Linking Nest app to Google Home app and Alexa

[talldave]

Hello,

I like to think of myself as very IT literate, but this Google/Nest situation has got me beaten!

I've had a new Nest Learning Thermostat installed this week and have set up the Nest app to control it. I have never had a Nest account before, so logged in with my Google account, and that worked fine. The thermostat is working well.

I now want to give my wife access to control the thermostat and also link it to Alexa.

a) I have tried adding my wife into the Nest app. It says that is not possible, I need to add her to my house in the Google Home app, and then she'll be visible in the Nest app. I've invited her to my house in Google Home, she's accepted and I can see her in Google Home app as part of my household. But I can't see her in Nest. (I have given permissions in Google for Nest to see details.)

b) I tried adding the thermostat as a device in Google Home. I've been through Add a Device > Works with Google > Nest to link the Nest and Google accounts, but then I need to log in to Nest. It won't accept my Google login details and there is no option to login with Google, so I can't proceed

c) I have tried setting up in the Alexa app. That advises to download the Nest app (but actually redirects to the Google Home app), and says I need to enable partner connections to Alexa in the app - but I cannot find this in the Nest app. So then Alexa can't find the device either. And as I can't add the device to Google Home, I can't use that either.

Can anyone help please? I'm surprised (and disappointed) how complex and confusing this is, not what I'd expect from Google TBH.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

[MplsCustomer]

@talldave 

Google Nest's use of 2 apps for its suite of Google Nest products is a source of confusion and frustration.

The Nest Learning Thermostat can ONLY be added in the Google Nest app. Once added there, it should AUTOMATICALLY appear in the Google Home app, provided that you are signing on to both apps with the same Google (gmail) account and are accessing the exact same Google Nest "home/structure" in both apps. Another customer earlier today had this exact same problem with the Nest Learning Thermostat (https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Thermostats/Can-t-add-Thermostat-to-Google-Home-App/m-p/...) because the "homes" in the two apps were named differently.

If your wife is a member of your household in the Google Home app, she should show up in the Google Nest app under Settings | Family for the same Google Nest "home/structure". That's how it works for us. You could try signing out of the Google Nest app and signing back on to see if that helps.

I can't speak to working with Alexa.

[talldave]

Thanks for the quick response, much appreciated.

I've checked and both homes are called "Home" in the two apps. My thermostat is in "Hallway" in the Nest app (like the family you helped in the other post) but I've haven't got any rooms in my Google Home app and can't find a way to add any. It just says I need to add a device (!)

My wife is visible in my household in the Home app, but doesn't appear in the Nest app. I tried signing out and back in but no joy.

I'm giving up for this evening...

[MplsCustomer]

@talldave 

For tomorrow:

The fact that your thermostat is not showing in the Google Home app AND your wife is not showing in your family in the Google Nest app really seems to imply that either you are logging onto the apps with different Google (gmail) accounts, OR you have different homes in the 2 apps. Just to be sure, in the Google Nest app, your "home" name appears on the first screen under the word "Home" (and alternates with the temperature). In the Google Home app it appears at the top of the first screen. If things were working normally, your "room" named "Hallway" should appear automatically in the Google Home app, and your thermostat should be in it.

This customer discovered they had two "homes" with the same name in the Google Home app:
https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Thermostats/Adding-a-3rd-Generation-thermostat-to-google...

(I wonder whether either app will let you enter a "home" name that has a trailing space that you can't see but would make it a different name.)

[talldave]

Hi@MplsCustomer

I've made some progress! I downloaded the Nest app onto my wife's phone and logged her in via Google and hey presto - automatically picked up the Nest thermostat and I can now see her in my Nest app in my household. Which is good news for her, bad news for my gas bill 😉

However, I still can't see the thermostat in the Google Home app. Both apps are 'seeing' the same "Home". I tried changing the address of Home in the Google Home app and this new address was immediately visible in the Nest app. I've also successfully added other Smart lights to my Google Home app and they work ok, so I have no idea why the Nest thermostat isn't visible in the Google Home app.

[MplsCustomer]

@talldave 

There are several other threads where customers are reporting their Nest Learning Thermostat isn't showing up in the Google Home app after being installed in the Google Nest app.  One was resolved when they realized they had two different "homes", so make sure you don't have duplicate "homes" or something like that.  But the rest are saying they're accessing the same "home" and can't see the thermostat.  You might need to contact Support (https://support.google.com/googlenest/gethelp).  Maybe something's going on with Google Nest's servers.

[talldave]

Hello again @MplsCustomer 

I've got my thermostat showing in the Home app. I created a new "NestHome" home in the Nest app, with nothing in it. I could see that straight away in the Google Home app (even though it said in the Nest app that changes wouldn't be visible in the Home app!). I then deleted it in the Google Home app, and when it refreshed, my thermostat was then showing in the Hallway in "Home". Creating and deleting a new home has somehow forced them to sync - could be a useful tip for anyone else in the same position.

Thanks for your time & help.

[EdwardT]

Hi folks,

@MplsCustomer, thanks for the help!

@talldave, thanks for reaching out. I'm glad to hear that you were able to figure it out. Please observe it for now and let us know if anything comes up.

Thanks,

Edward

[EdwardT]

Hi talldave, 

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

[EdwardT]

Hi talldave, 

I'm just checking in to make sure that you've seen our response. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours.

Thanks,

Edward