Why is my Nest not communicating?

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on April 07, 2021) follows:

Google Home/Nest seems to be bumping into plenty of connectivity problems lately. In the past, we highlighted how several users were bumping into errors when trying to connect to their Nest Router.

There was also the case of the Honeywell T6 Smart Thermostat not connecting to Google Home for many. But what’s worse about these issues is the fact that they have persisted for months with no official solution in sight.

And as if the above-mentioned issues weren’t enough of a bother already, another has now come to light wherein trying to connect Google Home/Nest to the Wi-Fi throws “Could not communicate with your Google Home” error.

Source

“Could not communicate with Nest Mini”: Attempted to setup Nest Mini device at new home. Changed location on Home app, didn’t work, so I disconnected and forgot the speaker. When trying to set up, the setup goes well until the speaker attempts to connect to the wifi, where it tries for a split second before showing this screen.
Source

Error during setup of “Could not communicate with your Nest Hub Max”. I have unplugged the Nest Hub Max, turned my phone on airplane mode and activated only the Wi-fi (and later Bluetooth because it was required during setup), restarted my phone, tried using multiple networks to connect. All came back with the same response.
Source

Due to this, none of the Google Home devices are able to communicate with each other which essentially renders them non-functional.

Several users [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] report that the issue began after they switched their Wi-Fi or moved homes but many more have stated that the issue began automatically one fine day.

Screenshot of the error

Unfortunately, there still hasn’t been any acknowledgment from Google to date even after hundreds of reports. Hence, an official solution still seems unlikely.

There is, however, a workaround for the “Could not communicate with your Google Nest” issue that has worked for many and you are of course free to give it a go.

All you need to do is reset your Google Nest. The instructions for how to reset the Nest Mini 2nd Gen have been given below:

Figured it out! Perform a factory reset by turning off the mic on the nest audio and holding down the play/pause button (tutorials are online). Unplug the nest audio for about 30 seconds and you should be good to go.
Source

And if you own the 1st Gen Nest Mini, then you will want to perform the following series of steps:

Source

If things are still unclear for you, then we have also added a YouTube video for clarity:

Update 1 (May 9)

10:05 pm (IST): Google is also suggesting a workaround that involves resetting the Google Nest. It can be done by turning on the mute switch and holding the top-middle (LED light) part for 15-20 seconds.

PiunikaWeb started purely as an investigative tech journalism website with a main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Fox News, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, MacRumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

RobotPoweredHome is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my blog, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I’ve been using my Google Home Mini for a while now, enjoying every bit of the experience.

One day I tried to change the Wi-Fi network for the device. Unfortunately, I kept getting the same error message, “Could Not Communicate With Your Google Home”.

Nothing can be more frustrating than your Google Home not working when you need it the most.

After all, for a truly hands-free experience, you wouldn’t need to fix the device every few hours.

Well, as with everything else, Google seemed to have all the answers that I needed, and I’ve curated them here for you.

To fix the “Could Not Communicate” error, restart the device, forget your Wi-Fi network and reconnect, Check the linked Google Account, and reset your Google Home.

Ensure that your Google Home is within your router’s range, that you’re on the latest version of the Google Home app, that your Bluetooth is on, and that you’re using original accessories.

I’ve also talked about using only original accessories, and confirming that your Smartphone OS supports Google Home, which is close enough to your router

Why Am I Getting This Error Message?

You may be seeing the “Could Not Communicate with Your Google Home (Mini)” error message because of problems with your Wi-Fi connection, out-of-date software on the setup device, or because you have not updated your Google Home App.

Unfortunately, there is no way to know which problem this message is trying to indicate, and you may need to try out a few different ways to fix this issue.

Luckily, this problem is nothing significant, and you will not need to head to the technician to solve these problems.

A few tried and tested methods described below can help you resolve this issue at the earliest.

How to Fix the “Could Not Communicate with Google Home” Error

The following methods are easy to follow at home and can help you resolve the issue in minutes.

Restart Device

This method is the easiest and fastest way to resolve the issue.

Reboot your Google Home and Wi-Fi router by unplugging both devices, waiting for 20 seconds, and then plugging them back in.

Once your device restarts, the problem will resolve itself.

Check Minimum Software Requirements

When trying to set up your Google Home (Mini), ensure that the device which you are using meets the minimum software requirements.

Keep the following requirements in mind when installing your Google Home device:

When using an Android phone, the OS should be Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher.
When using an Android tablet, the OS should be Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or higher.
For your iPhone or iPad, the device should be running iOS 11 or higher.

Use Original Accessories

Ensure that you only use the accessories that come in the box with your Google Home device.

Other accessories may not be compatible with your device; hence, it may lead to the error message popping up when you try to set it up.

Be In-Range of Wi-Fi

If you have tried the methods mentioned above but are still getting the error message, it may be because it is located outside the Wi-Fi range.

If your Wi-Fi router cannot cover an extensive range, you can also look into boosting your Wi-Fi coverage by adjusting the location of your router or using wireless range extenders.

Update or Reinstall the Google Home App

Ensure that you have the latest version of the Google Home app installed on your device for seamless installation.

Head to the App Store or Google Play store to know whether you need to update your app.

Make Sure Bluetooth is Turned On

If other solutions do not seem to work, try to set up your device using Bluetooth.

To do so, first, reboot your Google Home device by unplugging it for 20 seconds and then plugging it back in.

Then, head to your device’s Bluetooth settings to turn it on. Once you have turned on your Bluetooth, open the Google Home app and select the “Setup with Bluetooth” option and start the process.

Turn Airplane Mode On and Off

Turning on the Airplane Mode on your device can help resolve connectivity issues in some cases. By turning it on, you can stop all connectivity on your phone.

Once you’ve turned on the airplane mode on your device, go to Settings and turn on your Wi-Fi manually. This will turn off your Airplane mode automatically.

It’ll help to reset your Google Home if you’re unable to access Device Settings.

Then go to your Google Home app and start the setup process.

Forget Wi-Fi Network

Forgetting the Wi-Fi Network on your Google Home app can help in resetting the connection.

To forget your Wi-Fi network on the Google Home App, follow these steps:

Open your Google Home app and select your Google Home Device.
Once the device page opens up, tap on the Settings icon on the page’s top-left corner.
Scroll down the page until you locate the “Wi-Fi” option
Select the “Forget” option next to the Wi-Fi connection name.

Check Linked Account

If you have multiple google accounts, you should verify that you are using the correct account on your Google Home app and device.

When you see the “could not communicate” error message after you have finished the configuration, ensure that the account used to set up the device is the same as the one on your Google Home app.

To verify your linked account here is what you can do:

Open your Google Home app.
Tap on your profile picture in the top left corner of the page.
The first account listed on this page is the active account for your Google Home app.

Set up Using Another Device

Sometimes the problem may be caused by the device you are using to set up your Google Home. At times, I’ve noticed that the speaker may be set up but could not communicate with it from my iPhone.

If available, try setting up the Google Home device using a different phone or tablet. If your Google Home can’t communicate with iPhone, try using an Android Phone, like the Google Pixel 6.

If it is successful, the problem may have been with the previous device you were using.

Reset Google Home Device

If none of the other methods work, then it is time for you to reset your Google Home device. You can do so by:

Finding the small button on your device and pressing it for 15 seconds
Your Google Assistant will announce that your device is being reset.
After the device is reset successfully, proceed with the setup.

Final Thoughts

When you continually get an error message when trying to set up the Google Home device or changing the Wi-Fi connection, it’s hard to know what you can do.

Sometimes, the problem may be with your Wi-Fi connection or with the Google Home device itself. I found that I could not communicate with my Nest Hub once, and the Nest Hub was damaged.

Thankfully, there are several ways to resolve this error message, and you can follow most of them easily at home.

When getting this error message repeatedly on your device, you can try checking your Wi-Fi network range and rebooting your Google Home device.

You could also try setting it up via Bluetooth connection, checking system requirements, using a different device for the setup process, and even resetting the Google home device itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Google home not responding to me?

The Google home may not have registered what you said because of too much ambient noise, the microphone being turned off, or the Google home not being switched on or connected to the internet.

Is Google listening to me all the time?

No, Google does not listen to your conversations at all times. The device will only record what you say when using Voice Search or have used the “OK Google” command to wake it.

Do you have to say OK Google every time?

If you enable the Continued Conversation from your Google App, you will not need to say “OK Google” every time to convey a message.

Can I give Google Assistant A name?

For now, you cannot give your Google Assistant a different name. To convey questions or commands, you need to wake the device up by saying “OK Google” or “Hey Google”.