Nest thermostat settings

You can change the behavior of your Google Nest thermostat from the Settings menu. You’ll be able to choose what is displayed on your thermostat like the current temperature or the weather, switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius, reset your schedule or all settings, and more.

You can change options in the Settings  menu to customize your 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. Your Nest thermostat will show you different options in your settings menu based on the type of system you have and the wires that you have attached. Only options that work with your system will be listed.

Note: If you have a Nest Learning Thermostat, you can find the thermostat schedule  in the Quick View menu. If you have a Nest Thermostat E, the schedule should appear under Settings   Schedule.

If one of the options below isn't on your thermostat, your system doesn’t support that setting. If you’re missing an option you think you should have, check your wiring and system type in the Settings   Equipment menu.

Nest thermostat settings

Here's what to expect for each option in the Settings menu:

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.

1. Select the mode you want to update : Heat, Cool, or Heat•Cool.
2. Select Schedule to open the temperature schedule for the current mode.
3. 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.

Set 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 or ºC

Press the ring to switch the temperature display between Fahrenheit (ºF) and Celsius (ºC).

Date and 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.

1. Open the Nest app .
2. 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

1. Press the ring to go to the Language menu.
2. Turn the ring to the language you prefer, and press the ring.
3. 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.

If you want to connect your thermostat to the Nest app, follow the link below.

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:

1. 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.
2. Select Humidifier or Dehumidifier again.
3. Select Quiet Time.
4. Enter the time frame that you don't want the humidifier or dehumidifier system to run.
5. Select Quiet Time on.
6. 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 allows you to restart your thermostat, reset some settings like Auto-Schedule and Network, Home/Away Assist and Network, or reset all settings on your thermostat to factory defaults.

Restart or reset the Nest thermostat