Google Home doesn’t have a “transfer ownership” button, but you can move a home to another Google Account in a few minutes. From your current account, invite the new account to the home as an Admin. Accept the invitation on the new account, then leave the home from the old account. The home, its rooms, and its devices stay put, and the new account now manages everything. A few things are tied to each person’s account, like Voice Match, linked music services, and Nest Aware, so you’ll need to set those up again on the new account.
Before you start
- Update the Google Home app on your phone.
- Make sure the new Google Account exists and that you can sign in to it. Need one? See how to create a new Gmail account.
- Only an Admin of the home can invite people and remove members.
Step 1: Invite the new account as an Admin
- Open the Google Home app while signed in to your current account.
- Tap your profile picture, then tap Add > Home Member. (In some versions, go to Settings > Household > Invite.)
- Enter the new account’s email address and tap Next.
- Choose Admin as the access level.
- Tap Invite.
Step 2: Accept the invitation on the new account
- Sign in to the new account in the Google Home app. You can add it by tapping your profile picture and switching accounts.
- Open the invitation from the email Google sends, or from the notice in the Home app.
- Tap Accept and follow the prompts. The home and its devices now appear in the new account.
Step 3: Remove the old account
Once you’ve confirmed the new account can see and control everything:
- In the Home app, switch back to the old account.
- Tap Settings (or Home settings), scroll to the bottom, and tap Leave this home.
- Confirm.
Or, from the new account, go to home settings, tap the old account’s profile icon under the home name, and tap Remove this person.
Important: Don’t leave the home while the old account is the only member. If the only member leaves, the home is deleted, along with data like camera video history and thermostat settings.
Step 4: Set up the things that don’t transfer
- Voice Match: On the new account, open the Home app, go to Settings > Google Assistant (or Voice Match), and teach Google your voice so speakers recognize you.
- Music and video services: Link Spotify, YouTube Music, Netflix, and other services to the new account, and set a default music service.
- Works with Google Home apps: Smart plugs, lights, and other third-party devices may need to be relinked. In the Home app, tap Add > Works with Google Home and sign in to each brand’s account.
- Subscriptions: Nest Aware and Google One subscriptions are billed to the account that bought them. Cancel on the old account and resubscribe on the new one, or keep the old account as a home member until the subscription ends.
- Routines: Household routines usually stay with the home, but personal routines belong to the account that made them and need to be recreated.
Selling or giving away a device instead?
If you’re giving the device itself to someone else, you don’t need to transfer your home. Remove the device from your home, then factory reset it. The new owner sets it up in their own Google Home app. In the Home app, tap the device, go to its settings, and tap Remove device.
Giving a device away? See how to factory reset a Google Nest speaker or display.
Related: Set up Google Wifi or Nest Wifi.
Related: Reset a Google Home Mini or Nest Mini.
Frequently asked questions
Can I merge two Google Home homes?
No. You’d need to remove each device from one home and set it up again in the other.
Will my devices go offline during the move?
No. Devices stay connected to Wi-Fi and in the same home the whole time. Only the account that manages them changes.
Can a home have more than one admin?
Yes. You can have several admins, plus members with limited access.
What happens to camera history?
Camera history stays with the home as long as the home isn’t deleted. Nest Aware history length depends on the active subscription.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.