Nest Camera Won’t Turn On? (Here’s What You Need to Do!)

It could be frightening if your Nest camera won’t turn on and shows no signs of life, leaving your home unmonitored and vulnerable.

Don’t worry; it happens to lots of folks, and it’s usually something we can sort out quickly.

It may be a power issue, a setup problem, or something else easy to fix. 

How to Fix When Nest Camera Won’t Turn On? – Working Methods

The Nest camera can be used in two ways:

On the outside, there’s no difference between a battery-powered and wired Nest camera.

Some users prefer to use the camera charger permanently so the device doesn’t ever run out of juice. 

Tip: We recommend finding the exact type and model of your Nest camera before proceeding!

1. Turn On The Nest Camera Remotely

If your camera is plugged in (hardwired) or the battery is charged (wireless) but it’s not turning on, try to reconnect the camera.

This means reconnecting the wiring or plugging the camera to the charger and unplugging it to perform a soft reset.

If it’s not working, try to turn on the camera remotely:

• Using the On/Off switch through the Nest/Home app.
• Setting up a camera schedule for turning on the unit.
• Allowing Nest to detect when you come back home.

Testing with each of these methods allows for determining whether the Nest camera’s problem is power-related or on a hardware level.

The status in the app will be set to “Offline” for as long as the product is offline, and the camera will be unreachable.

How to Manually Turn Nest On/Off?

• If you’ve set up Nest with the Home app, just head over to “Favorites,” find “Cameras,” and tap the button that says “Turn on” or “Turn off”.

• Now, if you’re using the Nest app instead, pop it open, access “Settings,” and hit the “Camera On/Off” button from the list.

How to Set Up a Schedule On Nest?

Home app:

1. Launch the app and head to “Automations”.
2. Tap “Household” and select “Add starter”.
3. Press “At a specific time,” hand it “Add starter”. 
4. Head to “Add action” and choose “Adjust Home Devices”.

Nest app:

1. Open the Nest app and head to “Settings”.
2. Find “Schedule” and tap “Schedule On”.
3. Press “Add Time” and select a schedule.

Note: Pick times that fit your day, like mornings or nights, so it’s not random!

How to Allow Home/Away On Nest?

The Home/Away assist thing only works in the Nest app, so open it up, head over to “Settings”, look for “Home/Away Assist,” and switch it to “Home” or “Away”. 

Quick Tip: Some Nest cameras have a built-in “Power” switch, such as the IQ Indoor/Outdoor! 

2. Inspect the Connections (Wired)

Power supply absence is among the leading causes of boot failure in the Nest camera. Hence, the best thing to inspect is the power connections.

The nest camera has a total of three connections:

• The adapter and the outlet.
• The USB cable and adapter.
• The USB and the Nest unit.

If you have a battery-powered Nest, then it doesn’t need to be plugged in at all times.

Both the hardwired and battery-operated Nest camera products have a rechargeable battery that kicks in during power outages and lasts for about 1–2 hours.

3. Change the Electrical Outlet

A bad outlet could cause persistent disruptions in the camera’s power supply and cause it to power off or reboot repeatedly, or lose certain functionalities. 

Whether you’ve hardwired the Nest camera or prefer to unmount it for recharging, a problem with the electrical outlet could be the reason why the Nest camera is not turning on.

For this step, you must unmount the camera if it’s on the stand and relocate the equipment to another outlet.

How to Connect Nest to Another Outlet?

Unplug the power adapter of the Nest camera from both ends and move the Nest camera along with the installation equipment.

Then, put the unit next to the replacement outlet and reinstall the power cable to check if the Nest camera turns on. 

Tip: Test with another device before connecting the Nest camera!

How to Use a Smart Plug? (Workaround)

A solid solution to fluctuations with the electrical outlet is using a smart plug to connect the Nest camera’s adapter.

It allows for remotely turning the camera on and off and regulates the voltage so your camera doesn’t overheat or malfunction by any means.

Setting up a smart plug is simple: Install the plug, download the mobile app for the device, and then connect your camera.

Now, you can set schedules and access additional options for the outlet where your Nest camera is seated. 

4. Replace Charging Equipment

Defective charging equipment could be actively causing issues with the Nest camera’s startup.

As clarified earlier, the charging setup of your Nest camera, regardless of the setup you have, consists of a power adapter and a charging USB cable.

We recommend replacing both of the components to check if the Nest camera’s LEDs will light up and the battery will start charging.

How to Replace the Nest A/C Adapter?

To replace the power adapter of your camera, unplug the USB cable and install a compatible 24V replacement.

Reconnect the camera’s USB and plug the adapter into a reliable source.

How to Replace the Nest USB Cable?

Take the power adapter out of the wall socket and pull the USB cable loose from it.

Then, grab the new USB cable you’re using instead, plug it into the adapter, and plug it back into the wall socket to get the camera going again.

Tip: If the camera refuses to charge with both components replaced individually, check with an alternative adapter and USB simultaneously. 

5. Check for Camera Overheating

Your Nest camera might get too hot for a bunch of reasons, like if the power’s all wobbly, there’s something warm sitting close by, or it’s outside soaking up sun all day long.

Well, an easy trick to figure out if it’s overheating is to place your hand right on the lens part and feel if it’s heated.

Overheating signs include:

• Extensive heating up of your camera’s hardware.
• The camera is consistently powering off/rebooting.
• The live feed of the Nest camera stops or freezes.

If the overheating is prolonged, it could lead to irreversible damage to your Nest camera and the entire hardware mechanism.

It’s important to notice the unusual overheating of your camera as early as possible to prevent potential hardware damage.

To prevent overheating:

• Unplug your camera for at least ~30–40 minutes.
• Move the Nest camera away from direct sunlight.
• Clean all dust from the Nest camera’s vent panels.

Important: Acclimatizing the Battery:

The internal battery of the camera must be acclimated each time the environmental temperature changes drastically.

If you typically use the Nest camera indoors but decide to take it outside on considerably hotter or colder temperatures, allow the battery to calibrate for about 15 minutes. 

Note: The operational temperature of the Nest camera is between 32° and 104°F.

6. Reset the Camera’s Settings

A factory reset could be the perfect solution whenever a Nest camera won’t turn on.

Each Nest camera model has a built-in “RESET” button that reverts the device’s options and configurations to default when pressed and held. 

Assuming the camera is working, but there is a software fault preventing the device from turning on, a software restoration might be a one-minute fix.

Warning: ALL Nest camera settings will be permanently erased!

To start the factory reset:

1. Remove the Nest camera from the stand or mount.
2. Next, identify the “Reset” button on the back panel.
3. Hold the button for 10 seconds to start the process.
4. Wait until the camera’s status in the app is “Offline”.

The Nest camera is in “Offline” status until the profile is re-added from the Home or Nest app!

To re-add the camera:

• If you’re using the Nest app, open the app, go to “Menu” → “Settings” → “Nest Camera” → “Remove [Product Name]” → “Confirm”, and then tap “Add Device”.
• If you’re using the Home app, open the app, go to “Nest camera” → gear icon → “Device Settings” → “Remove Device,” then tap on “Add Device” → “Google Nest or Parent Device”.

Note: If your Nest camera is not turning on, regardless of what you try, get in touch with Google customer service or try to claim a replacement using your warranty.