In an official blog, Google announced the launch of Guest Mode on its speakers and displays. Notably, this will ensure that the interactions of users with Google smart speakers or displays are not saved into their account.
Google Nest and Home Speakers along with several other smart speakers and displays will receive this Guest Mode update. Google says that this new feature is another easy way to control your privacy.
Moreover, this feature will be launched in English first and is expected to spread over to other devices and languages in the future. When the Guest Mode is on, your Google Assistant on your smart speaker or display will stop acting like your personal assistant.
In guest mode, users will still be able to ask questions, control smart home devices, set timers, play music, etc. But they will not be able to access personal results, for example, calendar entries or contacts.
If a user wants to access the personal entries in the calendar or contact, they have to first turn off the Guest Mode. In order to enable this feature, you need to simply say, “Hey Google, turn on Guest Mode.”
Guest Mode on smart home devices is just like incognito mode in Chrome
Users can see this new Guest Mode feature for smart home devices as an incognito mode in Chrome. You are able to just about everything like the normal mode. The only difference being your search history is not saved in incognito mode.
Shedding light on some other features, Google said once Guest Mode is enabled, the device will automatically delete audio recordings and the Assistant activities from the device’s owner’s account.
However, apps like Google Maps, YouTube, or other media and smart home services in Guest Mode may still save the activity. To turn this feature off, you simply need to ask Google to turn off the feature.
If you are unsure whether or not the Guest Mode is on, you can ask the Assistant, “Is Guest Mode on?.” According to Google product manager Philippe de Lurand Pierre-Paul, this feature would come in handy when guests come over.
They will not have to worry about their interactions being saved in the currently logged in user account. This new Guest Mode feature is available on Nest speakers and displays in English.
On smart displays, you will see a blank profile when you enable Guest Mode. For more information about Google Guest Mode, you can head to the official Google blog.