Google Nest Speakers not playing music on specified speaker

[Ashloi]

Evening community 😁

I have 3 nest mini speakers in different rooms in the house - Kitchen, Office and Living Room. Each are part of the same household and have rooms assigned on the Google Home app. 

Until about a few weeks ago, I used to be able to use a voice command "Play music on the [Room] speaker", and music would play on that speaker, regardless of where I am in the house. Now, that voice command does not work ("Sorry, I don't understand") and I have to either be in the same room as the speaker or use my phone to manually cast audio.

Has anybody else experienced a similar issue and able to offer any help with this? I've tried resetting all devices and reconnecting to WiFi, to no avail. I'm sick to the back teeth of accidentally playing the theme from "The Office". 🤣

Thanks

[Blake595]

I am having the same issue with this, it's been going on for at least 2 weeks now. I saw that someone had this same issue roughly this time last year but it just started magically working again.

[Dan_A]

Hi folks,

@Ashloi, @Blake595, that certainly hasn’t been easy for you ― let’s check it out. A few questions, when you did the reset, was it the same steps as what you see on this link? What exact command did you try? What music providers are your Nest Minis not playing?  It would help a lot if you could do a sequential reboot first: 

1. Unplug the power cord of your router followed by your Nest speakers.
2. Plug them back in after 3 minutes tops.
3. Restarting your phone might also help.

Also, to isolate further, unplug 2 Nest Mini’s and give a voice command to the remaining speaker. Try commands that include the room name and the speaker name itself.

You can also change the device name:

1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your speaker or display.
2. Open the Google Home app.
3. Touch and hold your device's tile.
4. At the top right corner, tap Settings > Device information > Device name.
5. Enter a new name > tap Save.

Renaming the room could help:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. At the top, select the home with the room you want to rename.
3. Touch and hold the room name you want to change.
4. Tap Settings >  Name > enter a name > tap Save.

Depending on the music provider you're with, you can unlink it from the Google Home app and link it back in. Just follow the steps on this guide.

Best,

Dan

[Juni]

Hi there,

I just wanted to follow up if you were able to try the steps provided. Please let us know as we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Regards,

Juni

[Azarco]

Hey everyone,

We haven't heard from you in a while so we'll be locking this thread if there is no update within the day. If you have any new issues, updates or just a discussion topic, feel free to start a new thread in the Community.

Thanks,

Alex

[shawn12]

I have had the same issue for over a year now. I have done every single recommended fix on this forum. It does not work. The feature simply no longer works. I have three mini speakers and a display. I used to be able to transfer music to anyone of them seamlessly with a voice command and none of them work anymore. Absolutely none.

[Mclem]

Don't lock. Seems many people are experiencing the same issue. Give us a REAL FIX.

[Ashloi]

Hi Juni,

Thanks very much for your response and help. I tried following the above steps, basically factory resetting the devices and starting the home group from scratch, but this has not worked. I only have one music provider - Spotify - so this should be the default across the household.

Previously, all devices would respond to "Ok Google - Play music on the [ROOM] speaker." I have a speaker in the Living Room, Kitchen and Office, all set up as rooms in my home on the app. This command no longer works.

I have since found that they respond correctly to "Ok Google - Play SPOTIFY on the [ROOM] speaker." I've no idea why or when my devices started being pinickity about the music provider.

As workarounds go, this will have to do unless there is another solution.

Thanks again,

Ash

[Blake595]

What I am trying to do with mine is type it on my phone to play music on one of my devices

*Pull up Google assistant

"Play music on the living room speaker" this was working fine until the middle of January, but now it continuously says "sorry I don't understand"

I was also hitting the "media" button on the Google home app but this has been removed in the preview (I have requested this feature back in the preview feedback section) 

Routines force me to pick a certain genre or artist (assuming Google recognizes my artist), I listen to a variety of music and do not want to create multiple routines for each genre of music.

My living room speaker is a Lenovo smart clock essential so I cannot use the screen to request music 

My current only option is to use a voice command and hope that Google assistant doesn't decide to play music on my phone instead of the living room speaker 

[Mclem]

While I haven't had the exact issues I've had similar issues. Playing the wrong thing or saying "I don't understand" has happened a lot. 

[SuMa]

I have the same problem. 
I ask the @Living room speakeer to play Radio in bathroom speaker and the reponse is: "Sorry, I don't understand". So from Bathrom speaker on living room speaker. From google assistant iphone work great.

reboot and reset the speakers. Same problem.

[Dan_A]

Hello everyone,

I know how it feels if something's not working as it should and it would seem like we need to use the command that includes the specific music platform. As stated above by our fellow Community members, try the command "Hey, Google! Play <music> from  Spotify/YouTube Music." and tell me what happens.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Dan

[Blake595]

So if I do what your suggestion says that works. However, if I do not specify what artist/genre to play it still says "sorry I don't understand" 

I can use my voice and talk to the device and it works fine "hey Google, play music" (playing a random artist/genre like I am wanting), but typing it on my phone to tell the device still does not work.

[SuMa]

I usually play radio. Stream or-play radio (station) from TuneIn to another speaker doesen't work. 

"Said stram BBC Radio 2 frome TuneIn on bathrom speaker

Sorry, I didn't understand.

5:30 AM Details"

(By the way usually BBC doesen't need TuneIn...)

thanks

[SuMa]

From Bathroom Speaker

I ask for about 5 year the same things. Middle 01/2023... 

Said play BBC Radio 1 on living room speaker

Sorry, I don't understand.

Sorry, I didn't understand.

7:33 PM • •Detail

Assistant

Said play BBC Radio from Tuneln on living room speaker

Sorry, I didn't understand.

7:33 PM • •Detail

Assistant

Said play ABC radio on living room speaker

Sorry, I don't understand.

Sorry, I didn't understand.

Streaming ABC Radio from TuneIn on Living Room speaker

7:33 PM • •Detail

Assistant

Said stram ABC radio on living room speaker

Sorry, I can't get the news right now.

I think you want to play radio.

Is that right?

7:32 PM • •Detail

Assistant

Saidstram ABC radio vom TuneIn on living room speaker

Sorry, I don't understand.

7:31 PM • •Detail

[Dan_A]

Hello everyone,

Have you tried the steps above? If so, how was it? Also, if you have multiple Nest speakers, could you set them up as a speaker group for us to isolate further. Here’s how:

1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or linked to the same account as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
2. Open the Google Home app.
3. At the top left, tap Add > Create speaker group.
4. Tap each device you want to add to the group. A check will appear next to each device you select.
5. Tap Next > enter a name for your group > Save.

Once done, give a command to play music on the speaker group and see if it will still respond with “I don’t understand”. 

Let me know how it goes.

Regards,

Dan

[Blake595]

Yes I did the above steps and provided my feedback already, as more people continue to join this thread it's inherently obvious that this is not a user problem 

 We didn't all just change WiFi networks at the same time in January. I like SuMa have been running the same command everyday for a long time with no change to our command other than a random Google/Google home/Play services update that has made the assistant practically useless to our particular circumstance.

There are other threads of people having this same issue January 2022, Google fixed the problem and we were fine until January 2023 where it happened again.

[92blacktt]

I've been through the ringer trying to fix my google home system.  I replaced all the devices and bought new devices like google support asked.  I reset the home, I deleted the hold home and stated new home.  I recogfigured the home and now I ask it to play music on a device, and I get back "Sorry, I don't understand".  I get this response for almost all requests to play music on a speaker group or particular device at this point.

Its not been working for a year now and I don't know what else to do.  Please help.

[RMuser]

Try to disable IPv6 on your home router, my speakers worked perfectly until my router was replaced and it included IPv6 by default. All the Google speakers then stopped updating and eventually 'didn't understand' almost anything.

Following a tip I found online I disable IPv6 within the router settings, reset everything and it all now works, mostly.

[LeeCotton]

I doubt it's a router problem, as I can see many other people have posted on here with playing music/radio problems, including myself.  Google has clearly changed something for the worse.

[RMuser]

The IPv6 solution isn't for the recent issue with grouped speakers not playing radio or music; the IPv6 conflict is long running and prevents any speaker attached from being able to understand a command.

[92blacktt]

I disabled IPv6 and still have issues with music playback, turning devices on and off and speaker groups.

[ChocolateDrop]

Wish I had a solution. I'm having the same issue. My issue started about a month or two ago. I'm using a next hub with the latest release version.

My assumption is that there was an update that broke some devices. 

To rule out a router issue completely, can you connect the device to a different router and see if the behavior changes?

[92blacktt]

I tried my opnsense router, pfsense router and ubuiquiti router but same result.  

[Muddi]

Hey folks,

Sorry for the delayed response. I appreciate you for raising this concern to our team. I've duplicated this thread to a similar trending issue on this link. Our team is looking into this issue at hand and I suggest following the main thread for updates. Also, please make sure to send feedback on your devices by saying, "Hey Google, send feedback." followed by the keywords: GHT3 Unable to play music on a speaker group.

Cheers,

Muddi

[SirOpsALot]

For the last several days Assistant responds "I don't understand" whenever I tell it to play music on a specific speaker or in a specific room. If I just say "play music" it starts playing on the nearest device.

I've tried power cycling all the devices but it did not help

[rhammond84]

Bug introduced a few days ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/113648u/speaker_group_stopped_working/?utm_source=share...

[Dan_A]

Hi folks,

This is not the experience we wanted you to have, let us help you. A few things: which Nest speakers are we working with? When did your issue begin? Were there any recent changes made?

It would help a lot if you could do a sequential reboot first: 

1. Unplug the power cord of your router followed by your Nest speakers.
2. Plug them back in after 3 minutes tops.
3. Restarting your phone might also help.

Once done, change the speaker group name. Follow the steps below:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2.  Tap the speaker or speaker group that you wish to change the name.
3. Tap on the gear icon at the top-right corner to open the Device settings page for the speaker.
4. Tap on the Name option.
5. Customize your speaker's name and tap SAVE to continue.

Tell us how it goes.

Thanks for helping, rhammond84.

Best,

Dan

[SirOpsALot]

I have a mini (system firmware 324896, cast firmware 1.56.324896), hub (system firmware 324896, cast firmware 1.56.324896), and a Sonos sound bar with Google Assistance integration. My default music service is YouTube Music Premium. The problem started approximately a week ago. 

I power cycled all the devices and the router as above but that didn't change the behavior.  I have never set up speaker groups. I had previously been able to say "Play music in the [room name]" or "Play music on the [ speaker name] speaker"  but the assistant now responds with "I don't understand" any time I give that type of command. "Play music" will result in the closest device that can hear me playing music and I can manually cast YT Music to the individual speakers.

[Muddi]

Hey folks,

I've duplicated this thread to a similar trending issue on this link. Our team is looking into this issue at hand and I suggest following the main thread for updates. 

Also, please make sure to send feedback on your devices by saying, "Hey Google, send feedback." followed by the keywords: GHT3 Unable to play music on a speaker group.

Cheers,

Muddi

[SuMa]

we post also here

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Google-Nest-Speakers-not-playing-music-...

[Dan_A]

Hi SirOpsALot,

Have you tried the steps above? If so, how was it? Also, if you have multiple Nest speakers, could you set them up as a speaker group? Here’s how:

1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or linked to the same account as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
2. Open the Google Home app.
3. At the top left, tap Add > Create speaker group.
4. Tap each device you want to add to the group. A check will appear next to each device you select.
5. Tap Next > enter a name for your group > Save.

Let me know how it goes.

Once done, give a command to play music on your speaker group and see if it will still respond with “I don’t understand”.

@rhammond84, @SuMa, thanks for helping.

Regards,

Dan

[ClifDC]

Starting yesterday, neither of my Google Hub displays works with any "play" command for any other device.  For example, for years the command "OK Google, play radio station KUSC on bedroom speaker" would play that radio station through the Chromecast audio named bedroom speaker and connected to the audio system in the bedroom.   Starting two days ago, both Hub displays respond to that command with "Sorry, I don't know how to help with that.  Here are some things you can try." (None of the things to try work either).

I have rebooted the router, rebooted both Hub devices, rebooted the Chromecast Audio, removed and reinstalled the Chromecast audio and still get "Sorry I don't know how to help with that."   

The Chromecast Audio is working properly.  If I play music on my phone, I can cast it to that Chromecast Audio with no problem.  The bedroom speaker shows up as a device in the Home app and its volume can be controlled from that app and the casting can be stopped from that app.  

[Where2how]

I have the same problem since yesterday. Now when I ask any of my smart speakers to play a radio station on a Chromecast it just says "sorry I don't understand". I've been using the same command multiple times a day for about 4 years with issues. I've even go routines with the long form command play radio X from tunein on y speaker that have stopped working.

I've tried other commands and retraining my voice but it seems to be related to the radio.

Please Google reinstate radio.

[Kheldan]

Yup, Google went and broke this this on "device or group" command is resulting in sorry I didn't understand you and also broke routines... Google will have to fix this unfortunately nothing you can do. It's poor Quality Assurance to let this type of evident bug through to the public...

[crogs]

You're not alone...

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/112hi7w/sorry_i_didnt_understand_when_asking_to_play_a/...

My reply is in there too. Now it's the I don't understand. Before it would say "I need to know what device you want to play it on, and I would have to rephrase the phrase I've said for years.

What used to be as easy as "play 94 wip on the console speaker" just got annoying. I'd have to reverse it to "on the console speaker play 94 wip" because it didn't know what device I wanted to play it on. Now it doesn't understand. It won't even wake up to it as an alarm. It just gives me search results.

I didn't know a learning machine could actually get dumber. What's worse is when Google support wants you to reboot, reset, try to do it from a phone's Hotspot and other mobile device like its some isolated incident because they can't piece together a f ton of people having the same problem means it's you not us. And then troubleshoot appropriately instead of trying to waste our time doing stupid stuff that won't help. Step away from the script and use your brain and what little common sense you possess. 

[Muddi]

Hey folks,

Thanks for bringing this up. I know how challenging it is when you're having issues asking your Google Nest Hub to play music on your Chromecast Audio. I'd love to dig deeper into this issue.

A few questions:

• When did the issue start?
• Which specific Nest Hub do you have (1st, 2nd gen, Hub Max)?
• Are you having issues casting music to your Chromecast Audio using a phone/tablet?
• Does the same issue happen when requesting a song to play to your Chromecast?
• Does the same issue happen when you use the Google Assistant app on your phone?
• What is the cast firmware version of your Nest Hub and Chromecast Audio?

Looking forward to your response.

Cheers,
Muddi

[crogs]

1. Doesn't matter what device. Hub, Mini, phone... All the same results. I don't understand. Was bad enough she started forcing me to talk like Yoda and reverse how I said things that worked normally for years to get the same results. 

2. For me it started about two weeks ago I believe. 

3. I can cast my phone to the CCA.

4. You would think if troubleshooting often requires firmware numbers and serial numbers, they would make those numbers copy-able. But no. Just like developers putting links in play store review replies when we can't click on them or copy them.

That said:

Mini: firmware 324896, Cast firmware: 1.56.324896

CCA: cast firmware: 1.56.281627

That should suffice. I have others, but those two are used the most. 

[ClifDC]

When did the issue start?
February 13, 2023

Which specific Nest Hub do you have (1st, 2nd gen, Hub Max)?
Two 1st Gen

Are you having issues casting music to your Chromecast Audio using a phone/tablet?
No

Does the same issue happen when requesting a song to play to your Chromecast?
Yes

Does the same issue happen when you use the Google Assistant app on your phone?
Yes - replies "Sorry, I didn't understand."

What is the cast firmware version of your Nest Hub and Chromecast Audio?
Nest Hub 1: 1.67330920
Nest Hub 2: same as above
Chromecast Audio: 1.56.281627

[Muddi]

Hey crogs,

We appreciate your efforts. We'd be happy to take a look into this for you. Please fill out this form with all the needed information. I’ll keep an eye out for your response specifically, so please let me know once you’ve filled it out.

Cheers,

Muddi