Nest Smoke Detector

[cabinfourus1968]

I purchased a Nest smoke detector in 2021 because I liked the ability to keep all of our smart home products the same. I followed the install instructions and installed the detector myself. Everything worked fine and I loved how the warnings would verbally let us know there were issues. For almost two years the batteries I installed in the detector held a charge without any issues. I used standard Energizer AA batteries. For the last 6-8 months I have had to replace the batteries twice due to the detector beeping and warning of low batteries. This only started after a firmware update Nest sent out about a year ago. Now, batteries only last a couple of months before I have to replace them. This brings back memories of Apple's software update that shortened the iPhone's battery life so customers would have to buy new phones. I am not happy with my Nest smoke detector and will be replacing it and all of our other Google products soon. 

[Lance_L]

Hi cabinfourus1968,

Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that you’re having issues with Nest Protect. Let’s check it out.

A few questions: do you have a wired or battery-powered Nest Protect? What is the software version of the device? To check, go to the Nest app > Device Settings > Technical Info > Software.

Battery life varies greatly depending on usage: how many times Nest Protect detects smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) and sounds the alarm, how often Path light turns on, where the Nest Protect is placed in the home, etc.

Here are some things you can try to extend the battery life:

• Turn the path light brightness to low or disable it entirely.
• Turn off Nightly Promise. Nest Protect still speaks if the batteries get very low, and you should notice the battery status in the app.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Lance