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'Hey Google' is not responding on my Nest speaker

If you say "Hey Google" and nothing happens, the speaker may not be listening, may have lost its internet connection, or may not recognise your voice. Work through these checks in order. Apps change their wording and menus from time to time, so what you see may differ slightly from the steps below.

The quick checks

  1. Look at the microphone switch on the speaker. If it is set to off, it will not listen. Slide it back on.
  2. Check the volume is turned up.
  3. Check the speaker is switched on and shows its lights or screen as normal.
  4. Try speaking clearly, a metre or so away, with the TV and other noise switched off.

Check the connection

Open the Google Home app and see if the speaker shows as offline. If it does, restart it by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. See our guide on "Something went wrong" for more.

Check the settings

  1. In the Google Home app, tap the speaker, then the Settings cog.
  2. Look for the setting for the wake word, often listed as Hey Google or under voice and assistant settings.
  3. Make sure it is switched on. You might also see an option to retrain your voice (Voice Match).

About Google's recent changes

Google is moving some households from the older Google Assistant to a newer assistant called Gemini for Home, which is being introduced in stages. Google's current help says "Hey Google" should still work. After a change, a speaker may answer differently even when nothing is broken. Google states the move to the newer assistant cannot be undone, so only accept it if you want it.

Other causes

  • The speaker is too far from the router. Move it closer or away from thick walls.

When to get more help

Get help if the speaker is on, online and still not responding after a restart, or if you are unsure whether to accept an assistant upgrade offer. We can check the settings with you. Do not factory reset it without advice.

Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.

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