HOME mini UNRESPONSIVE thread - "Google home mini 4 dots stuck problem"

[halupto]

Hi guys, here´s thread for anyone who´s experiencing "Google home mini 4 dots stuck problem". Possible news from Google, solutions or fix to be written here. Seems this issue affected lot of devices, let´s see what can be done about it and what will be Google´s reaction to this situation.

Moderator edit: Subject updated for clarity and findability

[KiiFromGoogle · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for sharing details in the comments here and for submitting feedback reports to our team.

We’ve identified the cause of this issue and have stopped the software rollout.

If you’ve been impacted by this issue, we want to make things right: Please reach out to Google Nest support at g.co/nest/contact for assistance.

Thanks for your patience while we looked into this— we're here to help if you have any other questions.

[gileswells · Accepted solution]

Sadly it appears this is, at least for now, only available in the US. Replacements have been authorized and I've got the steps that I went through to request AND BE APPROVED FOR IT.

I got my replacement options last night after my last time chatting with Google early in the morning on the 23rd. Either I can return mine and then they send a replacement or I buy a new one (through an individualized link) and they just put a hold on the card which they will release once the return is received. I had to go through some steps with the chat rep Ana (she was great and very patient) including trying the 10x reboot thing and then also sending a quick video of it locking up.

Here's how I got to this point:

1. I went to the contact link that @KiiFromGoogle listed and clicked on the Google Home category and said something about my device being bricked in the text field.
   1. As someone that has worked chat support for other companies before I will say this up front, be courteous, stick to the facts, and overall be genuinely thankful for their assistance. You'll get so much further with being a polite person.
2. In talking with the rep and confirming that the device was purchased in the United States (I believe I've seen reports that some countries didn't get replacements last time there was a bricking event like this so your results may vary if you're in another country), we started trying some debugging to ensure that it was in fact bricked. Those steps included:
   1. Rebooting the device 10 times through powering it off, waiting 10 seconds and then plugging it back in. We then waited for it to get to the 4 solid white lights before unplugging and doing it all over again. It never got to the "Welcome to Google Home" or whatever it was supposed to say.
   2. We then tried to hold the reset button for 5 seconds (which makes it go into reset mode) and then an additional 10 seconds (which confirms the desire to reset?). This just ended up with 2 white lights for me until I powered it off again and then back on which is when I got back to the 4 white lights.
   3. The last thing that Ana had me do was take a 45 second video showing off the device being plugged in and then it freezing at 4 white LEDs. This was the most annoying part of the process because my phone can't get low enough resolution to get 45 seconds of video and be under the 25mb file transfer limit offered by Gmail. Additionally the file upload included in the chat doesn't receive video files so I had to use email. I tried to offer her a Google Drive link but in the end she just asked that I send as long of a video as I could which ended up being about 15 seconds.
3. After she had enough evidence, she sent it off to her supervisors to get approval. A supervisor wasn't available so I had to wait 24-48 hours for a response.
4. 42 hours later I received an email asking for mailing and contact information. This included my name, mailing address (with country) and phone number.
5. Just an hour later I received my confirmation that I was eligible for a replacement device. I replied with my preference for the Standard Exchange option and am waiting on further instructions. (I'll post that email below)

This is where I am currently in the process but figured it was good enough to post some good news as Google has confirmed that I will be getting a replacement unit for my out of warranty device!

This is the email that I received detailing my replacement options:

---

Hello Giles,

Thanks for reaching out to the Google Nest Customer Care Team.

Congratulations! You are eligible for a replacement.

We have 2 option of the process:

1. Standard Exchange replacements don't require an authorization hold, and a replacement device isn't sent to the customer until Google’s warehouse receives the defective device. Customers are advised to return their product within 14 days according to the RMA instructions; however, in total, the customer will have 45 days from RMA creation to return the defective unit using the shipping labels. The RMA will be canceled if the labels are not exercised or used after 45 days. If the product is returned after this then it is returned to the customer and they are advised to contact support for a new RMA.
2. Advanced Exchange allows the customer to check out their replacement device from the Google Store via an Advanced Exchange replacement cart link (RCL) sent to their email before they return their original device. The RCL is valid for 90 days and the customer may complete the checkout process anytime within that period.

   Once they complete the checkout process, we put an authorization hold on their credit card for the full Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the replacement device. Once the authorization hold is approved, a replacement device is shipped to the customer in 2-7 business days.

Please let us know and reply to this email on which option you prefer.

For reference your case number is [my case number]. If you need more help, you can contact us again and reference this case number or reply to this email to reopen your case.

Have a new question? There are lots of ways to get back in touch with us below.

Thank you,

Ana

---

^ Look at Ana being awesome. @KiiFromGoogle please, if you're able to, pass along my well wishes to Ana's leadership team. She was top notch, knew her stuff, and was great through the whole process.

12/27 edit is below. Also updated step 1 from the list to give clearer instructions on how to get to the right chat.

I got my return instructions. Essentially I box it up and take a QR code to FedEx and they will print the shipping label. The box needs to include both the Google Home Mini and the power cable. They also provide the link for how I can track the shipment as it heads off to Google for receipt and then 1-2 days after they receive it they should have a new one sent out to me.

Final update (1/3/2024): So Google made a mistake and accidentally sent me the full sized Nest Audio as a replacement instead of the Nest Mini that I was expecting. 🤯 I hope that others are able to get as lucky and that those out of the US are given better options for resolving their issues.

[halupto]

Google surely isnt "making things right". As expected I also got the usual "we cannot offer you anything" from Google support team after ONE MONTH waiting since the device has been bricked by an update none of us wanted or ordered. Doesnt matter i own two Google Pixel phones, three Google home minis and  am a subscriber to Google ONE plan. The math is simple - are you outside US or UK? You can throw your bricked Mini to thrash and move to AMAZON ALEXA. Actually great idea, as thats what I am going to do.

[homix]

Hi everyone,
I am writing to you from Italy.

I opened a support request a few days after my device was bricked (6th Dec 2023)
I sent the video with the support case number, they made me activate the credit on the google store but I still have no news.

Yesterday I contacted Google support via Twitter (x), they made me fill out this form https://support.google.com/googlenest/gethelp?sjid=1622026678790785903-EU

After a few hours they opened another support case for me, I sent a new video and I'm waiting.

Has anyone from Italy managed to get a new device?

[Slovninja]

I have been through the ringer with customer support and according to them you aren't getting a new device but a credit worth only $25USD.  I am Canadian but they sent me a response that said:

"I understand your concern and we are extremely sorry for that.

Countries from Canada, France, Australia, Germany and Italy are only eligible for a Google Store Credit if the device is out of warranty. I hope you understand our limitations." 

Apparently they also only process the credit once they receive your old device and test it. I'm not sure at what point the intended to actually tell anyone that this was part of the process.

Personally I have not accepted the credit and am continuing to press for a better deal.  This is Google. These "limitations" are arbitrary.

[stacyspade70]

would like to know how to use a mini android printer that is wireless?

[usarioArgento]

Hola a todos. Me paso lo mismo con mi google home mini. Un día quedo en 4 luces blancas y no sale de allí. He intentado reiniciar con el botón trasero pero solo causa que encienda una luz verde y las otras tres blancas. También probé lo de conectar y desconectar 10 veces, pero nada. Sigue igual. Me contacte con soporte por chat y me dijeron que sabían que esto estaba pasando con algunos dispositivos y que enviara comentarios, fotos y video además de fotos de la parte trasera para comprobar número de serie y demas. Me respondieron por correo que era un problema de actualizaciones y que iban a cambiarme el equipo ya que mi equipo estaba en garantía. Me pidieron factura de compra y se las envie. Pero grande fue mi sorpresa cuando respondieron con otro mail diciendo que no iban a reemplazarme el producto debido a que soy residente de Argentina y , como ellos no tienen en mi país una tienda oficial para comercializar los productos, no se hacen cargo !!! Es indignante que seamos tratados de esa forma, con respuestas en distintos sentidos y al final sin ofrecernos una solución. Considere que deben reconocer los equipos en cualquier parte que hayan sido adquiridos, ya que no se trata de una rotura o un daño físico, sino que es solamente una supuesta actualización que además fue enviada por el propio Google. ¡¡Me siento totalmente decepcionado y estafado!!

[Pau71]

Somos 2 

[Daveswiss]

Hi 

My google dot has recently stopped working.  I have tried all the factory resets that I have seen in various places but none of them work. My dot boots up to four white lights and stops, the green light comes on when I press the reset.

please advise as I cannot afford to buy a new one.

Dave

[MplsCustomer]

@Daveswiss 

There is a "Troubleshoot issues resetting Google Home Mini" link under the "Google Home Mini (1st gen)" factory reset instructions here:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7073477?hl=en&sjid=4299744768316057627-NC#zippy=%2Cgoog...

[usarioArgento]

Hola . leí tu respuesta y valoro la intención. Pero lamentablemente ese restablecimiento ya lo hemos intentado casi todos y no ha dado resultado. Los equipos están bloqueados, atascados. El mismo soporte de google sabe de todo esto y por eso responden pidiendo esperar, o diciendo que podría haber un reemplazo y hasta muchas veces respondiendo" tal vez es hora de renovar euipos" . Es muy decepcionante y deja mucho que desear la posición de google con todo esto.

[Dasboot89]

My Google home mini has become unresponsive and I followed the link but not sure what to do now

[Daveswiss]

Thanks for the information and merging my enquiry with the others. 

Dave

[asdfsafd]

I'm in Germany. Had to go through the same ceremony and sent a video. Support says they can only offer me money sent to my Google account. I rejected the offer if I cannot buy a new device from that. Unfortunately the support did not know how much the refund would be. 

[thomas3201]

I am writing from Austria with the exact same problem. 1 of the home minis stopped working and stays there forever with 4 LEDs on. I tried everything, such as rebooting 11 times but nothing helpes.

I contacted the support via chat as suggestest by Kii but all i was told is that there is nothing they can do as my device is out of warranty for too long. (I purchased it about 4 years ago.) I was told they only replace devices that recently ran out of warranty and mine is just too old. I just recently contacted the support again via chat but got the exact same answer. No replacement and no store credit, nothing, altough reffering to this thread and the fact that other users already got replacements.

I am very disappointed with Google. First they make the device unusable by a faulty update and then, despite Kiis announcment that they want to make things right for affected users, i am told in the support chat that nothing more will be done from their side.

[usarioArgento]

Hola. Es una excusa eso de que el producto ya no esta en garantia. Lo digo porque mi equipo esta aun en garantia, corroborado por mail por el propio personal de google  y de todas maneras no me reconocen el equipo que ellos han inutilizado con una "supuesta actualizacion" y digo supuesta por que todo parece demostrar que el objetivo es vender equipos nuevos !!

[KimoCharles]

Home Mini is bricked. I followed the chat instructions and so far so good.

I took a video; uploaded it to my Drive account; shared the link with the chat rep; and then waited for the approval. That took about five minutes and then I received the email with exchange instructions. I'll send it off tomorrow and see how it goes. 

[KimoCharles]

 

This arrived about an hour ago via FedEx. I shipped back the bricked Home Mini yesterday and they've sent me this massive thing within 48 hours. 

I feel so sorry for those outside of the USA that are not going to be able to have replacements issues. It's not right. 

[Slovninja]

It still  looks like right now anyone outside of the US or UK is only getting a measly credit or nothing at all.  But it also appears that residency is not an requirement, neither is having purchased the speaker in the US/UK. If you have access to a US/UK address that is not a PO box, they will send a replacement device there. Although you will have to have someone send  the broken one back from that address as well.

[bharad]

my google-home device is also bricked, have sent all the support information to help desk for over a week now. No Response.

[nickme9206]

My Google home mini only displays 4 white lights. When I try to factory reset (button on bottom) a green light appears. There is never any response indicating reset. I unplugged 11 times as seen in other post, but the issue is still not resolved. 

[Puzzledog]

I am also having this exact issue.

[HenryLBC]

Same problem here. Started yesterday 14/12

[mikeroxoz]

Me too. Factory reset on the Gen 1 just turns first light green. Tried unplugging over 10 times. Could it be some sort  of patch/update 

[alanxs]

Happened to mine on Saturday

[Nayo]

Me too.

[Rhiriley]

Same happened to me

Google sent me a full nest audio as a replacement

Well happy great customer service

[KarinaV]

My google home mini 1st generation is bricked for about 1 month. When I turn on 2 white dots light up, then 4 and it stays like that, without working. I tried every suggestion on google support website, without success.

[MplsCustomer]

@KarinaV 

There have been other posts in this forum about the same issue, as well as this article in 9to5Google:

https://9to5google.com/2023/12/23/google-home-mini-update-bricked-devices/

[HighAley]

Did you know that Google sends a referral link to Payoneer and asks to create an account there for a refund? This is the only option. So they expect to get 25 USD back from Payoneer. It turns out that they don't get the whole responsibility for killed devices and try to minimize the costs associated with this. Don't you think this is too much?

[ChineseriotFC]

I have been in contact with Google Support since the issue occurred back at the beginning of December.  So far I have done everything that has been requested in a timely fashion and been courteous in my correspondence.  

I am in Canada so I have gotten to the point where I was informed that I would be getting store credit back via the Google Store - at this point, I have confirmed the issue with them (did the reset processes, sent the video) and sent back the defective unit as they requested, however, I have not heard back from support team since January 10, 2024.  Since then, I have tried to contact them two times for a status without any response back. Previously the support team had been responding to me but even then their lack of timeliness to respond (typically 2 days, sometimes more) and lack of disclosure (no clarity on what the resolution is) has made the situation frustrating as it continues to drag out.

My situation is the same issue as many out there and clearly I am simply waiting for the final provided resolution of store credit so I don't know why there has been a lack of response back for so long.

[RaphaelF1]

I encountered the same situation. The offered amount of CAD33.62 is quite inadequate. I communicated my decision to retain my device and await participation in a class-action lawsuit.

[HighAley]

Can I join the lawsuit from Poland?

[Ooi]

I'm from Canada, with a Google Mini Gen1.  Opened a support ticket on Dec.25th, was told I'd only get a US$25 store credit on Jan.6th after a few back and forth with troubleshooting questions.  Recorded video and all the steps asked for.  I was very disgruntled with the response, especially reading that U.S. customers get a full replacement while the rest of us are offered a very small credit.  I get that it's out of warranty, but the customer has done nothing to cause this.  I've asked for it to be escalated, but I just keep getting the same response with offer of credit (it was never escalated on their side).  After following up with a link to this thread, the rep asked the same questions again collecting info, saying they'll see if it's eligible for a replacement.  I responded quickly, and after following up 3 more times over the next 10 days, I got the same response again with a store credit.

This experience has me reevaluating the decision to invest into the Google Nest ecosystem (phone, cameras, speakers, display, thermostat, smoke alarm, etc.).  Trust in this company has significantly eroded, and it could have been avoided for the price of a Google Mini.  Non-US customers are second class citizens.

For the record, I've yet to take the store credit.  This isn't right.

[ChineseriotFC]

I agree with you that the resolution of store credit is not a fair resolution since the issue was created by Google. 

Has Google actually sent you anything official for you to collect the store credit to apply to your account?

[Ooi]

This is what they offered:

• We will be offering the you a $25 Google Store credit (or currency equivalent). If the customer agrees,  ensure Google Store credit is enabled on the customer’s account. To enable Google Store credit account: 

1. Go to store.google.com .
2. Make sure they're logged into the account they want credit on. 
3. At the top right corner of the page, click account image.
4. Click Settings. 
5. Find the section labeled Google Store credit.
6. Click the SET UP button, if it does not appear it means it is already setup.  
7. Fill out the required information.
8. Click CONTINUE to agree to the terms. 
• The Store credit section should then show a balance of $0.00 until credit is applied.

• We will need to recollect the Google Home device and we will send an email with the instructions for shipping. Once our warehouse confirms the device was delivered we will proceed with the Google Store credit.
  
  Please provide the following information:
  
  
• Name: 
• Street address including flat/house number:
• (Note: You cannot use a PO Box)
• City: 
• County: 
• Postcode: 
• Country: 
• The best phone number on which to call you: 

[ChineseriotFC]

Thanks for the extra information.  My response was not as clear given that correspondence was happening several days at a time.  Also at one point I was offered a replacement unit before that option was taken back after they figured out that I was in Canada.  During my back-and-forth, it was also not clear that the device needed to be returned in order to receive the store credit.

Additionally, I think that with the returned bricked devices, other than checking the validity of the issue before giving store credit, is that they will probably refurbish them (i.e. reflash them with a working firmware) and then send them out as replacement units to people who are eligible.

[RaphaelF1]

That's exactly what I'm thinking. 

I contacted our provincial customer protection office and they told me at first to send this letter:

Google Canada

Re: Formal Notice

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally notify you of my claim for the repair of my Google Mini based on the following grounds:

Google has acknowledged that a faulty update, sent to operational devices in December, may have caused them to be rendered non-functional. After contacting customer service and confirming that the device was indeed faulty due to Google's action, a partial refund was offered to me. According to the Province of Quebec, which enforces stringent laws against planned obsolescence (Bill 29, the Consumer Protection Act), and given Google's acknowledgment of a faulty update causing the device malfunction (as detailed below), I expect, at a minimum, that Google will address the repair and provide solutions to rectify this issue.

This letter serves as formal notice, requiring either the repair or replacement of my device within ten days.

Furthermore, this letter serves as formal notice for the return of my property, the aforementioned device currently in your possession, within ten days.

Failure to comply may result in immediate legal action without further notice.

I wish to convey that I am open to any proposals for mediation or negotiation before resorting to legal proceedings.

Please act accordingly.

If nothing comes from it, I will contact the government again. I believe everyone should be doing this now at this point. 

Don't settle for less. 

[Ooi]

Did you send the letter by email to the customer support email with your case number?  Or was it somewhere else?  I'm looking this up for Ontario.

[RaphaelF1]

Same thing for me. I told them I didn't want the credit, it's my right to have it repaired or replaced!!

[asdfsafd]

Same here, I live in Germany. Not acceptable. 

[dwckabal]

EDIT: I am in the US. Seems Google's response is different for people in Canada

Edit #2: Got a follow up email from Google, it seems they do want me to return the defective unit.

Same issue here. 4 dots, unable to factory reset (1st Gen). Contacted Google as described above, got them to call me. 10 minutes on the phone, went through my issues (thankfully I didn't have to do the 10-step plug and unplug). Guy put me on hold, and came back, said it was a software update issue, and that they'd send me a replacement, no return needed. He sent me an email with a case number and the requirements (video of the plug in sequence, case number on a piece of paper in the video, and my shipping address). He then sent a follow-up saying if I sent him the serial number in addition to all that, he'd put in the replacement request today. So hopefully, I'll get my new Nest Mini soon! Be patient, it took a few minutes for the guy to understand mine was 1st Gen, he was giving me techniques for the 2nd gen. He put me on hold for about 3-4 minutes, when he came back there was no more "try this", just OK, we know its a problem and we'll send you a new one.