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Why can't I connect my new Nest cam with the Nest app?

JohnF
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Disclaimer: This thread was migrated from our previous version of the Google Nest Community. You can continue to receive updates on your thread issue here or simply ask, browse or more in the new Google Nest Community.

 

 Original poster: Stephen 7791 

 

I have the newest Nest cam (outdoor with battery) and the only option to connect is with Google Home, not the Nest app.

1 Recommended Answer

gnom
Community Member

I got a reply from google two days ago

 
Google Nest Support
@googlenesthelp

We know how important it is to be able to view all your Nest devices on one app. If you have the new Nest Cam (wired), it's exclusive to the Home app and we have no news to share about having these devices available on the Nest app. 1/2

Our long term plan is to use the Home app as the one place to control all of your favorite Nest and other smart home devices. We appreciate your feedback as we're looking for ways to improve our products and services. Stay tuned on our social media channels for more news. 2/2

View Recommended Answer in original post

254 REPLIES 254

Brian
Community Member

It’s quite infuriating to say the least. I just picked one up too. If they’re migrating to the Home app then all features should be present - and they’re not. As of now, I’ll need to use two different apps to maintain the same capability I’ve had for years on the Nest app. Huge oversight!

mc
Community Member

Completely agree!

When google make decisions like this I feel like I'm being punished for brand loyalty.  I feel like there there is no thought or concern about the user experience. It feel like we are disregarded and only some preconceived notion of how they want their products to be used are considered.  

tomgdietz
Community Member

This is awful.  Same experience.

I talked to someone.  Looks like you can see all of the cameras in the Google Home app.  I am happy now.  I think the Nest app is older technology.

Marc99
Community Member

You can’t see them live in one place like in nest. Ugh 

Nanie
Community Member

You can when you go into Home App and click CAMERAS.  But. I wanted my new Nest outdoor battery camera to also work in the nest app. I can't figure it out. 😕 

CABBY
Community Member

Yes, this is what I'm currently trying to do.   I can see the camera on the home app, but not the Nest App and I prefer the Nest App.  There's more features and I'm used to maneuvering the Nest App.  

M47
Community Member

Same. I don't like having to go through home to get to all the cameras. Now I have 4 cameras in the nest app and 1 I can only see in Home. I much prefer the nest app 

GIncVictim
Community Member

In Nest you could scroll through all of your cameras showing the current view. In Google Home you have to click on the camera name to see what’s there. It’s not the same.

Google Home is crap. 

I’m not. How do you view them from a computer? 

In the Home app.  Open it and hit the Camera button.  Once open you will see all of the Cameras just like in the Nest app.  If you want to add more Household users add them by using the Household button. 

I don't see a way to easily see all of the past events in the Home app like you can in the Nest app. And there's a lag to see anything

The Nest app is much better. 

Brenyn
Community Member

you cant 

 

buyapr
Community Member

I believe you can only see the original Nest Cameras on a computer. None of the new Google Cameras are able to be viewed from a computer. 

Neretin
Community Member

You're a hero. Thank you.

for doorbell features, you have to go back to the nest app, which makes it use of both apps.

Zamrs
Community Member

The home apps sucks. Way easier to use the neat app to view videos and download videos.  Google just screws everything up. 

Native2
Community Member

I AGREE,,, I HATE THE HOME APP, YOU CAN'T EVEN SAVE ANY CLIPS,, THAT I KNOW OF. ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED TO SHOW SOMETHING THATS IMPORTANT.. I HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER DEVICE AND RECORD IT FROM SCREEN TO SCREEN.. THIS APP SUCKS BAD, WHT COULDN'T THEY LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE.. GEESH.. 

You miss the point. The Home app doesn't work for many of us - it is cumbersome and designed for individuals (or at most a couple). I have multiple kids with multiple devices always coming and going and it can't accomodate my family. There are serveral other shortcomings - no video feed to a PC, no way to set up a time based camera, etc.

My original complaint was primarily directed at the Home App, but was also inteneded to relay my frustration of buying a "Nest" camera that doesn't work with Nest. Call it what it is - a "Home" camera (which would have meant I wouldn't have bought and had to return it.) I'll go out on a limb and guess a fair % of these cameras were sent back to Google.

I hear you but you can add many members to a Google Home household.  I believe you may also be able to set different authority levels in a household, but I not sure. 

100% Agree. I just bought two of the new nest IQ indoor cams because I love the $99 price point. Now I’ll be returning them for the standard Nest Cam / DropCam. So stupid. Stop ruining the end user experience Google!!! If your going to migrate to the home app then pay attention to your customer feedback, get a team of your droids on the project and do it right!!! 

Jus777
Community Member

Totally agree! I have 5 Nest cameras with 2 Nest thermostat controllers & use the NEST App as all products are on the same home page with live viewing of the cameras. Simple, clear & easy to use, & is why I recently bought an additional indoor Nest camera to add to this NEST App screen. I know the Google Home App works too, but it does not have all the products I use on the one simple easy to use screen (without having to select in & out of Cameras, & in & out of the Thermostats one at a time). Google if you are listening … please please please allow us faithful Google/Nest product users to add new Google Nest products to the NEST App, the App we choose to use!!! If you’re not listening, then that says a lot! 

Geezir
Community Member

 Totally agree. 

I have an older Nest outdoor cam, thermostat, and room temperature sensor. The Nest app has always been great to use. 

Wanted to add on to what I have so went and bought a new Outdoor cam. Got home and went to set it up only to be very annoyed when it forced me to have to use the Google Home app which is absolutely awful to use. 

Yes you can view the older products and even use some of the features in the Home app but things like viewing event history in the Home app is horrible. Viewing the time lapse data for the older camera is, as far as I've found, not possible without having to switch to the Nest app. 

The thermostat you can use through Home, but again some features aren't there. Unless I'm missing something a feature like selecting which temperature sensor to use is not there, and if it is its buried where it takes multiple steps to find it instead of one simple click when opening the app like in the Nest app. 

Problem is though Google will likely never fix it. They've proven time and time again that they just flat out don't care what their users want. Features and functionality that users have been asking for years are continually ignored with every update rolled out. Instead were given a product and basically told this is what you get, take it or leave it. 

Looking at the Nest thermostat, users have been asking for years for a simple feature like temperature hold to easily override any temperature programming you may have. A feature that comes standard on the cheap programmable thermostat I had before replacing it with my Nest. A $300 thermostat that can't do something as simple as holding a temperature setting. Users have been asking for that feature ever since the thermostat was released and still nothing. 

Bacon76
Community Member

I suspect that they are trying to push users into buying the google hub screen instead of most folks using the phone app. It is not uncommon to influence hardware purchases by limiting software features. FWIW I just figured this nest app issue out myself and frustration is putting it nicely 

BillFPDX
Community Member

Let me add my name to all who have found this "infuriating"! I don't know how many hours that I've spent trying to get my new nest battery camera into the Nest app. Why is it not just an easy add???

Geezir
Community Member

Because it's not possible. 

Google's home app is a joke.  Scrapping all of my Nest garbage for Arlo.  Bye Google.

cameronlc
Community Member

I also want to add my name to the list of people who are annoyed by this. 

I've generally got no problem with it all being in the Home App, but as long as all the functionality is moved across too. If Google can't do that, then the least they can do is make the new cameras available in Nest App. 

Mile
Community Member

What I know so far is; I do not believe the 'time lapse' in the Nest web app is available in Google Home. And the searching recordings is more difficult in the Home app. To name a few things this far 🤔 

Exactly!  I never mind new technology, but does not have the same features & is akward

Nanie
Community Member

Completely agree

8YY8
Community Member

OMG—i wish I read up on all these feedback cuz it sure was frustrating trying to figure out how to add the new camera to the nest app via using google home!  
Totally agree that this sucks —I prefer the nest app and hope google fixes this/enables the ability to add additional products to the nest app that seems to be the preferred app for the majority.

😞

gnom
Community Member

I bought today a new indoor camera as it is easy to add to the existing ones in nest, so I thought.

After hours of trying to get it into nest I came across this site, thanks then I started to question my abilities already.

The bottom line is that I agree with most here, this sucks!!!

 

SBG9
Community Member

If I can't have all my cameras in one app, why didn't I just buy a $30 wyze cam?  I'm miffed about this.

 

RobTroyer
Community Member

Exactly—the only reason I bought a Nest cam was to add it to my existing platform.

Rob Troyer

You can see them all in the Google Home app

Marc99
Community Member

But you can’t see live footage all at once on multiple cameras. 

JKulow
Community Member

Technically you can but it's more button presses and the UI sucks. Open Home and tap the Cameras link at the top and you can see all your cameras live feed on one scrollable page.