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When to replace your Nest Protect

Expiration

Why Nest Protect has an expiration date

  • All carbon monoxide (CO) alarms expire because their sensors have a limited lifespan. To comply with certification standards, 2nd gen Nest Protect has to be replaced after 10 years from date of manufacture, while 1st gen Nest Protect has to be replaced after 7 years from date of manufacture.
  • Because CO sensors have a limited life expectancy, certification standards require Protect to chirp after its sensors have expired or have failed. To help you remember to replace your Protect before it expires, you’ll receive reminders long before your Protect’s expiration date.
  • You’ll no longer be protected from smoke or carbon monoxide if you don’t replace your Nest Protect when it expires.

Important: To get app notifications and emails about your Protect’s expiration, your Protect needs to be set up in the Nest app and connected to Wi-Fi. Even if your Protect isn’t connected to the app, it will still chirp after it has expired.

How Nest Protect lets you know it will expire soon

Because your safety is a priority, there are several ways in which Protect lets you know that it needs to be replaced soon.

The Nest app will notify you ahead of time

You'll receive a push notification on your phone 3 months, 1 month, and then 7 days before your Protect expires. You’ll also get a message in the Nest app on those same days. To view the message, tap on the notification, or go to the Nest app And then tap Menu  And then Messages.

Each notification will remind you that your Protect will stop working soon and will show you when it needs to be replaced. 

In the app, your Protect will have a yellow ring instead of a green one. It will also say, "Expiring soon." Tap your Protect in the Nest app for more information.

How Nest Protect lets you know it’s working

3 months before your Protect’s expiration date, days in your Protect’s history will begin to appear as yellow and tell you Protect is expiring soon. This will persist until Protect expires or is removed from the app.

You'll receive emails on your account address

Nest will send you a reminder email 3 months and 1 month before your Protect expires.

Your Monthly Home Report will also tell you that Protect is expiring soon and will need to be replaced.

Protect will tell you

Your Protect’s light ring will turn yellow when you turn the lights off for the night (Nightly Promise). If you press Protect’s button, it will say, “Heads-up. Nest Protect will expire in the [name of room]. Replace Nest Protect soon.”

Nest Protect lights and sounds

After Nest Protect has expired

The Nest app will notify you

When your Protect’s sensors have expired, you’ll receive a notification on your phone and a message in the app. To view the message, tap on the notification, or go to the Nest app And then tap Menu  And then Messages.

There will be a yellow ring on your Protect and in the app. Your Protect will also say "Expired" when you press its button. Tap your Protect in the app for more information.

How Nest Protect lets you know it’s working

In Protect’s history, the day of expiration will appear as gray. This will persist until Protect is removed from the app.

You'll receive emails on your account address

Nest will send you an email the day your Protect expires.

Your Monthly Home Report will also tell you that Protect has expired.

Protect will tell you

Your Protect will chirp continuously after it has expired.

Protect’s light ring will be yellow when you turn the lights off for the night (Nightly Promise). When you press Protect’s button, it will say, “Heads-up. Nest Protect has expired in the [name of room]. Replace Nest Protect now.”

Nest Protect lights and sounds

Find Nest Protect's expiration date

You can always check the status of your Nest Protect and check its expiration date with the Nest app.

  1. On the app home screen, tap your Protect.
  2. Select Settings Nest settings icon.
  3. Tap Technical info. You’ll find the expiration date next to "Replace by."

You can also check the replacement date on the back of your Protect. To do this, you’ll need to disconnect your Protect from the backplate.

  • To remove a battery powered Protect, turn Protect counterclockwise until it disconnects from its backplate.
  • To remove a wired Protect, first turn off power to it at the breaker box. Then, turn Protect counterclockwise until it disconnects from its backplate.

Replace by date

Sensor damage

Things that can damage Nest Protect's sensors

Like other electronic devices, Protect’s sensors can be damaged by:

  • A significant incident, such as a building fire or flood
  • Detergent or cleaning solvents (like glass cleaner)
  • Other chemicals including paint, air fresheners, hair spray, other aerosols, or vehicle exhaust
  • Open flames

How Nest Protect lets you know its sensor has failed

The Nest app will notify you

When your Protect’s sensor has been damaged, you’ll receive a notification from the app that says the smoke sensor or CO sensor has failed, and that you’ll need to replace Nest Protect. Tap your Protect in the app for more information.

How Nest Protect lets you know it’s working

In Protect’s history, days when the smoke sensor or CO sensor fails will appear as yellow.

Protect will show you

Protect’s light ring will be yellow when you turn the lights off for the night (Nightly Promise). If you press Protect’s button, it will say, “The sensors have failed in the [name of room]. Replace Nest Protect now.”

What to do if Nest Protect's sensors have failed

If there hasn’t been a major incident like a fire, Protect’s smoke chamber may simply have excessive dust in it. Try to clean it. If the notifications stop, you can continue to use your Protect as usual.

If the notifications continue, you’ll need to replace Protect.

Recycle and replace Nest Protect

Tip: To help keep your home safe, you should have your new smoke or CO alarm ready to install right after uninstalling your old Protect. You can purchase a new Nest Protect in the GStore.

Uninstall Nest Protect

Wired

  1. Turn off the power at the breaker box.
  2. Turn Protect counterclockwise to disconnect it from its backplate.
  3. Unplug the 120V connector from the back of Protect.
  4. Unscrew the backplate.

Battery powered

  1. Turn Protect counterclockwise to disconnect it from its backplate.
  2. Unscrew the backplate.

After you uninstall your Protect, follow your new smoke or CO alarm's manual to install it. You can find instructions to install Nest Protect in our help center.

You can also learn how to properly dispose of Nest Protect and remove Nest Protect from your account in the Nest app in our help center.

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