Reactivating an outdated Nest speaker is weirdly difficult — this is how I did it

Google Nest audio system management your sensible dwelling units, play music, and broadcast private messages with solely your voice. Nonetheless, if in case you have an outdated Nest speaker, it’d must be reactivated earlier than you need to use it. Of the three Nest Mini 2 audio system I personal, just one wanted extra activation steps. Somewhat-known subject affected a small group of Nest units with outdated firmware, which required reactivation. I share my expertise with the Nest Mini 2 and clarify how I reactivated my speaker, permitting me to make use of it once more as if it have been model new.

Why did I’ve to reactivate my outdated Nest Mini speaker?

I principally use Google Assistant on my Google Pixel Watch to manage my sensible dwelling units and primary duties like timers. I exploit Google’s AI-powered Gemini chatbot on my Pixel, Samsung, iPhone, and Home windows PC for every little thing else. My digital assistants all the time journey with me. I even have three Nest Mini 2 audio system for numerous sensible dwelling duties, like adjusting lights. Nonetheless, I lately introduced all of them again on-line. All three Nest Mini audio system have been offline for a few years with out being up to date. They have been sitting in a drawer amassing mud.

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Once I heard that Google was bringing Gemini to Nest audio system to enhance Google Assistant, I thought of my three unused audio system. I wished to make use of them once more, however I bumped into a problem once I powered them on and manufacturing facility reset them. Throughout the setup course of utilizing the Google House app, one speaker wished me to reactivate it and would not let me proceed. I used to be directed to the outdated Gadget Utility app on the Google Play Retailer. It stated the app wasn’t suitable with my Google Pixel 6 Professional cellphone.

The difficulty solely impacts trendy Android telephones and Nest units that have been offline for an prolonged interval with outdated firmware put in. It seems to happen with Nest units initially arrange with the unique Gadget Utility app, which I keep in mind mine being. Earlier than Google House was the usual for all issues sensible dwelling, Nest units wanted the Gadget Utility app for the preliminary setup.

Quick-forward to now. Reactivating a Nest speaker on Android could be simple however difficult for the typical person. It is easy, however provided that you understand how to sideload an app. It does not work on trendy Android telephones by default, which might throw many individuals off. They could assume there may be nothing extra they will do and throw the Nest speaker away, which is not useful.

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So, what is the cope with reactivating an outdated Nest speaker?

In accordance with Google, this reactivation subject solely impacts a small group of customers. Nonetheless, I had a type of units in my Nest Mini 2 speaker assortment. On the similar time, I knew my Nest speaker had been arrange with the outdated Gadget Utility app and had outdated firmware because it was offline for a few years. Nonetheless, that might not be the case if you happen to bought the gadget from another person or forgot.

You may’t inform if it must be reactivated if you do not know how lengthy it has been offline or if you happen to used the Gadget Utility app throughout the setup course of. You will solely discover out while you manufacturing facility reset the speaker and set it up once more utilizing the Google House app. The activation instrument it hyperlinks you to within the Google Play Retailer throughout the setup course of is not suitable with trendy Android telephones. Issues would possibly get difficult if you happen to solely have a brand new Android cellphone, like a Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy 24.

The issue is not essentially with the activation half. It is the dearth of official help for contemporary Pixel and different Android telephones with the Gadget Utility app. Google makes Android and Nest units, and this reactivation subject continues to be an issue for brand new Android telephones in any case these years. When you’ve got an outdated Nest Mini speaker that has been offline for a very long time, there’s nonetheless hope to convey it again on-line. The sections beneath clarify easy methods to manufacturing facility reset your Nest speaker and get across the reactivation subject.

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Easy methods to manufacturing facility reset your Nest Mini 2 speaker

Attributable to its worth, small type issue, and availability, the Nest Mini 2 is probably going the most well-liked Nest speaker Google has launched. Because you final used your Nest Mini speaker a while in the past, performing a manufacturing facility reset is a good suggestion. Wiping the gadget helps you get essentially the most out of your gadget with a recent begin. I cowl my expertise with the gadget and present you every little thing it’s good to find out about reactivating it.

You might be not sure easy methods to manufacturing facility reset your Nest Mini 2 or what steps to take. This is what you will do:

1. Open the Google House app in your main cellphone.
2. As wanted, take away the outdated Nest speaker out of your Google House. To take action, faucet the Nest gadget, faucet the Settings cog icon within the upper-right nook, and faucet the Take away gadget button.
3. Plug in your Nest Mini speaker to energy it.
4. Flip the speaker over.
5. Slide the mic change to the off place. It’s going to say, “The mic’s off,” and the 4 lights on prime will probably be a strong orange.
6. Lengthy press the center of the speaker the place the 4 orange lights are.
7. Maintain it for just a few seconds till you get the manufacturing facility reset message. It’s going to say, “You are about to fully reset this gadget. Launch to cancel.”
8. Proceed holding it till you hear a chime sound.
9. Launch your finger and await the manufacturing facility reset course of to complete.
10. When it is completed, you are greeted with a welcome message. It tells you to obtain the Google House app in your cellphone or pill to get began.
11. Slide the mic change to the on place.

My expertise sideloading the APK on a more recent Pixel cellphone

I exploit a Pixel 6 Professional as my main gadget. I even have a more recent and older Samsung cellphone for numerous causes. Plus, I maintain an iPhone on the facet to remain on prime of the iOS-related options. Suppose you have got an iPhone or an older Android cellphone. In that case, it could be simpler to reactivate your Nest speaker with a type of units. That is very true if you happen to’re uncomfortable sideloading an app in your newer Android cellphone.

The actual drawback is for these utilizing an Android cellphone with the most recent Android model put in. This poses a problem as a result of the Nest speaker activation instrument is not suitable with trendy Android telephones. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to sideload the activation app and go from there. It really works wonderful for essentially the most half, however the activation instrument may need some technical points try to be conscious of.

Easy methods to inform if it’s good to reactivate your outdated Nest speaker

I will present you the method and the odd points you will seemingly encounter when making an attempt to reactivate your Nest speaker. It is not too unhealthy while you get previous the primary few steps. This is what you will do:

1. Open the Google House app in your Pixel cellphone.
2. Choose the Gadgets tab close to the lower-left nook of the display.
3. Faucet the Add button close to the lower-right nook of the display.
4. Choose Google Nest or accomplice gadget.
5. Observe the on-screen directions to arrange your Nest speaker. You do not have to reactivate your speaker if you happen to get to the Did you hear the sound display throughout setup.

   

   

6. If it’s good to reactivate your speaker, you will see a unique display earlier than the setup that states, “This gadget has just a few additional steps earlier than you can begin setup.”

Easy methods to reactivate your outdated Nest speaker on a more recent Pixel or different Android cellphone

Now that you’ve got decided that your Nest speaker must be reactivated and also you solely have a Pixel or Android cellphone, I will stroll you thru the steps essential to convey it again on-line. Once more, it entails sideloading the Gadget Utility app on a more recent Android cellphone. This is what you will do:

1. Obtain the Gadget Utility 2.2.8.2 APK file from APKMirror in your cellphone. Scroll down and faucet the Obtain APK button to put it aside to your cellphone’s storage.

   

   

2. Faucet the obtain notification to begin the set up course of.

   

3. Faucet Settings.
4. Flip the change for Enable from this supply to the on place.

   

   

5. Faucet Set up.
6. After it is completed, faucet Open to proceed.
7. Faucet the Subsequent button.
8. Faucet the Subsequent button once more to activate location entry.

   

   

9. To proceed, select the Whereas utilizing the app possibility.
10. Disconnect your Pixel cellphone out of your Wi-Fi entry level.

    

    

11. Your Nest speaker seems on the following display within the Gadget Utility app.
12. Choose it, comply with the on-screen directions, and also you’re set. One of many app’s few quirks is that you could be have to activate the Wi-Fi in order that it might probably discover the right Wi-Fi entry level.
13. Go to the Google House app and set it up as ordinary.

What was it like utilizing a Samsung cellphone or iPhone to reactivate a Nest speaker?

Supply: Samsung / Apple / Android Police

I couldn’t reactivate my Nest speaker on my newer Samsung cellphone as a result of it was incompatible with the Gadget Utility app on the Play Retailer. In case you test the replace historical past, the app final obtained an replace in 2022. It labored nice on my older Samsung cellphone, which ran an outdated model of Android. You will want an older Android cellphone to reactivate a Nest speaker or sideload the app on a more recent gadget.

I also needs to observe how easy the iOS technique was earlier than I completed the reactivation course of on my newer Pixel. The Google House app on iOS by no means talked about reactivation throughout the setup course of, which is good news for iPhone customers. I’ve an iPhone working iOS 18 and an older Samsung cellphone to select from, however you might not have that possibility.

As an influence person, I sideloaded the app on my newer Pixel cellphone and determined to go that route. Reactivating a Nest speaker needs to be completed solely as soon as, so it wasn’t an enormous deal for me. In case you get the reactivation message in your Nest speaker and have an iPhone available, go that route to maintain issues easy. It is simpler than sideloading the Gadget Utility app on a contemporary Android cellphone or in search of an outdated Android cellphone. The Google House app on iOS by no means talked about reactivation throughout the setup course of.

Mud off that outdated Nest speaker and breathe new life into it

Solely one in all my Nest audio system wanted to be reactivated, so it wasn’t a lot of a problem since I had a number of telephones to select from. Reactivating an outdated Nest speaker can occur if it stays offline for lengthy durations and has outdated firmware. It could be a tool nonetheless in its field that you just by no means opened. You’ll have gotten a Nest speaker without cost with a promotion from one other buy and forgot about it. Sideloading the Gadget Utility app on a contemporary Android cellphone is a lifesaver when you don’t have any different decisions.

We might see a Nest Mini 3 speaker with full Google Gemini options out of the field. A customized Tensor chip could energy it to spice up Google’s AI capabilities of Gemini, like on Pixel telephones and different Pixel-related merchandise. The query is when or if this occurs, however we’d discover out sooner or later.