Most Google Nest thermostats have a USB port that can be used to quickly charge the battery. In rare cases, it is used for troubleshooting by the Google Nest support team.
Your Nest thermostat’s internal battery is charged by your system sending power over the wires connected to it. If there’s a problem and your thermostat can’t get enough power, the internal battery can drain. In this case, your thermostat may turn off the screen and disconnect from Wi-Fi so it can continue controlling your system.
Charge your thermostat with USB
You can use the USB port on the back of your Nest Learning Thermostat or Nest Thermostat E to charge it up when the battery is low.
- Pull off the thermostat display.
- Plug it into a USB port on your computer or a wall charger like the one you use to charge your phone.
- A blinking light on the front of your thermostat confirms that it’s charging. The color of the light will depend on the battery level of the thermostat when you charge it. Usually, your thermostat will take about half an hour to recharge. But if the battery is fully drained, it can take as long as 2 hours to recharge.
Nest thermostat USB compatibility:
Micro-USB port
- Nest Thermostat E
- 3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat
- 2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostat
Mini-USB port
- 1st gen Nest Learning Thermostat
No USB port
- Nest Thermostat
Note: If you get a low battery message on your thermostat, pull off the display from its base and replace the AAA alkaline batteries.