Nest door bell that notifies me but doesn't ring

[AndrewMiller70]

I have installed my new wireless nest door bell today and paired it with my pixel 8 pro

It sends me a notification when the bell is rung but I was expecting it to ring or make a noise. 

A notification just means I will find out later who I've missed. Am I expecting too much from a doorbell that it makes a noise on my phone when someone is there. 

I have toggled on and off the visitor announcement. I have allowed the app to everything on my phone. 

This is driving me mad. Can anyone make my doorbell let me know someone is there??

[MplsCustomer]

@AndrewMiller70 

Unfortunately, Google Nest's 2nd gen doorbells only send a notification to your phone.  (The 1st gen doorbells send a doorbell sound to your phone.)  Whether the notification sound is configurable depends on your phone; on iPhones the notification sound is the Default Alert sound.

"Visitor announcements" send an oral announcement and a doorbell sound to your Nest Hubs and Nest Minis, if you have any.  We use it with our 1st gen doorbells and our Nest Hubs.  I notice that the TEXT on Google Search's "AI Overview" on this subject is simply wrong; this is Google Search's incorrect result:

[AndrewMiller70]

Thank you so much. 

This has been driving mad all day fiddling with the settings. 

I just couldn't imagine who would want a door bell that doesn't ring? 

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Will be dismantling and seeing if Amazon will have it back. I'm sure Jeff won't mind. 

[MplsCustomer]

@AndrewMiller70 

According to this thread, some Android users have been able to find an Android option for a doorbell sound: 

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Cameras-and-Doorbells/Custom-Notification/m-p/87642

[KASHIFKHAN]

I totally understand your frustration — you’re not expecting too much at all! A smart doorbell should ring or make a sound on your phone, especially when you're nearby or inside the house.

Here are a few things you can try:

1. Enable "Visitor Announcements" in the Google Home app AND make sure your phone’s media volume is up (not just ringtone).

2. Go to Google Assistant settings > Devices > select your Pixel 8 Pro > ensure notifications and announcements are fully enabled.

3. Set the Nest app to override Do Not Disturb if it's on — even briefly.

4. Double-check that your Nest doorbell is linked properly to your Google account and not another shared user.

5. Try connecting it to a Google Nest Mini or other speaker if available — they tend to ring audibly.

If you've done all that and it still doesn't ring, you might want to check out this helpful tech setup guide  that covers smart devices like doorbells and may offer troubleshooting tips or setup services.

You're not alone — smart home devices sometimes need smart tweaks to work just right!

[MplsCustomer]

@KASHIFKHAN 

A couple of clarifications:

According to Google Nest's documentation, "Visitor announcements" get sent to Google Nest speakers and displays, NOT to phones:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7672451

It's not clear whether the "Override Do Not Disturb Mode" (which is available only for Android phones) applies to doorbell rings; the only example is alarm notifications from a Nest Protect:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9244826

[AndrewMiller70]

Spent all day fiddling with all the above and no change to the notification from the phone. After spending £135 not keen to have to spend more to get a hub just so I can hear the doorbell ring. Cutting my losses and returning the bell. Thanks again for your help with this