General Notifications missing in App

[ArchieB68]

I'm very new to Google Nest and I'm struggling to even set up basic notifications. I have two Google smoke detectors which are intstalled and recognised on my app. I want them to notify my android phone if there is an alert but I can't find general notifications on my phone app. I'm in Settings then Notifications but there is no "General Notifications" to set up an alert, What am I doing wrong? This seems like such a basic requirement, why is it so difficult?

[jenniffert]

Hi @ArchieB68,

Thanks for reaching out here in the community! I'm sorry for the missing notifications in the app. Help's here!

In this situation, I suggest the following:

• Make sure you have the latest version of the Nest app and your phone's software.
• Ensure your mobile device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your smoke detector and linked to the same account.
• Check the notification settings in the app you used to set up your product for the first time. For more detailed instructions, refer to this article: Change Nest notification settings.

Let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

jenniffer

[ArchieB68]

I have the latest app on my android phone but returning to my original query the help documentation states there should be a general notification within the notifications of the app which is clearly not there. Is the help link you sent up to date?

[jenniffert]

Hi @ArchieB68,

Thanks for following up.

I really appreciate the information. Absolutely! You can enable notifications from a specific Nest device. Here's the updated article to guide you: Change Nest notification settings. 

You can also check your general Android notification settings for additional control. You can find more information in the next article: Control Notifications on Android.

Please keep me updated.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[ArchieB68]

Every article I read tells me there should be a sub category under notifications called "General Notifications" but there is not. Can you send me a screenshot of what the notification screen should look like?

[jenniffert]

Hey @ArchieB68,

Thanks for following up! I checked, and the "General Notifications" option is only available in the Home app.

To better assist you, would you mind sharing a screenshot of what you see in the "Notifications" settings?

Additionally, even though you can control Nest Protect through the Google Home app, some features are only available in the Nest app.

Please keep me posted,

Sincerely,

Jenniffer Tesen

[ArchieB68]

I can't see a way of adding a screenshot to this discussion. 

Is it possible to get the smoke detector to ring an emergency contact phone number if smoke is detected ?

[jenniffert]

Hi again, @ArchieB68,

Good question! 

For now, Nest Protect cannot ring an emergency contact phone number, but this is a good feature that we all hope will be available in the future. I appreciate your feedback on how to improve our products to meet your needs.

However, the critical alerts are the best option because they let you know about important events, like a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, even if your phone's volume is set to low and you've turned on Do Not Disturb. To receive critical alerts from Google Nest, you'll need to turn them on both in General Notifications in the Home app and in your phone's settings.

To set up critical alerts:

• Open the Google Home app >tap Settings >Notifications >General Notifications.
• Turn on critical alerts.
• Check for a banner at the top of the screen.
  • If there's a banner that says "Critical alerts are turned off in this device's settings," tap Turn on critical alerts, then follow the steps to complete setup in your phone's settings.
  • If there's no banner, you're all done.

Additionally, you have the option to add family members who will also receive the notifications. Important: Only invite people you trust to become home members. You can find more information about inviting home members and how to add them here: Share a home and devices in the Google Home app.

Let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[ArchieB68]

I've finally got critical alert notifications on my phone but there is a delay of 5 to 10 minutes for them to get to my phone! If there is a fire I'd like to know straight away. What can be causing the delay between the actual smoke detector alert and my phone notification?

[jenniffert]

Hey @ArchieB68,

Thanks for the update! I understand how inconvenient it is when notifications are delayed on your phone. Let's try to fix this!

Here are a few things we can try:

• Ensure you have the latest versions of the Google Home app and Nest app.
• Make sure your mobile device's software is up-to-date.
• Confirm if the mobile device isn't on battery optimization settings.
• If possible, try using another mobile device to see if the notification delay persists. This will help us determine if the inconvenience is specific to your current phone.

Please keep me posted.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[ArchieB68]

All my software is up to date. I also have a Tapo app with cameras that send notifications when a proximity alert is detected. These notifications are always instant.

[jenniffert]

Hi @ArchieB68,

Thanks for the confirmation! I understand the inconvenience this can cause. This could be related to Wi-Fi connectivity inconveniences, such as slow network communication or intermittent disconnections. This could lead to your Nest Protect continuously disconnecting and reconnecting or slow response times in the app.

To help troubleshoot the notification delay, I'd like to ask the following:

• How many devices do you have connected to the WiFi network?
• Are there any nearby appliances that could interfere with the Wi-Fi signal, such as baby monitors, microwaves, or large furniture? Here's a helpful article about how to identify wireless interference. 
• How far away is the Nest Protect from your router?

In addition to the above, I recommend performing a speed test on your Wi-Fi, restarting your Wi-Fi router, and checking for any router updates. You can also verify the Nest Protect's Wi-Fi connection; refer to the next article: Troubleshoot when Nest Protect disconnects or is offline.

Please keep me posted.

Best regards,

Jenniffer