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Google Nest, Chromecast & smart homeEasy2 min read

Nest speaker or display says 'Something went wrong' or shows offline

When a Google Nest speaker or display says "Something went wrong", or the Google Home app says it is offline, it has usually lost its connection to your internet. Most cases are fixed with a restart. Apps change their wording and menus from time to time, so what you see may differ slightly from the steps below.

Start with the simple checks

  1. Check that other devices (phone, TV) can get online using the same Wi-Fi. If they cannot, the problem is your broadband or router, not the speaker.
  2. Look at the speaker. Check it has power and is not showing an error on screen.
  3. Make sure the microphone switch has not been slid off, as this stops it listening.

Restart the speaker

  1. Unplug the power cable from the speaker or display.
  2. Wait 30 seconds.
  3. Plug it back in and wait a few minutes for it to start.

Many people skip this. It fixes more faults than anything else.

Restart the router

If the speaker still will not connect, switch off your Wi-Fi router at the mains, wait a minute, switch it on again and wait about five minutes for it to settle. Then check the speaker again.

Check the Google Home app

  • Open the Google Home app and see whether the device shows as offline.
  • Check you are signed in with the same Google account that set the speaker up.
  • Make sure the app and your phone are up to date.

If you changed your Wi-Fi

A new router, a new Wi-Fi name or a new password means the speaker must be told. See our guide on changing Wi-Fi on a Nest speaker.

When to get more help

Get help if the speaker stays offline after a restart of both speaker and router, or if it works for a few minutes and then drops again. Avoid factory resetting it as a first step, because it erases your settings and you will have to set it up again from scratch.

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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