So you’ve opted to upgrade your home and bring it into the 21st century with Google assistant products.
All seems well in the world until your toddler stays up all night focused on the Nest’s bright green status light shining brightly in their room.
Now that Google removed the option to turn off the status light, how can you cover it?
Here are 3 easy ways to cover a nest status light:
- Purchase a vinyl sticker to cover the light.
- Use black electrical tape to cover the light.
- Paint over the status light.
This article will explore all of the strategies mentioned above in great detail. To learn everything you need to know about covering a nest status light, read on.
Purchase a Vinyl Sticker To Cover the Light
Home security is everything in today’s world.
You want a product that will give you peace of mind and optimal functionality.
According to Extreme Tech, Nest is one of the top smart home and connected security platforms.
Its ties with Google seem to make it an even more desirable and higher-end product as well.
In 2019, Google Nest announced that it would be taking concrete action to protect user privacy.
At first, most consumers seemed onboard with the idea until Google Nest announced that one of the vital privacy features they would be adding is removing the option to turn off the LED status light.
These lights let people know if video devices are actively recording and streaming.
So, for example, before 2019, you could turn off the light so that no one would be able to tell if it was recording just by looking at it.
So, now what can you do to cover that annoyingly bright LED light?
Well, my first recommendation would be to purchase a vinyl sticker to cover the light.
This option is my top choice because it’s so easy and cheap to do.
I would recommend purchasing a Nest Status Light Cover from Amazon.
This one has a 66% 5-star review rating, and it’s affordable.
If you decide to use a vinyl sticker to cover the light, once you have your sticker in hand, the process is very straightforward.
Simply apply the sticker to the circular light area of your camera and – viola! No more brightness
If the sticker option isn’t for you, don’t worry – I have other options you can try!
Use Black Electrical Tape To Cover the Light
There are plenty of quick and easy fixes to shutting off that annoying LED light on your Google Nest camera unit.
Maybe you don’t want to purchase stickers from Amazon to cover up that annoying light, but you also don’t want to alert potential thieves and home-invaders that they’re being recorded.
So, what is another option for disabling the Nest LED status light?
Using black electrical tape is another option.
I don’t usually keep electrical tape handy at home, but if you do, then this might be your best bet.
If you already have black electrical tape, all you need to do is cut off a small piece – about 0.25 inch to 0.75 inch (0.64 cm to 1.91 cm) in length should work.
Of course, you can always cut a bigger portion as well if you need to.
Once you have your tape, simply slap it over the camera’s area with the LED light, and you’re done!
If any light still manages to shine through, you can add another tape layer for extra dimness.
After Google Nest announced the change in allowing users to have the LED option, many consumers were angry about the shift.
In addition, many users complained that having the LED light constantly on would alert potential criminals that they were being recorded.
Now that we have covered some options for removing that light, hopefully, you can feel back in control over your smart home security system.
For a visual step by step guide on using electrical tape to cover the light, check out this video:
Of course, if you don’t have electrical tape, other types of tape would likely work too.
For example, duct tape could be sufficient in covering the light.
Be careful though, duct tape has a stronger adhesive than electrical tape and could be challenging to remove if you later decide you don’t want it on there.
If you’re like me, and you don’t keep electrical tape at home, and you don’t want to make a quick run to your local tool store, then my last suggestion is probably best for you.
Paint Over the Status Light
Last but not least, on my list of easy fixes for turning off the Nest status light is paint!
That’s right, maybe you don’t keep electrical tape handy, or you don’t want to use vinyl stickers, then paint should do the trick.
A dark-colored paint, like black or dark blue, would be best for this project because pale colors likely won’t completely cover the light.
The first thing to do if you’re going to paint over the light on your Nest camera is to protect your work area.
So, if you plan to paint it at the table, lay out some newspaper or other protective material to keep paint off of your work surface.
Next, use a brush to apply your paint over the LED light area on the camera and allow it to dry completely.
If you’re using thin paint, you will likely have to repeat these steps and apply multiple coats of paint to cover the light fully.
This option is not my preferred method of choice as it is considerably messier than the previously mentioned ideas and more time-consuming, but it would work in a pinch.
My preferred choice is using a vinyl sticker to quickly cover that light or using what you have at home, like electrical tape, to get the job done.
Other options, like painting over the status light, work, but maybe more time-consuming than necessary compared to the first two options.
