Nest Not Working With Alexa

[webmaster]

Out of nowhere Alexa is giving me a message when I try to change the Nest Thermostat temperature. "Skill linked with Kitchen not enabled". This device was setup at least 4 years ago and has been working without any problems. The Nest Thermostat is connected to my WiFi network so that's not the problem. When I go on the Alexa app, it shows me a message for the thermostat "Server is unresponsive". I've tried to find the "Skill" that's not enabled but there is nothing related to the Nest Thermostat on the list.

Any help would be appreciated

[Jake]

Hey webmaster,

Sorry for the late reply and for the trouble you are having. I wanted to follow up and see I could be of any help. I found an article with some troubleshooting steps. Please let me know if you are still having any trouble from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further. 

Best regards,
Jake

[Jeff]

Hey webmaster,

I just wanted to follow up once more to see if you were still needing some help here. If so, just let us know.

Thanks,
Jeff

[webmaster]

Still having the problem. Nothing I've read to date explains how to fix my specific problem. It's been working for 5 years ansld now the error is "server is not responsive" and "skill not enabled". It's not a wifi problem.

[Jeff]

Hey webmaster,

Sorry you're still seeing this issue and haven't been able to find an article to explain things. I've got a few things for you to try that have helped others with similar issues. Before trying the suggestions below, can you verify that you have a strong WiFi connection to both your Alexa device and to your Nest Thermostat? If things look good there, try these out in order.

• Reset the Nest Thermostat and see if it can re-establish a network connection. 
• Try uninstalling and reinstalling the Alexa app.
• If neither of the above steps work, try factory resetting your Nest Thermostat and setting it back up with the Alexa app from scratch.

Also, are you using Google or Nest WiFi for your WiFi network? If not, what are you using for WiFi?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Jeff]

Hi webmaster,

I'm just checking back to see if you tried these steps and to see if they had any impact on your situation. Let me know if you've seen any changes.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Jeff]

Hi everyone,

Just one quick final check in here since activity has slowed down. We'll be locking the thread in the next 24 hours, but if you still need help, I would be happy to keep it open. If there's more we can do, just let me know.

Thanks,
Jeff

[LuciusFox]

Jeff, lots of people reporting similar sudden issues, do you have a fix please? 

[AnneS]

I just started having this problem and in the alexa app the nest is enabled (I did toggle it bsck and forth) but it says in the app that the 'server is unavailable'

[AnneS]

By the way, I am able control my Nest from my phone ok through the Nest app. Alexa is working fine except it says that skill linked is not enabled

[webmaster]

Yes, I can control my Nest from my phone as well, but I have not resolved the issue with Alexa NOT linking with the Nest App.

[GregNest]

Hi, my Alexa app is giving me a "server unresponsive" message too.  Nest app is fine.

[webmaster]

I have not yet found a solution. If you find a solution, please send it to me. Greatly appreciated. 

[ab9]

I am having the same problem out of the blue. Was working fine until recently.

[LuciusFox]

Yep, having this same problem too, out of the blue, having worked just fine for years. I simply get a ‘there is a problem’ message with no explanation.  Have rebooted the Nest thermostat, unlinked and re linked the Google Neat skill. All to no avail. 

[BlueboyUK]

Same problem here - both of my Nest thermostats are functioning normally via the Nest app but not via the Alexa app. Initially, I got the “Server unresponsive” message, but this then became “There was a problem”, although no further explanation is given.

I have tried all the suggested fixes and can confirm that nothing has changed with my local setup, so this appears to be a problem higher up the chain. Thanks.

[blackpearl1477]

I noticed it too. But when i opened the Alexa app today i have gotten a notification that google changed some policies & permissions and i had to resetup the permission for the Alexa app. I've done this but now nest isn't property connected. 

Issue is on Googles side i think. They changed something. 

[Kiko]

When I enable the nest Alexa skill it says no devices could be found. This was the only reason I got a nest!

[Pmd723]

This happened to me after my internet service cut out and everything else connected to Alexa works but not the thermostat. I’ve been searching for possible fixes.

[GregNest]

Hi, Alexa had me to unlink my account. And then I unlinked my accounts through Google. Then I reminded through Alexa. Voila, it works again.

[GregNest]

Relink was through Alexa.

[Michelle1213]

I am having this same issue. How do you unlink? Please explain what you did. I am not tech savvy sorry

[Pmd723]

So far, nothing has worked for me. My gut is telling me that Google is making Nest incompatible with Alexa to “encourage” the user to get google home. I even signed into google and it still won’t work. I’m completely frustrated.

[Michelle1213]

Yes! I opened my google home and found that it is unresponsive on it too! What the heck. I am so over this!

[Alan_YWG]

Yesterday I was modifying my Google security and privacy settings and unknowinginy deleted the Alexa/Google link. Got the Server is Unresponsive message today when I asked Alexa to change temp and it couldn't find my any device of my named Nest connected to my Alexa account and then upon checking the Nest app I see the unresponsive message. A search got me to this thread.

My fix was to delete my thermostat in the Alexa app, then search for new devices, select thermostat, then select Google Nest and follow the on screen prompts including authorizing the relinking of Alexa to my Google account.

Hope this helps some of you. There may be other issues that trigger the notice of a lost link between your 2 accounts.

[Pmd723]

My thermostat and my nest app are both offline. EVERYTHING I’ve tried has failed. Deleting, restarting, following every suggestion and it’s still offline! I truly believe Google is trying to get us to use their home assistant

[DiyDave]

Mine stopped since October, looking around it seems lots of people have the same issue. I tried everything, but so far nothing has worked. My Alexa just turns off the nest thermostat off when asking it to change the temperature. It can turn it back on, but can't change its temperature. The nest app is working fine, in google home it also works fine. Really annoying! 

[TheRedBaron]

This is identical to my issue and is so annoying.  Even more so because Google say nothing wrong at their end and Alexa support are unresponsive. We all need Google and Alexa technical departments to talk and get this sorted. 

[webmaster]

SOLUTION FOUND!! A few months ago my Nest Thermostat would not respond to my Alexa commands. I went to Google to find a solution, only to find that there were a lot of other people with the same issue. I spend many wasted hours trying to find a solution to no avail. It was very frustrating and I did want to keep wasting my time as I got very busy with work, life, vacations, etc. When things settle down and had free time (to waste) on finding a solution, I called the support line knowing I would spend at least an hour on the phone. It actually ended up spending 2 1/2 hours. After being handed off to a different support tech 4 times, I found someone that understood the problem and came up with the resolution. For some reason it was decided that for the Nest to communicate with Alexa it had to go through Google Home. Also, you can't open an account on Google Home App without using a Gmail, AOL, or Yahoo generic email address. I was using my business email address and that would not be accepted by Google Home.

You have to change create a generic email address if you are not using one already. Then you must disconnect/remove the Nest from the Alexa app, setup the Google Home and have Nest connect to Google Home. Once that's done add the "Google Nest Thermostat" in Alexa. I hope I explained this clearly and this post helps the people that find this post.  

[TheRedBaron]

Thank you taking the time to reply with this. Unfortunately for me, this is not a working solution for me. Disabled my Alexa skill, deleted devices from Alexa, downloaded and signed into Google Home, added devices back into Alexa and I still have same problem when adjusting temperature- the thermostat just turns to OFF. Am I missing something?

[Ahr69123]

Simply put, delete the Nest skill by disabling the Alexa app on the cell. Open the Alexa app, look at the top tabs from thermostats, and tap and remove all thermostats. Then add them back in to the alexa app. First, enable the Nest app in Your Skills, it will then walk you through the setup procedure. It works 02/11/23

[GregNest]

First, I unlinked my Nest app from Alexa and unistalled the Nest skill.  Then, I removed my thermostat from Alexa, then I removed my Nest app and my Thermostat then rebooted my phone.  Then, I reinstalled Nest then added back my thermostat and relinked to Alexa.  In. Alexa I reinstalled the Nest skill.

[TheRedBaron]

Blimey. This is a risky process. I have so many other devices in myAlexa app with various routines. I guess doing what you suggest to remove the app is going to lose all of that and will have to start again. 🤔

[TheRedBaron]

EDIT : Took the advice of GregNEST and still no different. I’m losing my patience with this. Everything worked fine until the October updated skill 😡

[GregNest]

Did I say remove the Alexa app?

[TheRedBaron]

No you didn’t sorry. But I didn’t remove it and followed your process. Nothing has changed. Ask Alexa to alter temperature and she confirms, but the NEST turns off. Alexa can tell me what the temperature of the NEST currently is so communication is there. Something lost in translation. 

[GregNest]

I did unistall my thermostat from Nest and uninstalled the app.  Then rebooted the phone.  Then download Nest app and then installed my thermostat.  Then relinked to Alexa

[TheRedBaron]

Ok. Just tried all that and still no different 😕

[GregNest]

Well, I'd go to Alexa, go to skills, go to Nest, write a review that asks for help.

[TheRedBaron]

Yep. Done all that too. Lots of reviews with same issue and no response from Alexa technical support ☹️