RadioApp not loading on Google Nest Hub Max

[SteveCairns]

RadioApp will not load on my Nest Hub Max. Other nest devices in the same household are fine.
Has been working fine, but stopped within the last week or so. Responds to my voice command "Play 3AW' but then the loading process freezes. Other radio services seem fine (iHeartradio) works on the Hub max, but RadioApp does not.

Contacted Google support via email ... the suggested the usual reboot and update solutions ... no change. Opened a chat to Google support, nothing additional to help, but they did suggest to open a Feedback on the issue through the Google home app. When enough people report the same issue, it gets the attention of the next level support people, who should be able to resolve the issue.

** UPDATE **
This is a Google issue ... probably a bug in a recent firmware upgrade that you have no control over.
If you are on firmware level 26.20250116.103.2201 you will probably have the problem.
It is a worldwide issue for Nest Hub devices. Google are aware and some users in the UK have recently reported their problem has been fixed. Hopefully just a matter of time before they roll the fix out to us in Australia ... keep checking.

** UPDATE 2 **
Working here in Melbourne on Friday 2nd May at 9:45am. Was not working at 6:45am.
Seems ok for 3AW , 2GB , 6PR , ABC , GoldFM , Smooth FM , Nova , KIIS ...
...  but not for MMM , MMM Classic Rock , FOX FM , 3MP .  That is all that I quickly tried.
Interesting is that my firmware level has not changed for my Nest Hub Max. This suggests that there might have been as issue in RadioApp that they are progressively fixing up.

We will probably never know the root cause of the problem, but let's hope they get ALL the stations back ASAP.

[SteveCairns]

Excellent. Mine is still not working. Could you confirm your firmware level ? I assume it is working on a Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max ? Would be nice to see if it is later than 26.20250116.103.2201

If it is truly a fix, it could take a while to roll it out world wide.

[JasonC-Melb]

Ok lets go do some testing.

Nest Hub First Generation - no change.

Nest Hub Second Generation - no change.

And sadly, Nest Hub Max - also no change.

Happily, your RadioApp from phone casting workaround still works.

Obviously the Hub's auto update at some point, is there a particular time when they do? Is it 3am in the morning, or whenever an update is available?

[SteveCairns]

Thanks for that Jason.

I have no idea when they update. I assume in the middle of the night.
Will be checking each morning in light of the users in the UK that have reported they are working again.
I also can't find a way to determine the date of my last firmware update.
I also called Google support again to find out why I am on a Preview Program firmware level and not the Production firmware level, when I have never opted in for the Preview Program.
They were unable to help me with that question.

[Frankydom]

hi i have the same problem but you can get global and rayo stations on tuneln player

I've just asked my max hub to play LBC on tuneln with no problems

[Jennno]

The casting from phone workaround has stopped working for me here in Perth this morning… very annoying! 

[SteveCairns]

Still works for me in Melbourne.

[Jennno]

So strange.... none of the radio apps will cast at all, I've tried Listnr, iHeart and RadioApp with no joy. It starts to cast, then goes to the app logo screen, then just stops trying and goes back to the Max home screen. Very annoying.  Any suggestions for alternative home hub devices? LOL!

[caharmer1]

I have the same Firmware Version as you on both my google nest & my google nust hub max. Neither are working

Software Version is 66.68.11.731513350

[Ca4yu]

Mine is suddenly working now too.. 🤔

[SteveCairns]

Hello Ca4yu.

What country are you in ?
Do you know if your firmware level has been upgraded and/or what level is it now ?

[caharmer1]

Australia Still not working Thursday morning !st May

[Vicki3]

Mine is now working kilcoy brisbane

[Siphon8018]

I have 3 Neat Displays and all of them refuse to play TuneIn radio. Google Assistant would acknowledge the command and launch TuneIn, but it would attempt to play the station but keep flickering and then returns to the photo gallery. 

It's been like this for months already. What is going on?

[dan1964]

I've just started having that problem with anytime I try to get it to play ANY live radio from TuneIn, IHeartRadio, or Audacy. It still plays to individual speakers, but not to the group I set up.  I tell the Nest Display (or any individual speaker in the group) to play to the group, it acknowledges, shows the icon for the music app . . then nothing and eventually goes back to the photo gallery.  It does accept SiriusXM stations, or any not live station on Iheart, but no live radio stations will play to the group.

[Gm0rgan]

I'm having the same problem on all 3 of my devices. Worked good for a couple of years then just stopped a few weeks ago. I can't seem to find a fix

[HueyGM]

Getting the same issue with RadioApp on the Google devices but if I use the RadioApp on the phone direct it works, so it is not the Application, something to do with Google accessing the data from their devices.

[Lindamt]

Same problem. 

[RICKT1]

SAME STARTED ON 1 DEVICE THEN WEN TO THE SECOND. NOHELP SO FAR

[Wezwez88]

Hey everyone check your google nest. Global player (in the UK) is working. 

[Barzey]

Yes mine is now working here in the UK too (Its 00:08 hrs)  Hope it stays that way. But why did it take so long

[JasonC-Melb]

Congrats Barzey!! 

[vbro]

Lost RadioApp around a week ago. (Melbourne). It says it's going to play TripleM but then just freezes and closes down.  Not the first time this has happened. All the resets in the world wont correct it.  Fix it Google...Again!!

[JasonC-Melb]

Looks a fix is being pushed out - hopefully for us in Australia things are back to normal tomorrow, being Thursday.

[SteveCairns]

For anyone in the UK whose devices are now working again.
May I ask for someone to please check and post what level the firmware now is on their device.
Hopefully it is newer than 26.20250116.103.2201

[Janean]

First time in Google Nest Community - as having same issue with Radio App here in Perth WA for past couple of days.

So from everyone's comments, there is nothing we can do when the default app doesn't work on Google Nest? We can't install other apps? 

In the meantime I tried to play the radio station through the internet, it stops playing after a few minutes - is there a way to control this and have the Google Nest continue to play until we tell it to stop?

Thank you

[SteveCairns]

Hello Janean.

In Australia there is no way to link in a default radio app in the same way you can choose your default music app.

One workaround that seems to work, it to use your nest hub like a bluetooth speaker.
Open the RadioApp app on your smartphone, connect to your station and then tap the 'cast' icon in the top right corner ... select your Nest hub device. The RadioApp app on the phone can be shutdown after several minutes and RadioApp keeps playing on the Nest device. Don't shut RadioApp app straight away, as that seems to disconnect the Nest device as well

Hope that helps in the short term.

There have been some reports (last 24 hours) from users in the UK that their device has started working again. If true, there may be a firmware fix from Google that is in the process of being rolled out.
Keep checking each day.

[Petrosinbendigo]

Hi Steve, I have the same issue here. Tried restart. No joy.

I remeber a while ago 3AW made a change to their settings in the stream and it caused the same problem.

I have highlighted this issue with 3AW they are yet to reply to my email.

Except for our google displays the stream works without error.

Keep fingers crossed. 🙂  

[Yarra3175]

Having same problems 

[Steveambrose]

Have had same issue for past 4 days. Plays on our small hubs and when we cast from phone but not from the Nest. I can see the app on the display. I think it is 3AW myself as all other stations play

[SteveCairns]

Hi Steve. Yes other stations play for me as well. Unlikely to be 3AW as we see this issue worldwide with other stations and other radio players (not RadioApp). Google have acknowledged this issue and say they are working on it, and in the past 24 hours, there have been some users in the UK that have reported the problem has been fixed.

[Renie05]

all of my nests and hubs suddenly stopped yesterday, keep asking it to stream smooth FM but it stops , clearly from everyones replies its a global google problem ?

[Altertedstate28]

Same problem exactly - at least we have the same issue I did a full reeboot thinking i could fix it but raio app start runs a tildd and turn off but will play abc id very frustrating

[Ann17]

Today is Wednesday 30th April 2025. Have you heard if Google are going to fix this ?

[SteveCairns]

Hi Ann.

Google have reported to myself and other users they know of, and are working on a fix.
In the last 24 hours some users in the UK have reported their problem is fixed

[Altertedstate28]

Nothing to date I think it may be related to April software update

[Dukelukem79]

me too - any idea when this will be fixed Google????

[Aabb1811]

Hi same here. I can see radio logo and program that should play but no sound. Try everything as well. So annoying my Alexa working fine.

[Nikh]

I have the same problem, 3AW on radio app freezes, but plays on my other Google nests. It’s only with the hub  displays 

is there a fix ?

[SteveCairns]

Hello Nikh.

You will find references in this thread to users in the UK where the problem has been fixed.
Most likely a firmware update being progressively rolled out across the world.
ETA to your part of the world (and mine) in unknown. Keep checking your device and this topic.

[kmargenau]

Same thing started happening to me in St. Louis Missouri. About two weeks ago Nest Hub and Hub Max stopped playing a local radio station through Audacy. Very frustrating. I have also tried all of the recommended fixes, to no avail.