How to Transfer Nest Camera to New Owner? (Quick Guide)

If you don’t know how to transfer Nest camera to new owner, it might seem challenging, but it’s pretty easy once you understand what you need to do. 

Regardless of whether you’re receiving a Nest camera or just passing it to a buddy, you need to prepare the device by removing, restoring, and uninstalling it.

By the end of this guide, you will know:

How to Transfer Nest Camera to New Owner – Full Tutorial

Warning: Simply unplugging and handing the camera to the new owner will NOT transfer the ownership of the device.

Step #1 Remove the Camera’s Profile

The first and most essential step is to disassociate the Nest camera from your Google account.

The removal depends on whether you use the Nest or Google Home app for managing your Nest devices, and thus, the removal steps are also different. 

How to Remove Nest Camera? (Nest app)

1. Open the Nest app and tap on the “Menu” button.
2. Head to “Settings” and press on the Nest camera.
3. Scroll down and press “Remove [Product Name]”.
4. Now, confirm the removal to uninstall the camera.

How to Remove Nest Camera? (Home app)

1. Launch the Google Home app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Nest camera from the home screen.
3. Now, tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the device settings.
5. Press on “Remove Device” in the configuration.
6. Confirm the removal of the Nest camera product.

The Nest camera will no longer be a part of an existing configuration, but its system settings will still be there.

The steps above completely unregister the camera from Google’s servers, but the Nest camera has settings on a system level. 

For that purpose, the camera must be factory reset before being transferred to a new owner.

Step #2 Factory Reset Nest Camera

To completely erase all of your traces from the Nest camera, it’s necessary to perform a factory reset.

The procedure is fairly simple, regardless of the product’s model, type, and power supply. 

There are several steps to factory reset a Nest camera:

Unmount Nest Camera

Whether or not you will be performing the Nest camera transfer ownership procedure, removing the outer panel is crucial after a factory reset.

You must unscrew the camera from the mounting plate by rotating it counterclockwise or check the exact removal instructions back in step #4.

Locate the Reset Button

Every Nest camera model has a built-in factory reset button that reverts all of the device’s settings to default values.

In most cases, the button can be found on the rear panel of your camera and doesn’t require any instruments to be pressed.

Initiate the Factory Reset

Now, press and hold the “Reset” button for approximately 15 seconds to erase all the settings from your Nest camera.

There won’t be any profile for the Nest device to check within the app, but the camera should nonetheless appear as “Offline” if the reset is successful.

Note: The Nest camera will no longer be usable until it is set up through a new app or account. 

Step #3 Physical Uninstallation (Optional)

If you’re thinking about taking the Nest camera with you to a new place, you’ll need to take it off the wall or wherever it’s mounted.

But first…

• Check the model: Look at your camera to see if it’s plugged in tight or has a battery because that changes how you pull it off.
• Grab the right tools: You might need a screwdriver or just your hands, depending on the way your Nest camera is mounted.

Now, here’s how to conduct a physical uninstallation of your camera!

How to Uninstall Your Nest Camera (All Models)
Camera Model	Steps to Take It Off
Nest Cam (2nd gen, indoor, wired)	Take hold of the front part of the camera’s bottom, not the camera head itself, and twist it to the left until it pops off the wall mount nicely and easily.
Nest Cam Indoor	Gently tug the camera’s bottom away from the wall mount or the magnetic stand until it comes loose without a fuss, then unscrew the wall mount from where it’s fixed.
Nest Cam IQ Indoor	Grab the camera’s bottom part and spin it left to unscrew it along with the wall mount, making sure it comes off smoothly and steadily.
Nest Cam (Battery)	If there’s a safety loop, slip it off the wall mount first, then hold the bottom and pull the camera free from the magnet holding it in place.
Nest Cam Outdoor	Take off the metal plate that keeps the camera’s bottom stuck to the magnet, then carefully pull the camera body away from the magnet until it’s loose.
Nest Cam IQ Outdoor	Stick a 2.5mm hex key into the hole at the bottom and twist it left until the mount lets go, letting you take the camera off without trouble.

Note: Once you have all of your camera equipment, revert to the installation steps to set it up at your or the new owner’s home or apartment. 

Step #4 Set it Up for the Owner (Optional)

The setup for the new owner would be practically the same as it was for you.

Of course, the new owner will use their own Google account to set up the camera, whether it would be through Google Home or the Nest app.

Hence, ensure you use the new owner’s primary Google account and device to re-add the Nest camera.

You can either set up the camera by yourself using the new owner’s information, or you can guide them remotely.

Note: If you’re selling the camera, your part is over!

Before the installation, ensure the following:

• You have the latest version of the Nest or Home app
• There’s a working Wi-Fi network at the new owner’s
• The camera is set up at the new location & powered

Tip: We recommend adding the camera to the app before installing it on the mount, as you will require access to the QR code!

4.1 Sign in to your Google Account

The first step is to launch the Google Home or Nest app and sign into the new owner’s Google account.

All Nest devices added to either app will be controlled through the owner’s Google account that belongs to the device.

4.2 Scan the Camera’s QR Code

As we mentioned earlier, do not mount the camera immediately; you must scan the QR code found on the rear panel. 

The procedure varies for the Nest and Google Home apps:

• Nest app: Go to “Settings” → “Add product” and allow access to the camera before scanning the QR code.

• Google Home app: Open the app, then navigate to “Devices” → “Add +” → “Google Nest or partner device” → “Add another home” → “Nest”.

Alert: There won’t be any existing room or home configurations through the new owner’s app!

4.3 Connect to the Wi-Fi

One of the last steps is to connect the Nest camera to the new owner’s Wi-Fi.

If the device is ready to connect, you’ll see the Nest camera LED flashing in blue.

So, ensure the network router is online, and when prompted during the app setup, pick the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz from the Wi-Fi thread list.

Tip: Use a 2.4 GHz thread if the camera is far from the router and a 5 GHz if the camera is closer to the router

4.4 Test the Nest Camera

Now, test all of the Nest camera’s functions and determine if the Wi-Fi connection is stable.

Set up the motion detection, figure out if the live feed responds, and most importantly, check if the app sends a notification to the primary new owner of the product.

You now know exactly how to transfer Nest camera to new owner, so we wish you a smooth migration–best of luck.