The Nest app's days are numbered as the smart alarm finally jumps ship
Nest Protect, the smart smoke and CO2 alarm, is finally making the move to Google Home app.
This move is part of Google’s gradual effort to unify its Nest and Home platforms and the news was revealed by the search giant in a blog post, which talks about “a more expansive Google Home app experience.”
It’s been a bugbear to many Nest users that they need to switch between two apps – Google Home and Nest – to view their camera feeds and check on the status of their Nest Protects.
This update, which is part of a Public Preview that is rolling out this week, means that there’s actually now no real reason for the Nest app to exist; in November last year Google expanded Home app support to the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and IQ Outdoor cameras, meaning that technically, you can now manage all of your Nest Cams in one place.
To make the move you’ll first have to join the Public Preview, using the Google Home app or the Home web portal.
If you’re already signed up, you should see prompts in the Home app to guide you through the transfer process.
If you run into trouble, make sure you have the latest version of the Google Home app installed – version 3.27 or higher.

Once you’ve got your Protects ported, you’ll be able to:
- Receive emergency and heads-up notifications for smoke and carbon monoxide
- Get critical status alerts like battery health or device issues
- View when alarms were last tested and run a system-wide safety checkup
- Create a schedule for automatic sound check testing when you’re away from your home
- Modify your configuration: change system-wide and alarm-specific settings
- View your camera live feeds directly from the emergency alarm card
- E911 calling: If you are a Nest Aware subscriber in the US, you can use the Google Home app to quickly contact an emergency call center close to your home, even if you’re not home.
Google also revealed that it is enhancing the functionality of smart locks connected over Matter, adding in features like passcode management, auto-locking, one tap entry, push notifications and more.
All of these updates are for the Public Preview of the Google Home Android app only for now; we’re told iOS support is incoming later in early 2025.