Nest thermostat settings

You can change the behavior of your Google Nest thermostat in its settings. You can do things like change the temperature schedule, switch between Fahrenheit and Celcius, view technical information, and more.

This article applies to all Google Nest thermostat models.

How to tell which thermostat you have

View thermostat settings

Thermostat display

Google Nest Thermostat 

Tap the touch bar to bring up the Menu view. Slide your finger down to Settings and tap to select. Slide your finger to scroll through the different options and tap to choose one.

 Note: Some Nest Thermostat settings (like temperature schedules) can only be changed in the Home app.

Google Nest Thermostat E or Google Nest Learning Thermostat

Press on the ring to open the Quick View menu. Choose Settings . Turn the ring to scroll through the different options and press the ring to choose one.

 

Temperature schedules on the thermostat display

If you have a Nest Learning Thermostat, you’ll find the thermostat schedule in the Quick View menu.

If you have a Nest Thermostat E, you’ll find the temperature schedule under Settings Schedule.

Note: If you have a Nest Thermostat, you can only change the temperature schedule in the Home app.

Nest thermostat temperature schedules

The app

Home app

Note: If you have a Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat, only basic controls and settings will be available in the Home app. For all settings, use the Nest app or thermostat display.

1. Open the Home app.
2. On the home screen, select your thermostat.
3. Tap Settings .

Nest app

Note: You can only use the Nest app to change settings for the Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat. To change settings for the Nest Thermostat, use the Home app.

1. Open the Nest App.
2. On the home screen, select your thermostat.
3. Tap Settings .

List of thermostat settings

Nest Thermostat

You can view or change each of these settings on the thermostat display. 

Emergency Heat	If your home has a heat pump system, you may be able to manually turn Emergency Heat on when the primary heating isn’t working or isn’t heating your home enough. Note: If you need to run Emergency Heat regularly to keep your home comfortable, your system may need servicing from an HVAC professional. Emergency Heat
Equipment	Your thermostat will show you which wires your system has and current power information. You can also find your thermostat’s display options (like temperature units and the wake display) and the equipment included in your HVAC system in the Home app.
Battery	Your thermostat will tell you when its battery is low so you know when to change the batteries. You can also check the battery level at any time here. Change Nest Thermostat batteries
Network	Here you’ll find the name of the Wi-Fi network your thermostat is connected to and the strength of the connection. It’ll also say whether your thermostat is connected to the Nest server that lets you control the thermostat with the app. Troubleshoot Nest thermostat Wi-Fi and network issues
Version	Find and update the software version for your thermostat. Nest thermostat software update history
Account	Check if your thermostat is connected to an account and disconnect it if needed.
Restart	If your thermostat is frozen, has trouble connecting to the internet, or is not working normally, you can restart it to try to fix the issue. Restart or reset your Nest thermostat
Factory reset	Reset your thermostat to its factory defaults to remove any personalized settings that it has. Restart or reset your Nest thermostat

 

Note: Find other settings, controls, and more information like temperature schedules, presence sensing, and technical information in the Home app. 

Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat

Note: If you don’t see an option on your thermostat, your system doesn’t support it. If you’re missing an option you think you should have, you can check your wiring and system type by going to Settings Equipment.

Schedule (Nest Thermostat E)	Note: If you have a Nest Learning Thermostat, the Thermostat schedule  should appear in the Quick View menu instead. Depending on the type of system you have, you can set up to 3 different schedules for Heat, Cool, and Heat•Cool. If you have a fan installed, you can also set a separate fan schedule. Select the mode you want to update : Heat, Cool, or Heat•Cool. Select Schedule to open the temperature schedule for the current mode. You can set a new schedule or edit your current one. You can also view and set your thermostat's schedule in the Nest app. Nest thermostat temperature schedules and how to change them
History (Nest Thermostat E)	Note: If you have a Nest Learning Thermostat, Energy History  should appear in the Quick View menu instead. Energy History shows you how often, and for how long, your heating and cooling system was on. Read your Nest thermostat’s Energy History
Home/Away Assist	Home/Away Assist can use your Eco Temperatures to help save energy while no one’s home. Change Home/Away Assist settings
Eco	Your Nest thermostat automatically switches to Eco Temperatures after it senses that nobody’s home if you've turned on Home/Away Assist to help save you energy. In the Eco menu, the heating and cooling temperatures you set here will be used when you’re away. Eco Temperatures
Safety Temp	Safety Temperatures can prevent your home from going above or below certain temperatures when the set limits are reached. You’ll find options to adjust your Safety Temperatures here. Safety Temperatures
Sensor Schedule	If you have Google Nest Temperature Sensors added to your account, you can adjust your schedule here. To adjust other settings, you need to use the Nest app. Learn about the Nest Temperature Sensor
Fan Schedule	Select Fan Schedule to have your fan come on every day to circulate air in your home. Note: The Fan option only appears if you have a G-wire installed on your thermostat. Control your fan and set a schedule
Nest Sense	Nest Sense is a combination of sensors and algorithms that help your thermostat learn about you and your home. Depending on your system type, you may not find all of the below Nest Sense options. Choose an option below to learn how to change its settings: Auto-Schedule: When you first set up your thermostat, it learns your temperature habits and automatically create a schedule. Time-to-Temperature: You can't change this setting. Time-to-Temperature displays how long it takes for your home to reach the temperature that you’ve chosen. If your home is too hot or too cold, it may take more time to reach your desired temperature. Early-On: When this is turned on, your thermostat automatically calculates when to turn on heating or cooling so your home can reach a scheduled temperature on time. Note: If you have either auxiliary heat or a radiant system, the Heat Pump Balance or True Radiant options controls preheating. Early-On controls precooling if you have a cooling system installed. Heat Pump Balance: For homes with a heat pump and auxiliary heat, this option should appear in addition to Early-On. When this is turned on, your thermostat automatically preheats your home so it can reach your scheduled temperature on time. True Radiant: If you have a radiant system, this option should appear n addition to Early-On. When this is turned on, your thermostat automatically preheats your home so it can reach your scheduled temperature on time. Cool to Dry: When this is on, your thermostat can use your air conditioner or heat pump to help reduce excessive humidity in your home. Sunblock: You can turn this on if your thermostat is frequently in direct sunlight throughout the day. It helps adjust to a more accurate temperature when it’s in direct light. Leaf: You can’t change this setting. The Nest Leaf appears on the display or in the Nest app when you choose an energy-saving temperature. Airwave: Airwave is for systems with air conditioning. If you have this setting on, the thermostat automatically turns on Airwave when interior humidity falls below a certain level. Check the link below for more details on each feature: Learn about Nest Sense
Reminders	Changing air filters is a simple way to save energy. Turn on this setting if you’d like your Nest thermostat to remind you to change your air filter. Learn about air filter reminders
Nest Protect	If you have a Google Nest Protect installed and added to the Nest app, you should find the option to shut off the system during a smoke and CO emergency.
Display or Wake Display	Note: This option works a little differently based on which Nest thermostat you have. If you have a 3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat, you turn on or off Farsight in the Display menu. Farsight can display information on your thermostat screen when it notices you enter a room. You can choose what to display: Target temperature Current temperature Analog clock Digital clock Weather If you don’t want to use Farsight or have a 1st or 2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostat, you can choose when you like your thermostat screen to wake up. Choose either Wake on approach (When you approach) or Wake on press (When you press). How your thermostat decides when to turn on the screen On the Nest Thermostat E, press the ring to choose to wake the display When you pass by or When you press.
Brightness	Press the ring to adjust the brightness of your Nest thermostat’s display. You can select low, medium, high, or auto. If you have a Nest Thermostat E, brightness is adjusted automatically.
Click Sound	You can have your Nest thermostat make a clicking sound when you turn the ring. Press the ring to turn on or off the clicking sound.
ºF / ºC	Press the ring to switch the temperature display between Fahrenheit (ºF) and Celsius (ºC).
Date & Time	In the Date and Time menu, you can set your Nest thermostat’s clock to show you the time in a 12-hour or 24-hour format. When connected to the Nest app and Wi-Fi, your thermostat automatically sets the date and time based on your location. It also automatically adjusts for Daylight Saving Time based on your time zone. If the time is incorrect, update your zip or postal code in the Nest app. Open the Nest app . Tap Settings   Home info  Address. Note: If your thermostat isn't connected to Wi-Fi, you can set the date and time manually. You can only manually set the date and time if your thermostat isn't connected to Wi-Fi.
Language	The current language you chose during setup is shown here. Change the language of your Nest thermostat Press the ring to go to the Language menu. Turn the ring to the language you prefer, and press the ring. Press the ring again to confirm your choice, or select cancel if you change your mind. Your Nest thermostat immediately switches to the new language you selected. Note: If you change the language on your thermostat, it shouldn’t change the Nest app language. To change the app language, you will need to change your phone’s language. Visit your phone manufacturer’s support website for instructions.
Nest app	If your Nest thermostat is connected to the Nest app, "Connected" shows up here. Connect your Nest thermostat to the Nest app
Location	The Location menu displays the current location of your home. If it’s not correct, you can change your location here. If your thermostat is connected to the Nest app and connected to Wi-Fi, it can use your location to gather local date, time, and weather information. Note: Your location needs to be set correctly for your time to be adjusted automatically. You can also choose the Construction of your home. Your Nest thermostat works differently if it's in a small home or a business. Use a Nest thermostat in a business
Network	If your thermostat is already connected to Wi-Fi, you can check which Wi-Fi network it’s connected to here. If your thermostat isn’t connected, you can view or select your Wi-Fi network, and enter its password if needed. Troubleshoot adding a Nest thermostat to a Wi-Fi network
Lock	Use this option to lock your thermostat so it can only be adjusted within a certain temperature range, or to prevent anyone to change your settings on your thermostat. Lock and unlock your Nest thermostat
Placement	From the Placement menu, you can choose the location of your Nest thermostat in your home. Select a room name, or choose Add custom to enter a custom room name. You can also add an optional label to help you identify your thermostat. If you set a label, it should appear below the thermostat icon on the Nest app home screen.
Equipment	Your Nest thermostat displays attached equipment here. You can find options to change settings for this attached equipment based on the questions you answered during setup. The settings that appear here depends on the type of system you have. This may include: Fuel Source and Heat Type You can only change this setting from the Nest thermostat. Depending on your system, you’ll be asked to select your fuel source such as gas, electric, oil, propane (LP) or geothermal. Then, you can select a heat type such as forced air, in-floor radiant or radiators. Heat Pump If you have an O or B wire, you can select which wire your heat pump uses. Humidifier or Dehumidifier If you have a humidifier or dehumidifier system, you can use this setting to adjust the humidity level and set a schedule. Humidifier and dehumidifier systems can be noisy. You may want to set a Quiet Time schedule during times when you don’t want the system to interrupt your sleep. Note: Quiet Time only affects humidification or dehumidification. It doesn't impact fans used during heating and cooling. To set Quiet Time: If you haven't done so yet, select Set Humidity to find the Quiet Time option. Turn the ring to set the humidity level and press the ring to confirm. Select Humidifier or Dehumidifier again. Select Quiet Time. Enter the time frame that you don't want the humidifier or dehumidifier system to run. Select Quiet Time on. Select Done. Note: In the Nest app, humidifier and dehumidifier are found in Settings   your thermostat  Humidifier or Dehumidifier. You need to tap the Limit switch to turn Quiet Time on. Wire Type You might find the star connector listed here if you have certain types of equipment like a humidifier, dehumidifier, or multi-speed fan. Important: No matter which thermostat you have, you can only put one wire into the star * connector, so only one function is supported at a time. Learn about the Nest thermostat's star connector Pro Setup The Pro Setup option should only be used by a professional installer. Be careful when you adjust settings in this menu. Incorrect Pro settings can damage your system and your Nest thermostat. Refer to the link below for more information. Learn about Pro Setup
Nest Pro	If there’s an issue with your thermostat or system after installation or your system needs servicing, select this option to view your Pro’s contact information. You can remove the information at any time. View or remove Nest Pro contact information If your installer didn’t enter their information or you performed the installation yourself, you can always find a local pro near you. Your pro installer can store their contact information by entering their 6-digit Pro ID here.
Software	You can check the current software version installed on your Nest thermostat and update it. Press your thermostat's ring and select Settings   Software  Update. Note: You can check if you are on the latest version.
Technical Info	You only need to view technical details when you troubleshoot issues with your thermostat. In this option, you can find technical info on power and voltage, Wi-Fi network, sensors, and more. Nest thermostat’s Technical Info menu
Legal Info	This option lists legal disclosures for your Nest thermostat. Nest legal disclosures
Reset	The Reset menu lets you restart your thermostat, reset specific settings like the network, or reset all settings on your thermostat to factory defaults. Restart or reset the Nest thermostat