Reactivating an old Nest speaker is weirdly complicated — here’s how I did it

Google Nest audio system management your smart home devices, play music, and broadcast private messages with solely your voice. Nevertheless, you probably have an outdated Nest speaker, it would have to be reactivated earlier than you should utilize it. Of the three Nest Mini 2 audio system I personal, just one wanted extra activation steps. Somewhat-known problem affected a small group of Nest gadgets with outdated firmware, which required reactivation. I share my expertise with the Nest Mini 2 and clarify how I reactivated my speaker, permitting me to make use of it once more as if it had been model new.

Why did I’ve to reactivate my outdated Nest Mini speaker?

I largely use Google Assistant on my Google Pixel Watch to regulate my good house gadgets and primary duties like timers. I take advantage of Google’s AI-powered Gemini chatbot on my Pixel, Samsung, iPhone, and Home windows PC for the whole lot else. My digital assistants at all times journey with me. I even have three Nest Mini 2 audio system for varied good house duties, like adjusting lights. Nevertheless, I lately introduced all of them again on-line. All three Nest Mini audio system have been offline for a few years with out being up to date. They had been sitting in a drawer amassing mud.

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After I heard that Google was bringing Gemini to Nest speakers to enhance Google Assistant, I thought of my three unused audio system. I needed to make use of them once more, however I bumped into a problem after I powered them on and manufacturing unit reset them. Throughout the setup course of utilizing the Google Residence app, one speaker needed me to reactivate it and would not let me proceed. I used to be directed to the outdated System Utility app on the Google Play Retailer. It mentioned the app wasn’t suitable with my Google Pixel 6 Professional telephone.

The difficulty solely impacts trendy Android telephones and Nest gadgets that had been offline for an prolonged interval with outdated firmware put in. It seems to happen with Nest gadgets initially arrange with the unique System Utility app, which I keep in mind mine being. Earlier than Google Residence was the usual for all issues good house, Nest gadgets wanted the System Utility app for the preliminary setup.

Quick-forward to now. Reactivating a Nest speaker on Android will be straightforward however difficult for the common person. It is easy, however provided that you know the way to sideload an app. It would not work on trendy Android telephones by default, which may throw many individuals off. They may assume there’s nothing extra they will do and throw the Nest speaker away, which is not useful.

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So, what is the cope with reactivating an outdated Nest speaker?

In line with Google, this reactivation problem solely impacts a small group of customers. Nonetheless, I had a type of gadgets in my Nest Mini 2 speaker assortment. On the identical time, I knew my Nest speaker had been arrange with the outdated System Utility app and had outdated firmware because it was offline for a few years. Nevertheless, that is probably not the case if you happen to acquired the machine from another person or forgot.

You may’t inform if it must be reactivated if you do not know how lengthy it has been offline or if you happen to used the System Utility app in the course of the setup course of. You will solely discover out whenever you manufacturing unit reset the speaker and set it up once more utilizing the Google Residence app. The activation instrument it hyperlinks you to within the Google Play Retailer in the course of the setup course of is not suitable with trendy Android telephones. Issues would possibly get difficult if you happen to solely have a brand new Android telephone, like a Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy 24.

The issue is not essentially with the activation half. It is the dearth of official assist for contemporary Pixel and different Android telephones with the System Utility app. Google makes Android and Nest gadgets, and this reactivation problem continues to be an issue for brand new Android telephones in spite of everything these years. In case you have an outdated Nest Mini speaker that has been offline for a very long time, there’s nonetheless hope to convey it again on-line. The sections under clarify methods to manufacturing unit reset your Nest speaker and get across the reactivation problem.

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The best way to manufacturing unit reset your Nest Mini 2 speaker

On account of its worth, small kind issue, and availability, the Nest Mini 2 is probably going the preferred Nest speaker Google has launched. Because you final used your Nest Mini speaker a while in the past, performing a manufacturing unit reset is a good suggestion. Wiping the machine helps you get essentially the most out of your machine with a recent begin. I cowl my expertise with the machine and present you the whole lot you could learn about reactivating it.

Chances are you’ll be uncertain methods to manufacturing unit reset your Nest Mini 2 or what steps to take. Here is what you will do:

1. Open the Google Residence app in your major telephone.
2. As wanted, take away the outdated Nest speaker out of your Google Residence. To take action, faucet the Nest machine, faucet the Settings cog icon within the upper-right nook, and faucet the Take away machine button.
3. Plug in your Nest Mini speaker to energy it.
4. Flip the speaker over.
5. Slide the mic change to the off place. It would say, “The mic’s off,” and the 4 lights on prime can be a stable orange.
6. Lengthy press the center of the speaker the place the 4 orange lights are.
7. Maintain it for a number of seconds till you get the manufacturing unit reset message. It would say, “You are about to fully reset this machine. Launch to cancel.”
8. Proceed holding it till you hear a chime sound.
9. Launch your finger and await the manufacturing unit reset course of to complete.
10. When it is performed, you are greeted with a welcome message. It tells you to obtain the Google Residence app in your telephone or pill to get began.
11. Slide the mic change to the on place.

My expertise sideloading the APK on a more recent Pixel telephone

I take advantage of a Pixel 6 Professional as my major machine. I even have a more recent and older Samsung telephone for varied causes. Plus, I preserve an iPhone on the facet to remain on prime of the iOS-related options. Suppose you’ve an iPhone or an older Android telephone. In that case, it could be simpler to reactivate your Nest speaker with a type of gadgets. That is very true if you happen to’re uncomfortable sideloading an app in your newer Android telephone.

The actual drawback is for these utilizing an Android telephone with the most recent Android model put in. This poses a problem as a result of the Nest speaker activation instrument is not suitable with trendy Android telephones. Nevertheless, you possibly can sideload the activation app and go from there. It really works positive for essentially the most half, however the activation instrument may need some technical points try to be conscious of.

The best way to inform if you could reactivate your outdated Nest speaker

I am going to present you the method and the odd points you will probably encounter when attempting to reactivate your Nest speaker. It is not too dangerous whenever you get previous the primary few steps. Here is what you will do:

1. Open the Google Residence app in your Pixel telephone.
2. Choose the Units tab close to the lower-left nook of the display screen.
3. Faucet the Add button close to the lower-right nook of the display screen.
4. Choose Google Nest or accomplice machine.
5. Observe the on-screen directions to arrange your Nest speaker. You do not have to reactivate your speaker if you happen to get to the Did you hear the sound display screen throughout setup.

   

   

6. If you could reactivate your speaker, you will see a unique display screen earlier than the setup that states, “This machine has a number of additional steps earlier than you can begin setup.”

The best way to reactivate your outdated Nest speaker on a more recent Pixel or different Android telephone

Now that you have decided that your Nest speaker must be reactivated and also you solely have a Pixel or Android telephone, I am going to stroll you thru the steps essential to convey it again on-line. Once more, it entails sideloading the System Utility app on a more recent Android telephone. Here is what you will do:

1. Obtain the Device Utility 2.2.8.2 APK file from APKMirror in your telephone. Scroll down and faucet the Obtain APK button to reserve it to your telephone’s storage.

   

   

2. Faucet the obtain notification to start out the set up course of.

   

3. Faucet Settings.
4. Flip the change for Enable from this supply to the on place.

   

   

5. Faucet Set up.
6. After it is completed, faucet Open to proceed.
7. Faucet the Subsequent button.
8. Faucet the Subsequent button once more to activate location entry.

   

   

9. To proceed, select the Whereas utilizing the app possibility.
10. Disconnect your Pixel telephone out of your Wi-Fi entry level.

    

    

11. Your Nest speaker seems on the following display screen within the System Utility app.
12. Choose it, observe the on-screen directions, and also you’re set. One of many app’s few quirks is that you could be must activate the Wi-Fi in order that it may well discover the proper Wi-Fi entry level.
13. Go to the Google Residence app and set it up as ordinary.

What was it like utilizing a Samsung telephone or iPhone to reactivate a Nest speaker?

Supply: Samsung / Apple / Android Police

I couldn’t reactivate my Nest speaker on my newer Samsung telephone as a result of it was incompatible with the System Utility app on the Play Retailer. If you happen to test the replace historical past, the app final obtained an replace in 2022. It labored nice on my older Samsung telephone, which ran an outdated model of Android. You will want an older Android telephone to reactivate a Nest speaker or sideload the app on a more recent machine.

I also needs to notice how easy the iOS technique was earlier than I completed the reactivation course of on my newer Pixel. The Google Residence app on iOS by no means talked about reactivation in the course of the setup course of, which is good news for iPhone customers. I’ve an iPhone working iOS 18 and an older Samsung telephone to select from, however it’s possible you’ll not have that possibility.

As an influence person, I sideloaded the app on my newer Pixel telephone and determined to go that route. Reactivating a Nest speaker must be performed solely as soon as, so it wasn’t a giant deal for me. If you happen to get the reactivation message in your Nest speaker and have an iPhone available, go that route to maintain issues easy. It is simpler than sideloading the System Utility app on a contemporary Android telephone or on the lookout for an outdated Android telephone. The Google Residence app on iOS by no means talked about reactivation in the course of the setup course of.

Mud off that outdated Nest speaker and breathe new life into it

Solely one among my Nest audio system wanted to be reactivated, so it wasn’t a lot of a problem since I had a number of telephones to select from. Reactivating an outdated Nest speaker can occur if it stays offline for lengthy durations and has outdated firmware. It could be a tool nonetheless in its field that you just by no means opened. You will have gotten a Nest speaker without spending a dime with a promotion from one other buy and forgot about it. Sideloading the System Utility app on a contemporary Android telephone is a lifesaver when you haven’t any different selections.

We may see a Nest Mini 3 speaker with full Google Gemini options out of the field. A customized Tensor chip might energy it to spice up Google’s AI capabilities of Gemini, like on Pixel telephones and different Pixel-related merchandise. The query is when or if this occurs, however we would discover out sooner or later.