Nest Thermostats Offline for family members not primary user

[mokadamn]

I upgraded one of my nest thermostats and migrated the nest account to google home.  I have access to and can control my thermostats.    I then invited my family members to join.  THey have all joined, but all the nests are showing "offline" and can't get them to connect.

The suggestions placed online don't seem to be working.  Please help!  Thank you!

[virnab]

Hi mokadamn,

Thanks for reaching out to our community. I understand that since you upgraded one of your Nest Thermostats and migrated your Nest account to Google Home, you are the only one who can access and control your Nest Thermostats, while all invited family members are seeing the devices incorrectly listed as "offline" in their Google Home app. I appreciate the troubleshooting efforts you have already attempted. I understand your concern, and I'm ready to assist.

Before I start further troubleshooting, let me ask you a few questions:

• Could you please confirm what models of Nest Thermostats are included in the Google Home Structure you shared with your family members? For your reference, you can check out this article on How to tell which Nest Thermostat you have. 

• Are you and your family members using the latest version of the Google Home app? If not, you can check this Google Help Center article to learn more: how to update the Google Home app.
• Did you invite your family members to the Google Home where the Nest devices now reside, or did you invite them via the older Nest App?
• How many family members are added in your Google Home Structure?
• Can you confirm if you and your family members are using Android or iOS devices?
• Is the smartphone operating system of both you and your family members updated to the latest version?

Please provide the information requested above so we can proceed with effective troubleshooting.

Best regards,

Virna

[mokadamn]

Thank you for getting back to me.  There is one (new) Nest Thermostat and 2 Nest Learning Thermostats (3rd gen) in the system.  All Google home apps and OS are up to date.  Family members were invited using the Google home app.  there are 3 family members invited.  All are using iOS devices.  

Just rechecked - one of the 3 family members can now access the Nests, 2/3 still show 'offline'.  Thank you!

[virnab · Accepted solution]

Hi mokadamn,

Thank you for your timely response and the comprehensive information you've provided. Based on this, I recommend the following instructions to ensure the family member has proper access to your Nest Thermostats within the Google Home app.

On the Family Member’s smartphone, please perform the following steps:

1. Remove the Google Home app.
2. Power cycle the smartphone.
3. Reinstall the Google Home app from the Google Play Store.
4. Reset Google Home app preferences:
• Go to the device’s “Settings” > select “Apps” > tap “See all apps” > tap the menu (the three vertical dots) > and choose “Reset app preferences.”
• Review the pop-up message and tap “Reset apps.”
5. Verify the Bluetooth is turned on.
6. Check if access to the Local Network is turned on. To enable Local Network:
• Go to the phone's Settings > tap Privacy > tap Local Network > then select the Google Home app.

Check if the issue is resolved. If not, please use the Family Group owner’s smartphone to proceed with the next step:

Remove and Re-Invite Family Members:

Remove Family Members:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial.
3. Tap Home settings.
4. Under the home name, tap the profile icon of the person you want to remove.
5. At the bottom, tap Remove this person.

Invite your Family Members:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Tap your Profile picture or Initial.
3. If you have multiple home structures, select the correct one.
4. Go to “Settings” > tap “Home settings” > and then tap “Add person” or “Add Home Member.”
5. Enter the name or email address of the person you want to invite to your home.
6. Tap “Next,” and then choose the desired access level ("Admin" or "Member").
7. If you choose “Admin,” tap “Invite” to send the invitation.
8. If you choose “Member,” you can toggle “Activity” or “Settings permissions” on. Tap “Next”, then “Invite” to send the invitation.

The person you invite should receive an email with instructions.

Please let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

Virna