As technology advances, it seems like there are compounding issues that occur.
New technologies have hundreds of signals indicating the device is missing something, and Google Nest is no exception.
Often, Google Nest begins flashing with various colored lights.
Your Google Nest is flashing because there is an issue. A slow-blinking yellow light indicates a problem with the internet connection, while a rapidly blinking or solid yellow indicates a factory reset. A flashing red light means the battery is low, and a flashing green means the device is updating.
Today, we’ll look at each of these light colors and examine how we can go about fixing the problem. Let’s get started!
1. The Internet Connection Has Been Lost
A good internet connection is the key to any new technology.
All of them, including Google Nest, require one to operate correctly.
Unfortunately, many smart technologies are prone to disconnect from the internet.
This may be due to an issue with your internet service or because the device is having difficulty staying connected for whatever reason.
One common reason is because the device isn’t placed close enough to the internet router.
When Google Nest isn’t connecting to the internet, you’ll notice that it displays a flashing yellow light.
Be careful with these yellow lights because a yellow flashing light can mean multiple things regarding the Google Nest.
The thing that you’ll want to look for is how quickly the light flashes. A slow flashing yellow light indicates a problem with the internet connection.
In this situation, the light will consistently blink, and you’ll notice that your Google Nest isn’t working.
How To Fix It
To fix a bad internet connection, you’ll need to reset the internet modem or move it closer to the Google Nest.
To reset the modem, unplug it for about one minute and then allow the WiFi to reboot.
The process should take about five minutes in total. Be aware that when you unplug your modem, all other devices in your house will also need time to reconnect.
Resetting the modem should fix any internet connection issues with your Google Nest unless your modem is still too far away from the Nest.
You’ll know this is the case if you continue to get a slow flashing yellow light once you’ve reset the modem.
If this is the case, you will either need to purchase a WiFi extender, or you should move the modem closer to your Nest.
2. The Device Is in the Process of a Factory Reset
This may be intentional or unintentional on your part.
Occasionally when handling the Google Nest, you can accidentally hold down the factory reset button.
If you notice that the device has a rapidly flashing yellow light that just started once you picked it up or has a solid yellow light, it’s due to a factory reset.
When the device begins a factory reset, the light will rapidly flash yellow until the reset actually gets underway and is irreversible.
From there, it will turn solid yellow until the reset completes.
How To Fix It
In this case, the only thing to do is to allow the factory reset to finish.
If you notice that the light is rapidly flashing yellow, you can go ahead and let go of the reset button, which should fix the problem.
If you’re intentionally doing a factory reset and just curious about the light flashing, here’s your answer to the question of why this is happening.
In this case, just continue the reset as usual, and it should go away once everything is complete.
3. The Google Nest Battery Is Low
Google Nest needs to change its batteries regularly, as all smart technology does.
Unfortunately, these devices use up a ton of energy, and you’ll need to change the batteries fairly often.
If the battery is low, you’ll notice a red flashing light on the device.
It will blink steadily and continue until the batteries completely run out, at which point your Nest won’t work anymore.
You may also notice during this time that the Nest is going in and out – only working sometimes.
This will also happen if you have a bad internet connection, so be sure to pay attention to the light color. This will help you identify the main issue.
If you’re experiencing both issues, you may see both lights alternating on your device.
How To Fix It
If you’ve noticed a flashing red light, it’s time to replace the batteries.
This should be a reasonably easy fix. Simply unscrew the back of your Google Nest and replace the batteries.
After replacing the batteries, you should notice that the blinking lets up, and your Nest will work properly again.
4. Google Nest Is Updating
Like all other devices, Google Nest needs to perform regular updates to work correctly.
When the device is updating, it will flash a green light consistently.
The light indicates that the device is already in the midst of an update.
There’s not much you can do to prevent the device from updating.
Usually, Google Nest doesn’t let you know ahead of time that an update is scheduled.
You may be able to tell if you’re regularly checking on the app. Most of the time, however, the device just begins updating.
Nothing to worry about, though! It will soon stop being updated, and you’ll be able to use it again.
How To Fix It
There’s not much to do in this situation apart from waiting for the device to continue updating. There’s nothing wrong with the device in this situation.
If you want to avoid the device being updated automatically, you can go into your settings and turn off automatic updates for the device.
Why Is Google Nest Flashing? Summary
Google Nest uses various colored lights to identify problems or let you know what’s going on with the device.
Each problem has a different colored light associated with it, apart from the yellow light, which can indicate a factory reset and a problem with the internet.
To fix these problems, simply identify the color of the flashing light and respond accordingly based on what we discussed today.
Usually, Google Nest is relatively easy to work with and troubleshoot. If you need extra assistance, their support site is also enormously helpful.