of your smartbulbs

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Back in October of last year, Google revamped its Home app, turning it into a one-stop repository to control any smart devices that are Google Assistant-compatible. Like Logitech’s unifying remotes, this revamp would allow you to operate your devices from one interface without having to open multiple manufacturer apps.

Most of the useful functions were moved into this interface, with a few notable exceptions. One of those missing functions is now available from the interface, as the latest update of Google Home has enabled color-changing for your smart lights. Before now, you could only adjust brightness and turn them on or off.

The color changing feature isn’t full RGB with the entire range your lights could possibly cover, opting instead for 42 color shades to pick from. That’s probably enough for most users and there’s nothing stopping you from tweaking colors in the dedicated apps from Philips or LIFX, for example. It also stops you having to talk to Google Assistant, which could be a godsend if you’re not able to talk, like if you’re trying to get a newborn to sleep by changing the mood of the room.

Image: Android Police

You’ll want to name your lights in a sane way too, as the Google Home app won’t show what color each is currently. It would be nice if the normally white background of the tile could show the current color, and would go a long way to ensuring you don’t adjust the wrong bulbs.

The updated version of the Google Home app is now available on both iOS and Android.

What do you think? Glad to see this feature arrive in the Google Home app? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.