Nest hub is muted, but still says sorry I don’t understand

[Medkila]

I have the nest hub, and the microphone is muted (orange light is active). However lately it’s started saying «sorry I don’t understand» (or something similar to that), as if the voice command had been activated, but it didn’t catch was the request was. 

What could be causing this? I’m assuming it’s not actually listening when the microphone is turned off. 

[SmartHomeH-TAGS]

You probably have an automation that's attempting to run, but there's a problem with it. Most likely a custom action.

[Medkila]

Thanks for the reply. I checked for automations, and there were some (think it’s the standard ones from google, like coming home, morning etc) and disabled them. It still happened again. 

I found them through the google home app, at the first page (one of three menus; home - activity - automations). Are there anywhere else automations-settings might be?

[SmartHomeH-TAGS]

Don't forget to check Activity for the Automations that run.

You're using the new Early Access Automations, but the original type (Household and Personal) of Automations can be found in Google Home app > Profile picture > Home Settings > Google Assistant > Routines.

[Medkila]

Thanks! I overlooked some there. Still seems to be an issue though, I’ll try the steps suggested in the other reply as well. 

[kcruzgonzalez]

Hello @Medkila,

Thanks for the steps provided @SmartHomeH-TAGS,

Thanks for posting on the community. I understand that your Nest Hub is spontaneously speaking, even when the microphone is physically muted, and displaying an unexpected message like "sorry, I don’t understand." You are right to assume that with the microphone muted (the orange light active), the device should not be listening or reacting to voice commands. I appreciate you clearly detailing the issue and what you've observed.

Here are the most effective troubleshooting steps we can try for this issue:

Troubleshooting Steps

• Reboot the Nest Hub:
  • Unplug the power cord from your Nest Hub.
  • Wait for about one minute.
  • Plug the power cord back in. The device will restart, which often clears out temporary software glitches or memory issues that could cause unexpected behavior.
• Toggle the Mute Switch a Few Times:
  • Since the issue might be with the physical switch not making perfect contact, rapidly flip the microphone mute switch (on the back of the Hub) off and on 3–4 times before leaving it in the Off (Muted) position with the orange light showing. This can help clear any dust or residue that might be interfering with the switch's contact.
• Check for Other Internal Triggers:
  • When the Nest Hub is muted, the only things that should make it speak are internal events, such as a reminder or an alarm going off.
• Probing Question:

Does this happen at a regular time (e.g., every morning at 7:00 AM), or is it completely random? If it's a regular time, check the Google Home app for any active alarms or routines that might be running.

Please try the reboot and the mute switch toggle first, and let me know if the unexpected "sorry, I don't understand" message continues to occur.

Regards,

Kevin

[Medkila]

Hi! Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll try them.

I think it mostly happens in the mornings, but haven’t really registered the exact time. I have disabled all automations and routines that I could find, per the advice given earlier, but it happened again this morning.