Why Is My Nest Doorbell Not Ringing Inside? (Easy Fix!)

The Nest Doorbell not ringing inside can surprise many people, but this is actually how it’s intended to work.

This happens because both the wired and wireless models are not built to ring indoors unless connected to an existing chime. 

Also, wireless models, on the other hand, are designed to send notifications to the phone when someone rings and require a separate device if you want them to ring inside.

Keep reading to discover how to make your Nest doorbell ring inside!

Nest Doorbell Not Ringing Inside? – Fix Methods

Note: Wireless Nest doorbell models using the Indoor Power Adapter do not interconnect with your chime and require a HomeBase or a display to ring inside. 

1. Install the Doorbell/Check for Installation Issues (Wired)

Wiring a Nest doorbell with your existing doorbell system ensures your Nest receives a stable power supply and connects with the existing doorbell chime. 

Wireless models, which connect over an indoor adapter, do not connect with the chime, and therefore, you must consider alternatives for inside ringing. 

Wired models use the existing “TRANS” and “FRONT” transformer wires to receive power and connect with the chime. 

Alert: Deactivate the power at the circuit breaker before working on the wiring!

Step #1: Check the Chime & Transformer Compatibility

You must start by confirming that the existing chime and transformer meet the Nest doorbell voltage requirements to avoid compatibility issues.

To compare the requirements, you would need the voltage values of the transformer along with the model of your existing indoor chime.

Here are the base requirements of the Nest wired doorbell:

	Nest Battery	Nest Wired	Nest Wired 2nd Gen
Voltage	8 to 24 V AC	16 to 24 V AC (NA)12 to 24 V AC (Global)	16 to 24 V AC (NA)
Power	10 to 40 VA	10 to 40 VA (NA)8 to 40 VA (Global)	10 to 40 VA (NA)
Frequency	50 to 60 Hz	50 to 60 Hz	50 to 60 Hz

Step #2: Install the Doorbell Terminal Wires

First, uninstall your old doorbell and replace it with your new Nest doorbell by positioning the mounting plate and tightening all of the supplied screws.

Now, locate the chime terminals labeled with “TRANS” and “FRONT” that your previous doorbell used and connect them.

Step #3: Set up the Nest Chime Adapter

Wired models use the so-called “chime adapter” to stabilize the raw voltage of the transformer and convert it to compatible values for your doorbell. 

The chime connector has two wires–positive (+) and negative (–) that respectively connect with the “FRONT” and “TRANS” terminals on the transformer, which is connected to your chime. 

Here are the connections of the Nest Chime Adapter:

• Connect the positive (+) with the “TRANS” chime terminal.
• Connect the negative (–) with the “FRONT” or “REAR” terminal.

Now, here are the connections of the chime transformer:

• Connect the chime “FRONT” or “REAR” terminal with the doorbell.
• Connect the chime “TRANS” terminal with one transformer plus.
• Connect the doorbell “C” positive wire with another transformer plus.
• Wire the transformer with the A/C power source of the circuit breaker.

This way, both your chime and Nest doorbell are powered with the two plus terminals on the transformer, and the voltage from the chime and transformer is filtered with the chime adapter. 

Step #4: Reassemble and Test the Doorbell:

Finally, test the setup by pressing the doorbell to check if the doorbell rings your indoor chime.

Additionally, launch the Google Home app and navigate to “[Your Nest doorbell] → Settings → Doorbell” and make sure “Ring indoor chime” is set to “ON”.

Alert: This feature is exclusive to wired doorbells, and it will be greyed out if you have a battery model.

2. Inspect the Nest Chime Adapter Setup (Wired)

All of the wired Nest doorbells use the chime adapter to stabilize the transformer voltage and connect via positive (+) and negative (–) wires to the “FRONT” and “TRANS” terminals. 

Although this installation is conducted by qualified technicians, doing it by yourself is not safe and reliable, as you could often mismatch the wires and even cause a short circuit. 

Here’s what to check in the Nest Chime Adapter installation:

2.1 Chime Adapter Wiring:

First, verify that the chime adapter positive (+) wire connects to the “TRANS” terminal and the negative (–) to the “FRONT” or “REAR” terminal. 

Then, check if any of the wires have sustained damage and ensure they connect securely with the terminals on the adapter. 

2.2 Transformer Connections:

Double-check if the chime “TRANS” and “FRONT”/“REAR” terminals connect properly to the transformer and doorbell, with the doorbell’s “C” positive wire to a transformer plus.

Verify the transformer delivers sufficient voltage using a multimeter, and if needed, replace the unit.

2.3 Adapter Malfunction:

If using an old or third-party chime adapter, it could convert improper voltage values and cause severe malfunctions to your system.

Get in touch with Google support if you require an adapter replacement, or order a brand-new adapter from online stores, such as Amazon. 

3. Power Reset the Nest Doorbell (Wired & Wireless)

If your Nest doorbell won’t ring inside, a power reset is one of the most effective resolutions.

Based on the model and connection type of your doorbell, the power reset differs in terms of discharge instructions.

3.1 How to Power Reset a Wired Nest Doorbell:

Locate the circuit breaker switch that supplies power to your doorbell installation and turn it off for ~30 seconds to fully discharge the system.

Push the switch back to “ON” once half a minute has elapsed and determine if the indoor chime rings when the doorbell is pressed.

3.2 How to Power Reset a Wireless Nest Doorbell:

First, unplug the indoor chime adapter from the outlet, then wait for the Nest doorbell battery to drain completely, which may take several hours.

Once recharged, press the doorbell to confirm the indoor chime works and monitor for chime alerts from the Home app or HomeBase system.

Note: The battery of the wireless Nest doorbell is not intended for user replacement!

4. Configure a Third-Party Chime Device (Wireless)

To make your wireless doorbell ring inside, you must use a third-party device compatible with Google Home.

You can configure the Google Nest speakers and/or displays to announce visitors by producing a chime sound when someone presses your doorbell.

Set Up a Compatible Device:

Ensure your compatible device, like the Google Nest speakers, displays, or other compatible products like Nest Hub or Chromecast, are added to your Home account.

These devices will act as your chime and provide audio and visual alerts when someone rings the doorbell.

Activate “Visitor Announcements”:

Launch the Google Home app, open the Doorbell settings by selecting your Nest doorbell, and tap on Doorbell options.

Make sure Visitor Announcements is turned on so your Nest speakers and displays will automatically notify you whenever there is someone at the door.

Check the Compatibility & Test:

Now, press the doorbell to test and confirm your third-party assistants are online and connected to the internet.

First, you should receive a notification on your phone, and then, the assistant will produce an audio message that states the activity of your doorbell. 

5. Check the Google Account Linking (Wireless)

If you have already set up an assistant to use but your Nest doorbell is still not ringing your Nest speaker or display, the issue might be due to an improper Google account linking.

Verify that your Nest doorbell and speaker/display are added to the same Google Home account as your doorbell by opening the Google Home app and checking the home group. 

Also, confirm that you are also signed in to the same Google account on all devices by reviewing account settings.

Check the grouping of the devices and ensure that “Visitor Announcements” is enabled for each of the devices, including the assistant that “chimes” the Nest doorbell.

6. Reset the Doorbell to Default Settings (Wired & Wireless)

Whenever the Nest doorbell is not ringing inside, the factory reset is one of the most effective solutions you can attempt.

If none of the solutions listed so far enabled your indoor chime, then it is almost certain that the problem is with the Nest doorbell unit, rather than your installation. 

5.1 How to Factory Reset a Wired Nest Doorbell:

• Remove the Nest Doorbell from the base using the release tool.
• Press the Reset button on the back near the top for 10 seconds.
• Wait for the status light to flash and confirm the reset is complete.

5.2 How to Factory Reset a Battery-Powered Nest Doorbell:

• Find the Reset pinhole below the USB port on the doorbell.
• Hold the Reset pin with a paperclip for about ~10 seconds.
• Release after the doorbell LED indicator has flashed orange.

Now, re-add the Nest doorbell to the Home application and test the functionality of the indoor chime.

ZontSound recommends power cycling the doorbell after the reset (instructions in solution #3) if the indoor chime is still not activated.