Question 1

the sleep sensing on my nest hub stopped working, it just says 'not enough info' every morning now.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Sleep Sensing requires very specific conditions. The most common reason it fails is a change in your room's environment or the device's position that breaks the motion and sound detection. FIX Walk through the setup checklist again. First, ensure the Hub is on your nightstand, about arm's length from your head (roughly 1-2 feet), with a clear view of your upper body. The room needs to be dark at night—even a bright LED from a charger can interfere. Check that Sleep Sensing is still turned on in the device's Settings under Sleep Sensing. Most importantly, verify that Microphone is on (the hardware switch on the back is not flipped to off) and that Motion Sense is enabled in Settings > Audio & Video. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The calibration might have been lost. In the Fitbit app on your phone (where sleep data appears), find your Nest Hub device settings and look for an option to recalibrate or retune Sleep Sensing. Follow the on-screen instructions. Also, ensure your Google account used on the Hub has not changed primary accounts, as this can break the data link. HEADS UP Sleep Sensing won't work reliably if you have a partner, pet, or fan creating significant motion in the detection zone. It's designed for a single, relatively still sleeper in a quiet, dark room.

Question 2

my hub keeps disconnecting from wifi every day or two, have to reboot it to get it back online.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is often a power-saving or IP address conflict issue. The Hub might be losing its stable connection to your router, especially if you have a mesh system or dual-band router with the same network name. FIX First, try giving your Hub a fixed spot on your network. Log into your router's admin page (usually via a browser). Find the list of connected devices (often called DHCP Client List or similar). Locate your Nest Hub and assign it a static IP address or a DHCP reservation. This stops your router from potentially giving its address away to another device and causing a conflict. Also, in your router's Wi-Fi settings, try setting the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to have *different* network names (SSIDs). Then, connect your Nest Hub only to the 2.4GHz network. It's more stable for smart devices over distance. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK On the Hub itself, go to Settings > Device information and note the MAC address. In your router settings, find a feature called "Wi-Fi MAC Filter" or "Access Control" and make sure the Hub's MAC address is *not* on any block list, and if there's an allow list, add it there. HEADS UP If you're using a mesh system, sometimes the Hub gets confused hopping between nodes. In your mesh app, try pinning the Hub to connect to the main router node specifically, if that's an option.

Question 3

the touchscreen on my hub is getting really laggy and unresponsive, have to tap things multiple times.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is typically one of two things: a temporary software process hogging resources, or a screen that's just too dirty, especially with oily fingerprints, confusing the capacitive sensor. FIX Start with a proper clean. Unplug the device. Use a dry, soft microfiber cloth (like for glasses) and firmly wipe the entire glass screen in a circular motion. If there's stubborn grease, put a tiny bit of distilled water on the cloth—never spray directly on the screen. Dry it completely. Plug it back in. If it's still laggy, perform a restart. Press and hold the volume down button on the back for about 10 seconds until it restarts. This clears out any memory hiccups. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If cleaning and restarting don't help, there might be a problematic app or setting. Boot into Safe Mode to check. Press and hold the volume down button while it's starting up until you see "Safe Mode" in the corner. If the touchscreen works perfectly in Safe Mode, then a third-party app you installed is causing the problem. You'll need to uninstall recent apps one by one to find the culprit. HEADS UP Never use window cleaner, alcohol, or abrasive cloths on the screen. The oleophobic coating that resists fingerprints can be stripped off, making the problem worse permanently.

Question 4

nest hub won't play youtube videos anymore, just says 'something went wrong' or spins forever.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is usually a sign that the YouTube app's data on the Hub is corrupted, or there's a temporary account sync glitch between your Google account and the device. FIX Start with the simplest fix. Say "Hey Google, sync my devices." Wait a minute. Then try YouTube again. If it's still broken, you need to clear the app's cache. Swipe down from the top for Settings, go to Apps, then See all apps. Find and select YouTube. On its info page, you'll see options to Force Stop and Clear Cache. Tap Clear Cache. Don't tap Clear Data unless you're okay with signing back in. After clearing the cache, go back and Force Stop the app, then open YouTube again. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The next step is to check for a broader system update. Go to Settings > Device information. If an update is available, install it. If everything is up to date, do a power cycle: unplug the Hub for a full minute, then plug it back in. This often resets the network and app connections cleanly. HEADS UP Sometimes this is a server-side issue with Google/YouTube that fixes itself in a few hours. If the problem only happens on one specific YouTube account, try removing and re-adding that account to the device in the Settings.

Question 5

how do you clean the fabric speaker part on the nest hub without wrecking it? it's getting dusty.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The fabric cover is acoustically transparent but a dust magnet. You're right to be careful, as liquids or aggressive brushing can push dirt in or damage the material. FIX The right tool for this job is a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush. A new makeup brush or a soft-bristle paint brush dedicated to cleaning is perfect. First, unplug the device. Gently brush the fabric in one direction—top to bottom—using light strokes. This lifts and removes the surface dust. For more stubborn particles, you can use the brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner. Hold the nozzle *just above* the fabric, don't let it touch and potentially snag, and run it over the surface. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK For sticky spots or slight stains, *lightly* dampen a microfiber cloth with water—just barely moist, not wet—and gently dab (don't rub) the affected area. Let it air dry completely before plugging back in. Never use sprays, solvents, or soaps directly on the fabric. HEADS UP Never submerge or run water over the device. The fabric isn't designed to be removed or washed separately on the 2nd Gen Hub. Forcing it off will break the internal clips.

Question 6

why does my google nest hub make a faint high pitched buzzing or whining noise when it's just sitting there?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS That's coil whine. It's coming from the internal power supply components and is a physical, not software, issue. It's most noticeable in a very quiet room. FIX First, check if it's related to brightness. Go to Settings > Display and crank the brightness all the way up and then all the way down. Sometimes the whine changes pitch or stops at a certain level. Find a brightness setting where it's least noticeable or gone and leave it there. If that doesn't help, try plugging it into a different wall outlet, preferably on a different circuit. Poor or 'dirty' power can exacerbate coil whine. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the noise is loud and constant and the above steps don't change it, you're likely dealing with a faulty component. Since this is a known but sporadic issue with some units, your best path is to contact Google Support. They may determine it's a defect and offer a replacement if the device is still under warranty. HEADS UP This noise is generally harmless and doesn't indicate a safety issue, but it can be irritating. It's not something you can fix by cleaning or a software update.

Question 7

set up my new nest hub and it's stuck on 'checking for updates' for over an hour, how do i get past this?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The setup is hung trying to download a firmware update over your Wi-Fi. This is a common network handshake issue during initial setup. FIX You need to force a restart and potentially use a different network path. First, unplug the Hub from power. While it's off, restart your home router by unplugging it for 30 seconds and plugging it back in. Once your Wi-Fi is fully back online, plug the Nest Hub in again. When it boots to the setup screen, use your phone's mobile hotspot (from a different phone if possible) to complete the setup and update. After it's fully updated, you can then switch it to your home Wi-Fi in the device settings. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the hotspot trick fails, there's a factory reset pinhole on the back. Straighten a paperclip, press and hold the button inside for about 15 seconds until you hear the confirmation sound. This wipes it completely. Start the setup over from scratch, and it will often pull the update from a different server. HEADS UP Never interrupt it or unplug it during an update once it starts progressing, you can brick the device. Let it run its course once it gets moving.

Question 8

my nest hub gen 2 screen just went completely black, but it still responds to touch and voice, what gives?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is almost certainly the Ambient IQ light sensor doing its job a bit too aggressively. It's dimming the screen down to what it thinks is an appropriate level for your room's lighting, sometimes all the way to black. FIX First, just give the top-right edge of the screen frame a firm tap with your finger. That's the sensor location, and a tap can sometimes jolt it back to sense correctly. If that doesn't do it, go into the settings on the device. Swipe down from the top, tap the gear icon, then go to Display. Look for 'Ambient EQ' and turn it off. Your screen brightness should immediately return to normal. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the screen is still black but functional, do a hard reboot. Press and hold the volume down button on the back for about 10 seconds until you feel it vibrate and it restarts. That clears any temporary glitch holding the display back. HEADS UP With Ambient EQ off, you'll have to manually adjust brightness in the Display settings if the room light changes. It's a trade-off for a reliably visible screen.

Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen

Other Smart Home Devices