Google Home 4.8 update fixes camera errors and adds smart buttons

Google’s latest Google Home app updates include a “foundational fix” intended to reduce the long-standing “Video not available” error that can appear when you tap a camera notification or try to open a just-recorded event.

In Google’s release notes, the company describes this as “camera close-to-live playback improvements,” and says the change is available on Google Home app version 4.8 or higher.

Automations finally get smart button triggers (plus more starters and actions)

The same wave of updates expands what can start an automation inside the Google Home app’s automation editor. New starters/conditions include humidity thresholds, robot vacuum docking, device battery state, and a new “switch or button is pressed” option that supports multi-press, long-press, and long-press release behavior (starter-only).

Google is also adding more device “binary state” checks (for supported devices), such as whether a window is open/closed or whether a sensor reports a leak/no leak, plus a new automation action that can set smart lights to a specific color or color temperature.

What still doesn’t work (or isn’t there yet)

Not all of these improvements are available everywhere in the same way. Google notes that the newly added starters/conditions/actions are currently limited to the Google Home app’s automation editor and are not yet supported by the Gemini-powered “Ask Home” or “Help me create” features.

There are also early signs that button automations may be inconsistent depending on the device ecosystem. External media reports problems getting IKEA’s low-cost Bilresa Matter-over-Thread button working reliably with Google Home automations, while IKEA has acknowledged that some customers are experiencing Matter setup and connectivity issues in certain home environments.

Which smart home ecosystems benefit the most

For Google’s own hardware users, the biggest practical win is for Nest camera owners who have been hitting the “Video not available” message when trying to jump into fresh events from notifications.

For mixed-device smart homes, expanded automation triggers are the bigger story: smart buttons and richer sensor/robot-vacuum/battery conditions help Google Home catch up to platforms that have offered more physical-control and automation flexibility for years.