Connecting Nest Hello to Mini

[Clo]

Hello. We recently set up our Nest Hello (battery operated) and have since bought the Mini. We want to connect the Nest Hello to the Mini so that it chimes when someone is at the door, otherwise we're relying on having our phones on us. From reading online I'm seeing people say you cannot connect the Nest Hello to the Mini if the Nest Hello is battery powered. Is that right? Seems like a massive flaw? Wondering if anyone has found a way around this. Thanks

[MplsCustomer]

@Clo

You should be able to get "Visitor announcements" on your Nest Mini by turning on the "Visitor announcements" option in the Google Home app, under Settings for your Google Nest Doorbell (Battery). (The new doorbells are NOT called "Nest Hellos.)

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7672451?hl=en

I've seen some posts in this forum about customers having problems with getting "Visitor announcements" to work with the battery doorbell when it is not wired, but it SHOULD work, and it would make no sense at all for it not to work. Google Nest even markets the battery doorbell with the Nest Mini: "The Nest Doorbell is battery-powered, so it’s compatible with all homes. Pair with Nest Mini to get an audible chime, or use the wired installation to get your existing chime" (https://store.google.com/gb/product/nest_doorbell_battery?hl=en-GB).

[Clo]

Thanks for the quick reply. "Visitor Announcements" is switched on and my partner and I are getting notifications on our phone.

You can see from the picture attached that:

1. There is a message saying "electronic chimes won't work with your doorbell when it's using battery power" so wondering if that's part of the problem?

2. The option for ringing the indoor chime is greyed out.

 

[MplsCustomer]

@Clo

This screen seems to be causing lots of confusion, judging from other posts.

If your doorbell is not wired, then of course an electronic doorbell chime won't work because there's no wiring connecting it to the doorbell. A mechanical doorbell chime also won't work for the same reason. It's poor wording on Google Nest's part.

The "Ring doorbell chime" option is apparently disabled and grayed out by Google Nest for the same reason; if the doorbell is not wired to your indoor doorbell chime, it makes no sense to try to turn it on.

I don't know why some customers aren't getting "Visitor announcements" on their Nest Minis, Nest Hubs, or Nest speakers from their battery doorbells. There are several posts about this. It should work if your battery doorbell and Nest Mini are in the same Google Nest "home/structure" and your Nest Mini is NOT set to "Do not disturb". I think a few customers have found that the "Visitor announcements" setting eventually starts working; perhaps there's some sort of delay on Google Nest's servers in recognizing the setting.

[Clo]

Again, thanks for the quick reply and highlighting the confusion around the wording and what Google means when they say "electronic doorbell chime".

The Mini and doorbell are under the same house structure and the Do Not Disturb setting is off. So, like you, I'm baffled as to why they are not syncing up and we're not getting any doorbell alert from the Mini.

[Clo]

So it would seem that the sequencing of how you set up your devices matters. We had originally set up the doorbell first and then the Mini. However, we've now disconnected and then reconnected the doorbell and it seems to work, suggesting that the Mini needs to be set up before the doorbell. Not entirely positive on that but it's working for us now!

[MplsCustomer]

@Clo

It's strange that the sequence of installation should make a difference. And if it does, Google Nest should document that. But at least you got it to work!

[EmersonB]

Hi folks,

@Clo we truly appreciate you taking your time to share here what you've done and we're glad to hear that you found a way to resolve it. It looks like we can consider this one complete, please let me know if you have other questions or concerns as I will be locking this after 24 hours. Feel free to start a new thread and we'll be happy to help.

I appreciate the help, MplsCustomer.

Regards,
Emerson