Google Nest Community

halupto · ‎12-10-2023

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 · ‎12-22-2023

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.

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gileswells · ‎12-26-2023

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:

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.
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.
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.
42 hours later I received an email asking for mailing and contact information. This included my name, mailing address (with country) and phone number.
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:
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.
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.

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jasbday52 · ‎12-15-2023

Google had better start thinking about compensation for the plethora of devices it just bricked for no reason. I think all gen 1 devices are out of warranty. Ok, but they were working fine until google push out a faulty update, is that our fault? We lose our device because of Google's mistake?

Doesn't seem right.

oicned · ‎12-15-2023

I have the same issue for my google home mini. It is totally bricked so I think it cannot send any data. Also, I have 4 other google minis at home and they were not (hopefully) affected as they are still responding.

annegirl · ‎12-16-2023

4 Lights are solid.

When I unplug device and replug device the two center lights come on, then the four come on and stay solid.

I am unable to cast music. In the home app it says the device is offline.

insmouth · ‎12-16-2023

The four lights are solid.

When I unplug and replug the device the two center lights come on, then the rest come on and remain solid.

The device shows as offline in the Google Home app, so nothing can be streamed to it.

SugerWafer · ‎12-16-2023

As per your request, letting you know that my mini also got bricked. See answers to your questions below:

Are lights solid or strobing? SOLID
Are lights stuck on before a reboot is completed? Or do they turn on after boot and stay on? POWERING THE DEVICE RESULTS IN TWO SOLID MIDDLE LIGHTS AND THEN 4 SOLID LIGHTS. THATS WHERE IT GETS STUCK
Can you cast music to the speaker from a mobile app? NO
Videos or photos of the behavior are also appreciated! NOTES ABOVE DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENS. A PHOTO/VIDEO WILL SHOW THE SAME

Mlamp · ‎12-16-2023

I have already switched over to Alexa, tired of fighting Google over my bricked device they said was too old. Never again buy another Google hardware device.

jasbday52 · ‎12-16-2023

I think we all see the writing on the wall. Google isn't going to fix these devices. I just replaced my google devices with Alexa devices. Amazon has some great deals on these right now. This was the final straw google, goodbye!

mikecm469 · ‎12-16-2023

I came across this post after I tried everything to reset my device. Out of the blue sometime in the last week, one of my home mini became unresponsive. It is in a state where it has 4 dimly lit white lights. Tried the restart 10 times with 10 secs delay procedure and the reset button procedure and nothing. Unfortunately, I uninstalled it from the Home app before I found this post, so I am unable to produce the logs. I purchased this device just a few months ago.

bionictibia · ‎12-16-2023

If you can prove when you bought it, you would likely still be under warranty…if you chat with google, and your device is under warranty, you may fare better than the rest of us getting it replaced. They can pu the warranty from the serial number on the bottom.

homix · ‎12-16-2023

Hi @mikecm469 . So your device Is in warranty?

@jasbday52 if mike's device Is tin warranty i think that it's a good news.

I Hope!

scavendish · ‎12-16-2023

This issue isnt known to hit any current gen so i doubt it. Gen1 hasnt been sold in years

Jakemeyers322 · ‎12-16-2023

I’m having the same problem. One of my mini’s has four dots. Won’t reset with the reset button or the unplug method. I have 3 mini’s and this has only affected 1 of them.

Anirudht · ‎12-17-2023

I'm seeing exactly the same behaviour on my gen 1 mini. Middle 2 lights on and white at power on, then all 4 turn white. Attempting to factory reset turns the leftmost light green until button released and the it goes back to white. Device shows offline in Google home app. No amount of restarts makes any difference. The device was working fine on 8th of December. Unusable since the morning of the 9th. Gen 2 minis not affected.

Grefor · ‎12-17-2023

Any news from your side?

Actait · ‎12-17-2023

Lights are stuck on.

Can't find device.

Semiel · ‎12-17-2023

I surely hope you find some way to fix all these bricked units, the environmental footprint we would make if we replaced them is not OK at all

Andywh · ‎12-17-2023

The lights remain solid.

no response from any reboot attempts

not able to cast to affected speaker.

what else are you doing to fix the problem you have caused?

Nevs · ‎12-17-2023

Same problem;

-4 solid lights

- when I unplug the device I get two middle solid lights for 2 seconds and then it goes back to 4 solid lights.

- I can not cast anything to it.

-when I try to factory reset it with the button on the bottom I get a green light with 3 solid white lights as long as that button is held down. When I release the reset button it goes back to 4 solid white lights

ElBuse23 · ‎12-18-2023

Still stuck with the 4 white leds in + shape and able to do nothing. Factory reset doesn't work, even with the unplug power (11 times) procedure.

@KiiFromGoogle are there some news? it's been more than a week now.

nickme9206 · ‎12-18-2023

When my Google stopped working, no lights were visible. Once I pressed the reset button I had one green and 3 white lights appear (no strobing), now the 4 white lights are on continuously (no strobing). No music can be cast to the device.

Zeked2004 · ‎12-18-2023

My lights go on and stay on after a few seconds of being plugged back in, the only change is one time only two lights came on, but in both cases when I hold the reset button underneath, the far left light turns green as long as I hold the button. I will take some pics later today.

Jantar · ‎12-18-2023

Hi Kii,
me with one google nest from today, first 2 middle yellow then all four.
Surprised that everybody speaks about 1stGen cause I have 2ndGen.

After several powercycles everything is OK.....

Jantar · ‎12-18-2023

correction - google nest mini 2 .....

Jason_Rosendale · ‎12-18-2023

The stock response I'm seeing is to "read the recommended answer and follow the instructions.". But the linked instructions tell me that I need to submit feedback using either the device in question (which I obviously can't, because it's bricked) or turn on device reports by selecting my device in the Google Home app (which I obviously can't, because the device isn't showing up in that list, because it's bricked).

When I contact Google Support I get redirected to this thread; this thread redirects me to this post; this post directs me back to my device. And I gotta say ... the fact that we haven't had any status updates in the last two weeks makes me fearful that Google is using this time to craft a very carefully-worded press release to diplomatically inform us that we can all go pound sand.

GogleNoCustSvc · ‎12-20-2023

Lol they won't even do that, believe me. They will just ignore this and wait until we all go away. I had a Pixel issue and was promised a response by supervisor within 24 hours. It's literally been months and months of me following up with an associate who will say the exact same thing and then in some crazy circular process they won't actually get back to me. This is quite literally their customer service strategy.

GogleNoCustSvc · ‎12-20-2023

I think the only way to actually get them to look at this at this point would be for us to directly contact senior leadership at Google via LinkedIn and flag this as a Google issue or some kind of class action.

mbodnar1007 · ‎12-18-2023

Are lights solid or strobing?
All four lights remain solid, there is NO strobing
Are lights stuck on before a reboot is completed? Or do they turn on after boot and stay on?
Hard to know when reboot ends but 3 seconds after plug in the two middle lights turn on and then 2 seconds later the other two lights will turn on. All four lights remain on solid.
Can you cast music to the speaker from a mobile app?
Cannot cast music to the device since none of my devices can find the mini.
Videos or photos of the behavior are also appreciated!
3 photos show above.

Ripper69 · ‎12-19-2023

Same issue for all of my Home Mini devices. 6 in total that are no longer functional.

Would have expected Google to have been working to address the issue since it has effected so many people and devices.

RAurelio · ‎12-20-2023

This is exactly the same issue i have

Dariozachetti · ‎12-19-2023

acá en argentina misma situación, atascado en cuatro luces encendidas desde la ultima actualizacion, ya se intento con reset a valores de fabrica y nada todo sigue igual..

Dariozachetti · ‎12-19-2023

Hola, desde argentina 4 luces fijas: desde el encendido, las 2 del medio y luego las 4.

Si intenta utilizar el botón de reinicio, la primera luz se vuelve verde, pero el resto permanece en blanco fijo; al soltar el botón de reinicio, la primera luz vuelve a ser blanca.

Se muestra como no disponible en la aplicación Google Home.

Encender/apagar 10 veces en intervalos de 10 segundos no ayuda.

Muchas gracias

nevmc · ‎12-19-2023

Just four white dots on top of my Google home. Nothing else works or does anything, not present on Google home app either. just unresponsive 😩😩

junaid83 · ‎12-20-2023

Are lights solid or strobing? ==> The lights are solid
Are lights stuck on before a reboot is completed? Or do they turn on after boot and stay on? ==> After reboot, they turn on and stay on.
Can you cast music to the speaker from a mobile app?==> No Connectivity to any device
Videos or photos of the behavior are also appreciated! ==> Attached

Pau71 · ‎12-20-2023

Hi, four dots in White, 1 in Green and 3 White when pressing reset botton. White lights are stuck after reboot. Can't do anything, its dead. Try the 10 times rebooting and nothing happen.

krasnal · ‎12-20-2023

OK let's make it official.

Google home speaker

- ligths are solid

- not sure, just after plugging the power the only thing that happens is the 4 white lights

- nothing can be casted - device is bricked

LMK what's next.

RAurelio · ‎12-20-2023

My Google Home mini has 4 dots. Cant reset or factory reset it.

Venkataramu · ‎12-20-2023

My 1st gen Home Mini stopped working this week. Stuck with 4 faded lights. Doesn't react to factory resets

CP55 · ‎12-20-2023

Mine is also a brick now.

Are lights solid or strobing?
Solid 4 lights
Are lights stuck on before a reboot is completed? Or do they turn on after boot and stay on?
Stuck on after boot and stay on
Can you cast music to the speaker from a mobile app?
No, its a brick can't do anything.

rbm78bln · ‎12-21-2023

Okay, Feedback report filed including a screenshot of the device details.

Thank you very much for investingating, @KiiFromGoogle !

Season's Greetings

Ralf

damy1020 · ‎12-21-2023

Same problem here, just the google home mini. Google nest mini works fine so far.

Google Nest Community

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