Learn more about Nest Protect's microphone

The US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends testing your smoke alarm monthly, but data shows that 90% of Americans don't do this as often as they should. So, the 2nd gen Google Nest Protect has a microphone. It can listen to its horn and speaker tests and confirm that they're working. This helps make sure that Nest Protect will speak and sound an alarm when there's smoke or carbon monoxide.

During Sound Check and Safety Check-Up, Nest Protect's microphone is on for a few seconds to make sure that the speaker and horn are working. During that time, the microphone is checking to hear Nest Protect make this sound:

Play Sound Check audio

Do a Sound Check

Google Nest Protects can automatically test their speaker and horn once a month, at the time of day that you choose with Sound Check. If your Nest Protect has a working Wi-Fi connection, you'll receive an alert on your phone letting you know when it's about to happen. Learn more about Sound Check.

Run a Safety Check-Up

Safety Check-Up is a manual test to check if your Google Nest Protect's sensors, power, Wi-Fi connection, speaker, horn and light ring are working. You can run a Safety Check-Up for a 2nd generation Nest Protect with the Nest app, with the Google Home app or by pressing the Nest button on any Nest Protect.

Nest app

If you have at least one 2nd gen Nest Protect in your home, you can run a Safety Check-Up with the Nest app.

1. Sign in to your account in the app.

2. Select Nest Protect on the home screen.

3. Tap Check-Up at the bottom of the screen.

Google Home app

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Tap Home Smoke and CO .
3. Tap Run Safety Check Start Done once the test is complete.

Nest Protect

1. Press the Nest button on a Protect. The blue light should turn on and it will speak to you.

2. When it says 'Press to test', press the button a second time.

The microphone will only turn on at the end of Safety Check-Up, when Nest Protect is checking its speaker and horn. Learn more about Safety Check-Up.

Turn off Sound Check

You can turn off Sound Check during the setup process or by going into Settings in the Nest app or Google Home app .

Google Home app

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Tap Home Smoke and CO .
3. Tap Settings Sound Check.
4. Switch off Allow monthly Sound Check.

Nest app

1. Open the app and select your Nest Protect.
2. Tap Settings Sound Check.
3. Switch off Allow monthly Sound Check.

You can also choose to skip a test any month. Once you've enabled notifications, Nest
Protect can send you a message about five minutes before it runs a test, where you can
choose to skip this month's test. Nest Protect will try again next month.

If you disable Sound Check, but you still want to test the speaker and horn, just run a Safety
Check-Up. The microphone in Nest Protect will listen for the speaker and horn every time you
run a Safety Check-Up, even if Sound Check is disabled.

We know that your home is a private space, and we've designed Sound Check and Safety
Check-Up with that in mind. You can read more about our commitment to user privacy here.