This Google Gemini upgrade just made it easier to change the colour of your smart lights

Google Gemini’s Expressive Lighting upgrade is here, and I can’t wait to try it. This latest Google Gemini update has just made it easier to change the colour of your smart lights, and identify your different lighting devices.

Gemini for Home started rolling out at the end of 2025 as part of its Public Preview and Early Access programme in the Google Home app. Since then, Google has updated the Home app with new Gemini features, including improved device and location context, ‘Live Search’ and routines.

But this new Gemini update might be my favourite yet. Designed to improve your smart home controls and responses, Google has introduced its ‘Expressive Lighting’ feature so you can ask Gemini to change the colours of your lights without having to know the exact colour name.

Previously, voice assistants found it difficult to adjust the colour of your smart lights if you didn’t know the name of the colour. Now using natural language, Gemini can better understand what colour you want by you simply describing it. For example, you can ask for ‘the colour of the ocean’ and even the ‘colour of my favourite sports team’ and Gemini will automatically change to the right colour.

Aside from ‘Expressive Lighting’, Google has introduced another Gemini update which makes it easier for Gemini to identify your lighting devices. Thanks to this upgrade, Gemini should be able to better differentiate between lights, bulbs and lamps and respond in a more accurate and snappy way.

Google has also expanded its large appliance precision controls for devices like ovens. Users can now set humidity or temperature levels on heating and cooling devices, and can accurately adjust the temperature of your oven if you request things like “Preheat the oven to 350”.

After a not-so smooth adoption process, it looks like Google Gemini is making some serious advancements. I’m sure there will be some trial and error involved in its Expressive Lighting feature – some people’s interpretation of colour is different from others and likely a smart assistant, too – but I can’t wait to see it in action.