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Nest thermostat offline or heating not responding

If your Nest thermostat shows as offline in the Google Home app, or the heating is not doing what you asked, there are a few simple checks to try before calling anyone. Apps change their wording and menus from time to time, so what you see may differ slightly from the steps below.

Step one: is it just the Wi-Fi?

  1. Check whether other devices can get online on your Wi-Fi.
  2. Look at the thermostat display. Does it show a Wi-Fi problem or a message?
  3. If it displays a temperature and you can still control it on the wall, the heating may still work even when the app does not.

Step two: restart the thermostat

Restart options sit in the thermostat's settings menu. On the Learning Thermostat, press the ring, choose Settings, then look for a Reset or restart choice. On the Nest Thermostat, press the touch strip to open the menu and look for settings. Pick only Restart. Do not pick a full factory Reset if offered, as that deletes your schedule and settings.

Step three: restart the router

Switch your router off, wait a minute, switch on, and give it five minutes. Then see if the thermostat reconnects.

Step four: check the app

  • Make sure you are signed in with the right Google account.
  • Check the thermostat is in the correct home in the app.
  • Update the Google Home app.

If the screen is blank or low battery shows

Nest thermostats take power from the heating system. A blank screen or "battery low" message can mean the unit is not charging properly, or that the heating system or Heat Link has lost power. Check your boiler has power and the display is not frozen.

Not heating

  • Check the target is higher than the room temperature.
  • Check the thermostat is not set to Eco or off.
  • Check the boiler is on and has pressure.

When to get more help

Get help if the thermostat will not come back online after a restart, or if the screen stays blank. Anything involving the boiler, wiring or the Heat Link should be handled by a Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

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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