Currently a Project Fi exclusive, this feature tells your phone to look out for and connect to a series of ‘high-quality’ open networks vetted by Google.










One of the clever features of Google’s Project Fi is the ability of your phone to automatically connect to open Wi-Fi networks. This can help you save some data usage and possibly give you better download speeds if you’re in an area with shaky cellular service. Google maintains a list of over a million public, “high-quality” Wi-Fi hotspots and, when the Wi-Fi Assistant is enabled, will automatically connect to one.



The Nexus Google+ page details that the Wi-Fi Assistant feature will soon expand to all Nexus owners in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK and Nordic countries. Google offers you a helping hand in security by transmitting the data through a VPN the company manages.


nexus wi fi assistantGoogle+


The Wi-Fi Assistant will help you find all those networks that are ready and willing for your connection.



Wi-Fi Assistant is off by default, but you can turn it on by going to Settings > Google > Networking. You may not see that settings menu until this feature rolls out over the coming weeks (unless you’re on Project Fi). We’ll look out for any more announcements from Google once the capability rolls out more widely.



The impact on you: Connecting to Wi-Fi networks is sometimes the best way to get a stable Internet connection or a method to ensure you don’t burn through your monthly data allotment. This feature is another nice, little perk that helps set apart Nexus devices from the many, many other phones out there.



For comprehensive coverage of the Android ecosystem, visit Greenbot.com.





Derek Walter

Derek Walter


Derek Walter is a freelance technology writer based in Northern California. He is the author of Learning MIT App Inventor, a hands-on guide to building your own Android apps.
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Google is bringing its Wi-Fi Assistant feature to all Nexus phones