[Updated] Latest Google Home app on iOS removes Family Bell from settings

10:40 am (IST): There’s a new and interesting workaround to access and disable Family Bell settings for iOS users. Although Google Assistant lacks a dedicated web or desktop client, you can still access and modify many settings directly from your web browser, including Family Bell. This is possible because numerous settings pages within the Google app are essentially WebViews, meaning they can be opened with the correct URL. So, if affected, click on this link to access and disable Family Bell settings from your web browser.

Original article from June 4 follows:

Google’s spring cleaning of underutilized Assistant features has hit home for iOS users, as the Family Bell setting quietly vanished from the latest version of the Google Home app. This removal, while announced in January, has caught many parents off guard as summer break begins.

Family Bell, a beloved feature for scheduling announcements and reminders through Google Assistant-enabled devices, was a lifesaver for many during the school year. It helped wake up kids, signal dinner time, and keep the household on track. Now, with summer schedules shifting, parents find themselves unable to disable the automated reminders they no longer need.

Users have started sharing their frustrations in online forums, expressing their dismay and seeking solutions. “I can’t have my kids woken up every day over the summer at 6:30am!!!” exclaimed one parent. Another lamented, “I have bells set for school activities. School is out and I cannot stop these routines. They are nowhere to be found.”

The issue appears to be limited to the latest iOS Google Home app (version 3.18), where the Family Bell setting has been completely removed. Before I updated to this latest version, I had the Family Bell option in Google Assistant settings in the Home app v3.16 on iOS. I still have the setting on the Android app v3.16, but I expect it to disappear soon, likely with the next update.

Google’s solution to the removal of Family Bell is to create custom Routines with similar functionality as a workaround. However, this solution doesn’t address the immediate need for parents to disable existing Family Bell announcements.

Fortunately, there are a few workarounds available:

1. Use an older iPhone: If you have an older iPhone running an older version of the Google Home app, you may still have access to the Family Bell settings.
2. Borrow an Android phone: The Family Bell setting is still present on the Android app, so you could temporarily use one to disable the announcements.
3. Contact Google Support: As a last resort, contacting Google Support may help you disable the Family Bell announcements remotely.

It’s important to note that this change is not a glitch, but rather a deliberate decision by Google to phase out Family Bell. Users will need to adapt to using custom Routines for similar functionality in the future.

While the removal of Family Bell may inconvenience some, it is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to streamline its offerings and focus on more widely used features. For those affected, the temporary workarounds offer a lifeline while they adjust to the new normal.

Google Home users are also dealing with a broadcast issue where Assistant voice takes over their preferred voice.

Featured image: Google