Control Google Nest products with Amazon Alexa

Google offers a smart home skill to connect your Nest devices to Amazon's Alexa home control.

The Google Nest skill for Amazon Alexa works with the following Nest devices:

Nest cameras and doorbells
Nest thermostats

With the Google Nest skill for Amazon Alexa, you can do things like:

Tell Alexa to change the temperature of your home.
Show your Nest camera's live view on Alexa devices with a display.
Get notified when someone rings the doorbell.
Talk to a visitor through your doorbell.
Get Alexa to announce when your doorbell or camera detects motion.

Important: Some Google Nest features can't be controlled by Alexa. Although the Google Nest skill is available worldwide, specific settings and features may not be available everywhere. To find more information about which features and voice commands you can use with Alexa, check the Help and feedback section of your Alexa app.

Enable the Google Nest skill for Amazon Alexa

Before you start

Add your Nest device in the Google Home app .
If you use the Nest app with your device, confirm that you've migrated your Nest account to a Google Account. The skill is only available to users with a Google Account. Note: Certain Google Accounts can't be used for migration, including Google Workspace accounts.

Turn on the Google Nest skill from the Google Home app

Open the Google Home app .
Tap your account.
Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Google device. If correct, tap to close the account window. To switch accounts, tap the triangle next to the Google Account, then tap another account or Add another account.
Tap Settings Add.
Tap Service Amazon Alexa skill.
Follow the instructions on the screen to enable the skill in the Alexa app.

Add or remove a Nest device from Alexa

Add a new Nest thermostat, camera or doorbell:

Add your Nest device to the Google Home app .
Tap Settings Add.
Tap Partner connections Amazon Alexa.
Turn on permissions for your new device.
Say 'Alexa, discover my devices'.

Remove a Nest device:

Do either of these steps:
- Turn off Alexa partner connections permissions for that device.
- Remove your device from the Home or Nest app.
Wait a few minutes, then refresh the Alexa app.

Nest thermostat voice commands

You can control some features on your Nest thermostat when you talk to an Alexa-enabled device, like an Amazon Echo Show or Dot.

Here are some things that you can say:

How to say your thermostat's name

Wherever you find the 'thermostat name' in the examples below, you should say the thermostat's name as it appears in the Alexa app.

Ask about the room's temperature or the thermostat's target temperature

'Alexa, what's the temperature in [thermostat name]?'
'Alexa, what's the temperature in the house?'
'Alexa, what temperature is my [thermostat name] set to?'

Set a specific target temperature

'Alexa, set the [thermostat name] temperature to ___ degrees.'
'Alexa, change the [thermostat name] to ___ degrees.'
'Alexa, turn my [thermostat name] temperature to ___ degrees.'

Increase or decrease the target temperature

'Alexa, decrease the [thermostat name] temperature.'
'Alexa, increase the [thermostat name] by ___ degrees.'
'Alexa, make my [thermostat name] warmer by ___ degrees.'

If you ask Alexa to change the temperature without specifying how much, it will change the temperature by 1°C or 2°F.

Alexa controls your Nest thermostat a bit differently when it's in Heat • Cool mode, which can automatically switch between heating and cooling, as needed. For instance, if you ask Alexa to set the temperature to 22°C (72°F), both the lower and upper limit of your thermostat's temperature range should be set to the 20–24°C (68–75°F range).

Note: Alexa can't control your Nest thermostat if it's set to an Eco Temperature, is in Off mode, uses emergency heat or if there's an Emergency Shut-off.

Switch your thermostat's mode

You might want to change your thermostat's mode when the seasons change, or you might want to switch to an Eco Temperature before everybody leaves.

'Alexa, set the [thermostat name] to ___ mode.'

Your available modes depend on the equipment that you've installed. These modes could be Heat, Cool, Heat•Cool or Eco.

Nest camera and doorbell voice commands

The Google Nest skill for Amazon Alexa lets you watch your camera's live view with an Alexa device that has a display (for example, Amazon Fire TV or Echo Show).

Bear in mind:

This feature only works on Alexa devices that have a display. The feature doesn't work on Alexa devices that don't have a display (such as an Amazon Echo, Dot, Echo Dot, etc.).
If you use an Alexa Voice Remote to control an Amazon Fire TV, make sure that you press and hold the microphone button on the remote while you speak.
If your Nest camera is turned off, Alexa can't show you a live view from the camera. You need to open the Google Home app or the Nest app on your phone and turn on your camera before you give a voice command using Alexa.
The live view from a battery-powered Nest camera or doorbell stops after five minutes. The live view from a wired Nest camera or doorbell stops after 12 hours. To continue streaming, repeat the voice command.

How to say your camera's or doorbell's name

Wherever there's a 'camera name' in the examples below, you should say the camera's name as it appears in the Alexa app.

Show live video from a camera or a doorbell

'Alexa, show the [camera name]'
'Alexa, show the feed from the [camera name]'
'Alexa, show the [camera name] feed'

Talk to a person in front of a doorbell

These voice commands are only supported on Nest Doorbell (battery) and Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen).

'Alexa, answer the front door.'
'Alexa, talk to the front door'.

Stop showing live video

'Alexa, hide the [camera name]'
'Alexa, hide the feed from the [camera name]'
'Alexa, hide the [camera name] feed'
'Alexa, stop'
'Alexa, exit'

Alexa doorbell and camera announcements

Alexa can announce the following Nest camera and doorbell events:

Doorbell press: Alexa announces when someone presses a Nest Doorbell (battery) or Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen). Some Alexa devices with a display also automatically stream live view from the doorbell.
Motion detection: Alexa announces when a Nest camera or doorbell detects motion.
Person detection: Alexa announces when a Nest camera or doorbell detects a person (US only).

Turn on doorbell press announcements

Open the Google Home app .
Tap Favourites or Devices .
Tap and hold your device's tile More Settings .
Tap Doorbell turn on Visitor announcements.
You can now turn doorbell press announcements on or off in the Alexa app.

Alexa doorbell announcements are only supported on Nest Doorbell (battery) and Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen).

Turn on motion or person detection announcements

Go to the Partner Connections Manager check that you're signed in to the Google Account that you used to set up your camera or doorbell in the Google Home app.
Select Amazon Alexa turn on 'Events' for each camera or doorbell that you want to use for motion or person detection announcements.
- To add new devices, say 'Alexa, discover my devices'.
Open the Google Home app .
Tap Favourites or Devices .
Tap and hold your device's tile More Settings .
Tap Events Seen events.
Turn on motion or person events and notifications.
You can now turn motion or person detection announcements on or off in the Alexa app under 'Device settings'.

Alexa motion and person announcements are only supported on Nest Cam (battery), Nest Doorbell (battery), Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen), Nest Cam (indoor, wired) and Nest Cam with floodlight. Person announcements are available in the US only.

Partner Connections Manager

You can manage which Nest device data you share with Amazon in the Partner Connections management tool.

Troubleshoot

Visit Amazon's website for help with Alexa, including its connection to Nest products. For example, you might need to toggle permissions for the Nest skill, or disable the skill and then re-enable it. Amazon's website has step-by-step instructions and additional troubleshooting suggestions:

Amazon.com: Alexa devices help
Amazon.com: Alexa features help

Live camera view shows black screen

If you find a black screen on your Amazon device or in the Alexa app when you check your camera's live view, your camera is probably turned off or offline.

On the home screen in the Google Home app , check that your camera is turned on.
If you use Home & Away routines, check whether your camera is set to turn off when someone's home.

Troubleshoot offline camera or doorbell

Device doesn't show up in the Alexa app

If you set up a new Nest device after you've enabled the Google Nest skill for other devices, you'll need to turn on permissions for the new device in the Google Home app.

Open the Google Home app .
Tap Settings Add.
Tap Service Partner connections Amazon Alexa.
Turn on permissions for your new device.

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