How to Reset a Nest Thermostat

Fix a Google Nest thermostat when it's acting up

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
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Updated on August 29, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
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Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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What to Know

  • Press down on your thermostat, select Settings (gear icon), then select Reset.
  • To reboot, select Restart, or to factory reset, select All Settings. Then turn the ring to confirm and select OK.
  • If your thermostat is unresponsive, press and hold down on it until it restarts, then factory reset it if needed.

Whether your Nest thermostat seems sluggish, can't connect to Wi-Fi, or is frozen, you can try restarting or resetting it to its factory settings to restore it to normal.

Restarting it is the more desirable option because it retains all of your settings, but a factory reset may still be necessary. Try restarting first, then resetting it if restarting doesn't solve the issue.

How to Reset a Nest Thermostat from Its Settings

If your Nest thermostat still responds to you turning the ring and pressing down on various options, follow these instructions.

  1. Press down on the thermostat to access the menu.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat.

  2. Turn the ring until Settings (gear icon) is highlighted.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat.

  3. Press down once to select Settings.

  4. Turn the ring to scroll through the settings options until you see Reset and press down once to select it.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat showing Reset.

  5. From here, you have two options:

    • Restart your Nest thermostat.
    • Factory reset your Nest thermostat.

    Note

    Restarting your thermostat will turn it off and on again, retaining all your original settings. Factory resetting will wipe all of your settings clean and require you to set it all up again from scratch. You may want to try restarting it first to see if that works. If it doesn't, you may have to factory reset it.

  6. To restart your Nest thermostat, select Restart and press down once to select it.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat selecting Restart.

  7. Turn the ring all the way around to confirm, then select OK and press down once. Your Nest thermostat may take a few minutes to shut down and reboot itself.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat to restart it.

  8. To factory reset it, turn the ring clockwise until All Settings is highlighted and press down once to select it.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat to reset all settings.

    Important

    If you decide to factory reset your thermostat, it should be removed from your Nest app on your mobile device first to ensure the process is effective. Open the Nest app, select the gear icon in the top right corner, then tap your thermostat > gear icon > Remove thermostat.

  9. Select Reset and press down once to confirm.

    The menu on the Nest thermostat to reset it.

  10. Turn the ring clockwise all the way around to confirm, then select OK and press down once. Your Nest thermostat may take a few minutes to reset to its factory settings.

  11. Set up your thermostat again from scratch by selecting your preferred language, connecting it to Wi-Fi, and more.

How to Reset an Unresponsive Nest Thermostat

If your Nest thermostat isn't responding when you turn the ring or press down on it to select an option, follow these instructions.

  1. Press and hold down the thermostat until the screen goes dark and a small light flashes at the top.

  2. You should see the Google logo appear in a few moments, signifying that the thermostat is shutting down and restarting.

    The Nest thermostat restarting.

  3. If the restart is successful, your thermostat should work as expected. If not, you may need to factory reset it by following steps 8 through 11 in the section above to get it working correctly.

FAQ
  • How do I reset my Nest Thermostat schedule?

    On the Nest Thermostat, go to Settings > Reset > Auto-Schedule. Alternatively, open the Nest app on your mobile device, choose your Nest Thermostat, then go to Settings > Auto-Schedule and tap the switch to turn it off.

  • How do I reset the PIN on my Nest Thermostat?

    In the Nest app on your phone, choose your thermostat and go to Settings > Unlock to remove the PIN. If you want to set a new PIN, select Lock on the Settings screen.

  • How can I tell if my Nest thermostat is charged?

    While your Nest Thermostat is charging, the red light at the top should blink. When it stops blinking, the thermostat has a full charge.

  • How do I connect my Nest Thermostat to my Google Home?

    Open the Google Assistant app and tap your profile icon, then select Home control > Devices > Plus (+) > Nest. From there, you can connect your Nest to Google Home. To control the thermostat, use commands like “Hey Google, set the temperature at 72 degrees” or “Raise the temperature by 2 degrees.”

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