Notifications on phone don't make a sound; can't use any chime speakers?

[UncleJaysus]

I've just purchased the Nest Doorbell (battery) and it seems strangely useless as a doorbell. So much so I think I must be doing something wrong.

I press my doorbell, and I get an alert on my watch which vibrates. My phone has a notification pop up, but no sound. Which of course is useless if I'm not wearing my watch. If I have my phone unlocked, I get a text message sound. But if my phone is just laying around, it doesn't make any sound and you'd only know someone has rung the doorbell by looking at it. 

Also, I assumed there would be something like a wireless chime plug I could plug in somewhere indoors, so that the doorbell actually announces to people inside the house that someone is at the door. Apparently there's nothing like this for the battery version? Which seems very odd, because it's very simple technology - our previous cheap doorbell only (no camera doorbell) had a wireless chime plug. So why doesn't this?

It's all a bit confusing. At present this just doesn't do the basics, and isn't fit for purpose.

Unless I'm missing something obvious of course.

[Rachel82]

Other people having the same problem. Same issue was reported here a few weeks ago by someone else.

Has this been fixed? We have gone into every setting in our phones and in the Home app where notifications are involved - all have notifications including sound turned on.

If I am using my phone at the time, the push notification is accompanied by a text message sound. If my phone is locked, there’s no sound. 

The notification on my watch makes a sound. 
This is a fault surely unless you’re supposed to stare at your locked screen all day in case someone comes to the door?

[MplsCustomer]

@UncleJaysus 

Whether or not you get a sound with your doorbell notification on your Apple Watch and iPhone depends on how you have notifications configured on your Apple Watch and iPhone for the Google Home app, but you only get the standard iOS notification sound. The settings are under Notifications on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and are not in the Google Home app.  (Per other posts in this forum, there are sound options on Android phones.)

If you are running your battery doorbell on battery power and therefore not connected to an indoor doorbell chime, but want to receive notifications in your home, you can turn on "Visitor announcements" a9https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7672451) and get announcements on Nest Minis, Nest Hubs, or other Nest speakers.

[Rachel82]

We have the sounds turned on in the phone settings. The notifications make a sound when the phone is not locked, but make no sound when locked. Other push notifications make sound when the phone is locked. It’s not about being able to change the sound - it’s about needing it to play any sound at all when the phone screen is locked, which is when it really needs to make a sound. 

I linked above to someone who had the same issue a month ago - it wasn’t resolved and the thread was locked. 

[MplsCustomer]

@Rachel82 

I don't know, then. Maybe there's some new defect with the battery doorbell. Our 3 Nest Hello doorbells produce sound notifications on our iPhones and my Apple Watch, but of course that's set up for the Google Nest app.

[UncleJaysus]

Thank you for your answer, but sadly this is not user error. iPhone notifications simply aren't making a sound. Everything is turned on in settings. This product has a bug, which means it simply won't produce a notification on my phone. So much choice is either to spend more money on a speaker so that it actually functions as a basic doorbell, or return it.

It's strange that a battery powered doorbell wants to be wired into a chime. If wiring in was an option, I'd buy the wired one.

[MplsCustomer]

@UncleJaysus 

Google Nest's cheapest wireless chime alternative is to enable "Visitor announcements" with a Nest Mini, which you can get for about $20 to $49, depending on the seller and the generation.

[EdmondB]

Hey everyone,

I’m sorry for the trouble this has caused you. Let me help you out. Just a few questions. Do you have the latest version of iOS? Did you try to use a different mobile device to check if it was having the same issue? Have you checked the app permissions in your phone's settings? Here are the steps:

1. Go to the phone's Settings.
2. Look for the Google Home app.
3. Select Notifications.
4. Ensure that the toggle is on.

@MplsCustomer, thanks for the input.

I look forward to your response.

Best,
Edmond

[UncleJaysus]

Thank you for your response, but yes we have the latest iOS and all the settings are as they should be. And it's the same on both of our mobile devices.

This is almost certainly a bug in the software.

[MplsCustomer]

@UncleJaysus 

Your Google Home app settings are set as shown in the earlier post and you still get no sound on notifications?

You could try deleting and reinstalling your Google Home app.

[UncleJaysus]

We tried that too.

The software has a bug. 

[Lance_L]

Hi everyone,

I’m sorry for the delay. I know how it feels when something isn’t working the way it should, and we appreciate your reports here in the Community.

@UncleJaysus and @Rachel82, thanks for the additional information you've shared. We'd be happy to take a look at this for you. Please fill out this form with all the needed information, then let me know once you're done.

Thanks for chiming in, MplsCustomer and Edmond.

Best,

Lance

[Lance_L]

Hello everyone,

@UncleJaysus and @Rachel82, we haven't received your forms. Have you had a chance to fill it out? Just in case, here's the link.

Regards,

Lance

[UncleJaysus]

Hi Lance,

I have now submitted the form. Hopefully the bug can be fixed.

[zoeuvre]

Hi there, 

@UncleJaysus, thanks for the update. We got the form you've submitted — thanks for filling that out. Please keep an eye on your email as someone from our team will reach out to you to assist you more.

@Rachel82, we haven't received your form. Were you able to fill it out? Do you still need help?

Kind regards,

Zoe

[zoeuvre]

Hi Rachel82, 

I want to check and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know, as I would be happy to assist and answer any questions you may have.
 

Thanks,

Zoe

[zoeuvre]

Hello Rachel82, 

Just one final check in here since activity has slowed down. We'll be locking the thread in the next 24 hours, but if you still need help, I would be happy to keep it open. If there's more we can do, just let me know. 
 

All the best,

Zoe

[UncleJaysus]

Rachel was just echoing the problems we've been having.

The notifications on iphone still don't make a sound. They make a sound on Apple Watch and iPad, but not on iPhone.

It's a bug that needs fixing.

I filled out the form. No contact as yet.

[MplsCustomer]

@UncleJaysus 

If I am wearing my Apple Watch, I get the notification sound on my Watch rather than my iPhone (usually).  If if I'm not wearing my Apple Watch, I get a notification sound on my iPhone. And of course there's a notification sound on the iPad. I think this is a standard notification function controlled by Apple and not by Google Nest.

[MplsCustomer]

@UncleJaysus 

I'm going to correct myself. The Apple Support post below says individual apps MAY customize how notifications work with the Apple Watch. Google Nest apparently does not attempt any such customization.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204791

[Sande]

I'm having same issue...thinking about changing to ring

[UncleJaysus]

You might as well. Google aren’t interested in fixing it. I filled out a form, waited ages, only for someone to ignore most of what had been said and reply that I needed to contact my “phone manufacturer”. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️