Smart & Connected Life > Smart Home 12 Best Google Home IFTTT Applets Turn Google Home into a smart assistant powerhouse By Patrick Shawn Hearn Patrick Shawn Hearn Twitter Writer Columbus State University Patrick Hearn has been a freelance technology writer for 6+ years. He has written for CBSi, GameSpot, Xfinity, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 27, 2019 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart Home Google Your Best Year Ever: College Tech Tips Amazon Appliances & Lighting Google Home is already pretty useful. It can tell you the weather, read the top news stories of the day, and a whole lot more, but if you hook it up to IFTTT, the possibilities become nearly limitless. Here are 12 of the best Google Home shortcuts and applets. 01 of 12 Find My Phone What We Like Convenient. Provides volume adjustment. What We Don't Like This might not work with all phones. It's so easy to set down your phone and forget where you placed it, especially if the volume is turned off. This IFTTT applet turns your phone's ringer to max volume and uses a VoIP (Voice over Internet protocol) number to dial it. Get the Find Your Phone IFTTT Applet 02 of 12 Send a Text What We Like Hands-free texting. What We Don't Like SMS charges might apply. This might not work with all phones. When you're in the middle of cooking dinner and realize you're missing an ingredient, the last thing you want to do is find your phone and send a text. Google Home can do it for you. Just tell Google to text your spouse, friend, or family member and let them know what ingredient you're missing. Get the Send a Text Message IFTTT Applet 03 of 12 Use Google Assistant to Send a Tweet What We Like Tweeting without Twitter. What We Don't Like This is more fun than it is useful. Tweets are a lot like texts; the most inspired ones come when you're in the middle of something more important. Rather than stop what you're doing, say, "OK Google, tweet [your message]," and Google Assistant sends it out into the world. It shows up on your timeline without any need for you to press a button. Get the Post a Tweet IFTTT Applet 04 of 12 Use Google Assistant to Add a New Google Contact What We Like No more handing your phone to people. Potential conversation starter. What We Don't Like This might not work with all phones. People might not like your yelling their digits out in public. Your phone is like a modern-day diary. Handing it to someone for them to enter their contact info may be the way everyone used to do it, but Google Home makes it even easy to enter a new contact. If you have a dinner party and make new friends, say, "Ok Google, add [person's name] to my contacts. The number is [phone number]." Not only is this an easier, more private way to add new contacts to your phone, but the applet may also be a conversation starter. Get the Add a New Google Contact IFTTT Applet 05 of 12 Log Notes in a Google Drive Spreadsheet What We Like Hands-free note-taking. What We Don't Like You need to be near Google Home or the Google Assistant app on your phone. If you're the type to keep a small notebook on hand at all times to record random thoughts, then this is the applet for you. It lets you dictate notes and add them to a Google Drive spreadsheet. Simply say, "OK Google, take a note [your note]." Get the Log Notes in a Google Spreadsheet IFTTT Applet 06 of 12 Create a Wishlist for Santa What We Like Makes Christmas shopping easier. Adds list to Google Sheets for easy access. What We Don't Like Not applicable at all times of the year. This applet is similar to the note-taking app, but with a fun twist. Your kids can tell Google to let Santa know what they want for Christmas, and rather than sending a letter to the North Pole, Google adds the entry as a line in a Google Sheets document. You can reference this document easily and nail Christmas presents every year. Get the Christmas List IFTTT Applet 07 of 12 Adjust the Temperature What We Like The temperature changes and is logged in a spreadsheet. Change the temp without getting out of bed. What We Don't Like You need a smart thermostat for this to work. When you're shivering under a blanket or sprawled on the couch sweating, you don't want to get up to adjust the thermostat. If you have a smart thermostat, Google Home can do it for you. Activate this applet and tell Google Home to change the temperature to something a bit cooler or warmer than what it is. While Google Home works seamlessly with Nest, it also works with other smart thermostats. Get the Set and Monitor Your Nest Thermostat IFTTT Applet 08 of 12 Start the Coffee What We Like Make coffee without getting out of bed. What We Don't Like This applet only works with certain smart coffee makers. If you have a smart coffee machine, you probably have it set to begin brewing at a specific time. For those mornings you want to sleep in, though, this is the perfect applet. Just tell Google Assistant to start brewing coffee as soon as you wake up. In only a few minutes, you'll have a fresh, piping hot cup of joe waiting for you. Get the Brew Coffee IFTTT Applet 09 of 12 Adjust the Lights What We Like This works with a variety of phrases. What We Don't Like Only works with Philips Hue. If you have smart lights installed in your home, you can adjust them without reaching for a knob. Pick a scene and choose a catchphrase, then tell Google Assistant to use it and watch your lights brighten and darken with just a few words. Get the Set the Scene IFTTT Applet 10 of 12 Arm the Security System What We Like Turn on the alarm with only your voice. What We Don't Like This applet only works with certain security systems. How many times have you laid down for the night only to remember you forgot to arm the security system? No one enjoys getting out of bed when they're comfy, and Google Home makes it so you can arm your security system with a simple sentence. Get the Turn on Security IFTTT Applet 11 of 12 Tell Slack When You're Running Late What We Like Tell co-workers you're running late in a jiffy. What We Don't Like It's not completely hands-free. If you keep a Google Home in your office, this is the applet for you. It lets you customize a message then create a widget. When you press it, it tells the specified Slack channel you're delayed. Get the Tell a Slack Channel You're Running Late iFTTT 12 of 12 Party Time What We Like Party time. What's not to like? What We Don't Like Without the necessary smart home devices, this applet is rather ineffective. This one's just for fun. The Party Time IFTTT recipe tells your Google Home to set your smart lights into a color loop. Throw in a few more commands like "play music" and "turn on the television" and you have the formula for a fun night in. Get the It's Party Time IFTTT Applet Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit