Can a Nest E be controlled via a laptop rather than a smart phone?

[Dave2Too]

Since I'm new to Nest thermostats and also new to smart phones I'll having an awful time trying to understand how to change the thermostat's schedules. When we're away this winter I want to be able to set a constant 24 hour low temperature in the house before we leave, check the actual temperature remotely and make changes to the schedule if needed. I would find this MUCH easier if I could use my laptop. If a laptop can be used I'd greatly appreciate it if someone could walk me through the procedure to set that up.

Thank you.

[David_K]

Once setup using the Google Nest app, you can change some (but not all) settings via home.nest.com.

[Dave2Too]

Thank you for your response.

I have the Nest app on my phone but haven't been able to establish an account on my laptop. It requires an entry key to be obtained from the thermostat's settings display but the options which are available on Settings (Equipment, Battery(Good), Network,Version (1.1-11), Account (Connected), restart,and Factory Reset) do not include Nest App, which is needed to get to the screen which displays the Entry Key. Is there a source which would help me set up a laptop account which I really need since I have no experience using a smart phone. Thank you.

[David_K]

You need to setup the thermostat using the Nest app first. Once setup, login to home.nest.com using the same account you used in the Nest app and you'll see your thermostat.

[Dave2Too]

I have the thermostat set up on my phone and am able to use the app to change the temperature but haven't been able to establish the schedule I need. Since using the phone is difficult for me I want to be able to use my laptop instead but I can't obtain the entry key which is needed as described in my previous reply. Is there another way to obtain the entry key?

[David_K]

You only need an entry key to link the thermostat to the app. If you can see the thermostat in the app, you don't need the entry key anymore.

[Dave2Too]

One help screen stated : "Only cameras are supported on home.google.com". If this is a current statement then it sounds like I have no chance of being able to control my Nest E using my laptop. Is there a way of determining if that statement is correct?

Is it significant that I can access my Nest E via the phone's HOME icon but the phone's NEST icon shows only "add Product"? Does the Nest E also have to be added to the NEST icon?

[David_K]

To double check, what model of thermostat do you have? Here's how to check:

How to tell which Nest thermostat you have - Google Nest Help

[Dave2Too]

Nest E

[David_K]

1. On the thermostat, press it to open the quick view menu and tap the Settings cog.
2. Turn the ring to select Nest app and press to open it.

Does it say its already linked to an account?

[Dave2Too]

There is no Nest app listed on settings. As I stated in my earlier reply.....the options which are available on Settings (Equipment, Battery(Good), Network,Version (1.1-11), Account (Connected), restart,and Factory Reset) do not include Nest App..... What does that indicate?

I appreciate you sticking with me on this....no one else has even responded.

[David_K]

Account (Connected) that's good. I just re-read your earlier reply and it sounds as though you went to home.google.com which is designed for the cameras managed in the Home app. For your thermostat model, you need to go to home.nest.com.

[Dave2Too]

I don't have a Google camera, just the Nest thermostat. I went to google.nest.com previously and tried it again just now and reached the same impasse....I can't access the entry key. The display states: Enter the Entry Key..."Follow he steps on your thermostat's display to find the entry key or check your thermostat's settings." I'm tried many times to follow these instructions without success.

[David_K]

Apologies, I meant to type thermostat! Let's try these steps:

1. Factory reset the thermostat.
2. On the Nest app home screen, tap the Settings cog.
3. Tap Add product. The app will switch to a camera view to scan the thermostat’s QR code.
4. On the thermostat, press it to open the quick view menu and tap the Settings cog.
5. Turn the ring to select Nest app and press to open it.
6. Select QR code. Your thermostat will show you a unique QR code to scan with the app. If it doesn't, tap Continue without scanning in the app and select Get entry key on your thermostat instead.
7. Follow the remaining steps in the Nest app.
8. Once setup, you should see your thermostat by going to home.nest.com.

[Dave2Too]

Before I proceed with the procedure you explained let me make sure I've made two things clear:

1. When I enter home.nest.com the display does not mention any thermostat, it just shows "AWAY" (the local weather) and "Add Product".

2. Nowhere on the Settings cog on the thermostat is there a selection which mentions Nest or shows any QR code.

Perhaps one or both of those conditions will change once I select Factory Reset but I'll hold off on following your procedure until I hear from you since I'm concerned the I may compound the problem.

[David_K]

The absence of your thermostat on home.nest.com makes me think the setup hasn't gone correctly. After reset, you should definitely see Nest app in the settings menu. It isn't showing you that option at the moment because it's already linked to an account (hence it says Account (connected).

[Dave2Too]

Sorry for the delay, I've been tied up with other things.

I'm reluctant to do a factory reset since I don't know what that resets changes nor how i would restore my current settings if needed.

Perhaps I'm trying to solve the wrong problem. I want to be able to establish very basic temperature settings when we're away and have been hoping to be able to make changes using my laptop rather than the phone since I have 30 years of PC experience and about 30 days of smart phone experience. But, it appears that setting up the app on my laptop is not simplistic so I think I should concentrate on learning how to use the nest app on the phone. Everyone else can do it so I should be able to also,

My main question is: On Temperature Settings I can't change the temperature. If I click on the current set temperature (e.g. 69 degrees) the Edit screen displays the Start Time but I can't determine what action is needed to change the schedule temperature.

Your help would be much appreciated.

[David_K]

No problem, totally understand. I'll link below the guidance on changing the schedule settings using the Nest app.

Temperature schedules for the Nest Thermostat E - Google Nest Help

[Dave2Too]

" I'll link below the guidance on changing the schedule settings using the Nest app". That's probably where the problem lies; when I click on the nest icon the screen displayed shows four items: the house icon, AWAY, the local weather, and "Add Product". There is no thermostat listed and, therefore, no "Tap Schedule".

Tapping on Add Product brings up the Scan the Code screen, including the option of Continue Without Scanning.

Somewhere along the line my setup seems to have run off the tracks and only shows the data for my thermostat when accessed by the Home app.

[David_K]

And you definitely used the Nest app for setup? Using the same account in both apps?

I can't understand how you're only seeing it in the Home app, if it was setup using the Nest app, if that makes sense?

[Dave2Too]

I followed the instructions when setting up the thermostat but I may have used a different email address for the Nest setup than for my Google account. How can i determine the email address I used for the nest setup?

Based on your reply that sounds like a likely explanation for my situation.

[David_K]

1. Open the Nest app.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Select Account, then Manage account and you should see it here.

[Dave2Too]

I followed your very clear instructions with the following results:

1. The email shown on the Nest icon is the same as my Google account.

2. The Home/Away Assist section states: You don't have any Nest products that use Home/Away assist.....

3. Spaces is Off

4. Nest Aware and Nest Renew - no data.

Does that provide any useful information?

[David_K]

If the email you see in the Nest app is the same as the one you see in the Home app, I genuinely don't understand why you can see the thermostat in the Home app but not the Nest app, assuming the thermostat model is 100% the Nest Thermoset E model.

It would make sense if the model is the Nest Thermostat (2020) model as that model does only appear in the Home app, and not the Nest app.

How to tell which Nest thermostat you have - Google Nest Help

That's me out of ideas!

[Dave2Too]

Oh No! I was identifying the model I had by the color of the display. The Nest photo had a pinkish display and the E photo had a white/gray display, which is what mine has. But, when i pulled off the cover the pin arrangement showed it was a Nest not a nest E. My apologies.

That being the case, is there any action I can take to allow me to change the schedule and temps using the nest app?

[David_K]

So you have a Nest Thermostat (2020) model setup and managed entirely in the Home app, it won't appear in the Nest app, and you can't use home.nest.com to manage it.

You will need to use the Home app to manage the schedule:

Temperature schedules for the Nest Thermostat - Google Nest Help

We got there in the end 🙂

[Dave2Too]

THANK YOU for all your help. Although there's probably something wrong with my Nest app setup, as long as I can use the Home app to make the temp/schedule changes I need I don't care how I do it. I'm really pleased I'll be able to monitor our house temp while we're away. And, eventually I'll be at least as proficient with my smart phone as a typical 10 year old!

[David_K]

Most welcome, enjoy your thermostat!

[EdwardT]

Hi folks,

@David_K, thanks for the help!

@Dave2Too, I'm glad to hear that you can now control your Nest Thermostat using the Google Home app. Let us know if you have questions and we'd be glad to assist you.

Thanks,

Edward

[Dave2Too]

Edward:

I really appreciated the help provided by davidking  which allows me to control my Nest thermostat with my phone's Nest app and I don't want to ask any more of him, but I still have the question of whether  I can use my laptop to control the Nest rather than a phone and, if so, how that can be done.

[Dave2Too]

Edward:

UPDATE of my previous response: It's a Nest NOT a Nest E.

[EdwardT]

Hi Dave2Too,

Thanks for the response. Since you can now control it using the Google Home app, you can try logging in with your account on the Google Home web app.

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Edward

[Dave2Too]

The link has info re: Nest camera.  I don't have a Nest camera, just a thermostat.

[EdwardT]

Hi Dave2Too,

Thanks for the response. Could you share a screenshot of the page that you're seeing?

Thanks,

Edward

[Dave2Too]

I have a screenshot but don't know how to load it.

[David_K]

Google Home on the web was just released and is in public preview. For now, only cameras are supported and no other devices, such as thermostats, will show there yet.

[Dave2Too]

Thanks for the update.  Is there a way to find out when it will support thermostats?

[David_K]

Keep your eyes on the Google blog and Google Nest social channels 🙂

[EdwardT]

Hi folks,

@David_K, thanks for the help!

@Dave2Too, I'm sorry for the confusion. We appreciate users who are keen on sharing with us their thoughts. We'll take this as feedback. 

Thanks,

Edward

[EdwardT]

Hi Dave2Too,

It's me again. I wanted to check back in to see if you have other questions and concerns. Feel free to let me know if you do. 

Thanks,

Edward