The popular automation app Tasker just picked up a big new feature: the ability to invoke tasks from Tasker directly from the Google Assistant. It is in English only for now, but you will be able to trigger your tasks only by name when you ask the wizard to “start” or “run” a specific command in Tasker. Even more powerful and flexible, you can also use Tasker’s pattern matching to perform actions with variables on the fly. But unlike AutoVoice, it only works on the device Tasker is installed on – probably your phone.

It’s a bit complex (like most of the Tasker stuff), but if you’re using Tasker pattern matching, you can tell commands to pass specific variables as input for more complex instructions, like issuing d ‘a specific command after waiting a certain time or if other conditions are met. It’s not the most user-friendly process, but if you’re math-conscious, it offers a lot of potential for Assistant commands.

It may also remind you of AutoVoice or Join, other apps by João Dias, the developer now behind Tasker. AutoVoice has made headlines twice in the past two years, due to repeated and erroneous deletions from the Play Store by Google. In case you’re unfamiliar, AutoVoice also allows Tasker to integrate with the Google Assistant, but in a different and much more advanced way. This new integration explicitly makes do not Replaces AutoVoice and can’t work on other Assistant-enabled devices like your Google Home, but it does make it a bit easier to trigger “basic” Tasker tasks from your phone.

The full changelog for the latest update to Tasker v 5.11.14, which includes the new Assistant functionality, can be found just below:

  • Removed the alert indicating that the “Wizard action” event did not work because it is now working

  • Video tip on wizard actions added

  • Fixed app creation with App Factory on some devices in certain situations

  • Fixed link to Russian translation forum

  • “Alert ()” function in javascript which returns the button that was pressed

  • “BT Connected” event capable of selecting BT devices during configuration

  • Adding the “GenerateUUID ()” function to the “Tasker Function” action

  • Allowed users to use a custom redirect URL in the “HTTP Auth” action by specifying it directly here

  • Fixed an issue where sometimes a notification would appear stating that Tasker was not authorized when it was not

  • Fixed license check in Tasker in some situations

  • Only use the localization authorization in the “Test Net” action if it is really necessary

  • Allow input fields Parameter of the “Perform the task” action to have more than one input line

  • Fixed bug where sometimes when copying files to external SD card with uppercase extensions the wrong extension could be used in the destination file

  • Correction of the use of the Project / Profile / Task variables in Javascript in certain situations

  • Prohibit the use of unmonitored integrated variables in the “Variable state” state. Allowed it by mistake

  • Fixed the use of invalid variable names in plugins in some situations

  • Fixed the “Steps Taken” event on some devices

  • Fixed small crashes

The update to v5.11.14 is being rolled out on the Play Store. If you want to download it early, you can also get it from the developer’s Dropbox link here.