A Nest display or speaker takes its time and time zone from the home address in the Google Home app and from the network, so a wrong clock usually means the address is wrong or the device has not synced. Check the home address under Home Settings and the device's time zone setting. Alarms and timers use the device's clock, so a wrong time makes alarms fire at the wrong hour. Reboot the device and wait for it to sync after a power cut.
The checks in more detail
If the display shows the wrong weather or location, the address is the cause. For a wrong status, such as a device shown offline when it is on, refresh the app, check the device's own screen or light, restart it and check wifi. After a power cut or router restart a device may show offline for several minutes before it reconnects. Daylight saving changes can shift the clock by an hour, and a reboot with a good connection normally fixes it.
If the displayed time differs from your phone, check the phone's automatic time. A Hub Max camera status shows on the LED and in the app, and mismatches usually mean the device is reconnecting. If it stays wrong, reset the device's location by re-entering the address and contact Google Nest support with a screenshot. Photograph the display next to a clock, since the pair shows the offset at once. A status that flips is a wifi problem, so follow the offline steps. Compare with another Google device's clock.
Set an alarm two minutes ahead and see when it sounds, since that test measures the clock directly and avoids arguing about what the screen says. Check the time zone in the Home settings after a house move, since the address is the usual thing people forget to update. If the clock is wrong only after a power cut, the device is waiting to sync with the network, and giving it a few minutes online is better than repeated restarts, which restart that wait.
Differential
Likely causes of “Nest displays and smart speakers shows the wrong time, state or sensor reading”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The home address that is set in the Google Home app
What separates it The device shows the wrong time zone because the home address is set incorrectly
How to confirm Correct the address in Home Settings, and the time zone will follow it
- 2
Not synced after a power cut
What separates it The clock is wrong after a power cut because the device has not synced with the network yet
How to confirm Reboot the device, and wait a few minutes for it to reconnect and update its clock
- 3
The phone time setting
What separates it The time differs from the phone because the phone's own time setting is not right
How to confirm Set the phone to update its time automatically, and check its time zone as well
- 4
A stale status
What separates it The app shows the device offline even though it is on because the status is stale
How to confirm Refresh the app and restart the device, so the status matches what the device is doing
- 5
Daylight saving
What separates it The time is one hour off because of daylight saving changes
How to confirm Reboot the device with a good connection, so that it picks up the new time
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The time shown on the device compared with the real time
- The home address that is set in the Google Home app
- The status that the app shows for the device
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the home address
ReversibleCheck the home address in Home Settings, since it decides the time zone that the device uses.
Reboot the device
ReversibleReboot the device by unplugging it for a minute, then wait for it to reconnect and sync.
Check phone time
ReversibleCheck that the phone's time is set to automatic, so it shows the correct local time.
Refresh the app
ReversibleRefresh the app and check the status again, since an old view can show a state that has changed.
Wait after a power cut
ReversibleWait a few minutes after a power cut, since the device needs time to reconnect to the network.
Re-enter the address
ReversibleRe-enter the address if the time zone stays wrong, so that the device receives the right zone.
Contact Google
ReversibleContact Google with a screenshot if the time stays wrong after all of the earlier steps.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Clock
- Follows the home address.
- Alarms
- Use the device clock.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the time stays wrong after correcting the address, contact Google Nest support
- !If status is wrong, use the offline steps
- !If alarms fire at the wrong time, check the clock and the address before anything else
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Speaker and display wifi steps.
Reboot.
Updates.
Video history.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my alarm wrong?+
An alarm fires at the wrong time when the device's clock is wrong, so check the clock first.
Can DST cause it?+
Yes, daylight saving can put the time one hour off, until the device syncs again.
Why does status look stale?+
The status looks stale because the device is still reconnecting, so wait a few minutes.