Google's restart and reset article separates the two. A restart keeps all your settings, like restarting a computer or phone, and helps if the thermostat is stuck, cannot connect to the internet or misbehaves. A factory reset returns it to default settings and erases personal settings; it is useful if you move or leave the thermostat behind and want to remove personal information. On the Nest Thermostat and Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), go to Settings, then Restart or Factory Reset, confirm and wait a few moments.
The checks in more detail
A factory reset removes personal settings and you must set it up again and add it to the app. To unlink it from your account, go to Settings, Account, Disconnect, which removes it from the Home app. Before resetting, write down the wire setup under Settings, Equipment and save other settings such as your heating type and safety temperature. On the Nest Thermostat E or Learning Thermostat 3rd gen and earlier, Settings, Reset offers restart,
schedule, Home/Away, account connection, network and all settings choices, and you should remove the thermostat from your account before resetting all settings. After a reset the thermostat takes time to learn your home before it sets a schedule and starts energy saving. Restart first for most faults. Photograph your settings screens before you reset, because rebuilding them from memory is slow. After a reset give the thermostat a few minutes to boot before starting setup.
Do not reset in the middle of a heatwave or cold snap without a plan for comfort. Before you reset a thermostat you are selling, disconnect it from your account first, since a device still linked to you will show up as unavailable to the new owner and cause a support call. A reset is a poor first step for comfort problems, because a schedule the thermostat learned over weeks is lost, so prefer a restart and a schedule reset that keeps the rest of your settings.
Differential
Likely causes of “Nest thermostats will not reset or needs to be reset safely”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A stuck or frozen thermostat
What separates it The thermostat is unresponsive because it has frozen in an odd state
How to confirm Restart it from the settings menu, which keeps all of your settings and often clears the problem
- 2
Cannot go online
What separates it The wifi fails because the thermostat cannot go online
How to confirm Restart the thermostat first, and then reconnect it to the network from its settings
- 3
Moving or selling
What separates it The old owner's data remains on the thermostat because you are moving or selling it
How to confirm Disconnect it from your account, and then reset it, so that the next owner starts fresh
- 4
A schedule that no longer fits
What separates it The learned schedule is wrong because it no longer fits your household
How to confirm Reset the schedule, so the thermostat begins to learn your habits again from scratch
- 5
A corrupted setup
What separates it The thermostat behaves oddly because its setup has become corrupted
How to confirm Factory reset it, and then set it up again from the beginning
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The exact model of your Nest thermostat
- The wiring, noted or photographed before you reset it
- Your saved settings, written down before the reset
- Whether it is linked to your account
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedTry a restart first
ReversibleTry a restart first, since it keeps all of your settings and fixes many problems by itself.
Note wiring and settings
ReversibleNote the wiring and your settings before a reset, since you will need them when you set it up again.
Choose the reset type
ReversibleChoose the reset type in the menu, which offers the schedule, the network or everything.
Confirm
ReversibleConfirm the reset and wait a few moments, while the thermostat carries it out and restarts.
Set up again
ReversibleSet it up again and add it to the app, following the prompts from the beginning.
Give it time to learn
ReversibleGive it time to learn your habits, since it takes days to build a new schedule.
Contact Google
ReversibleContact Google if it will not reset, and tell them the model and what the display shows.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- 4th gen and Nest Thermostat
- Restart or Factory Reset in Settings.
- Older models
- Settings, Reset with several options.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a restart does not help, use the troubleshooter before resetting
- !If second-hand, ask for removal from the old account
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Restart versus reset.
Offline steps by model.
Help codes.
Blank screen.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does a factory reset do?+
A factory reset erases your personal settings, so the thermostat must be set up again.
Can I reset just the schedule?+
On older models you can reset just the schedule, without erasing everything else.
Should I note the wiring?+
Yes, note the wiring first, so that you can connect the thermostat correctly afterwards.
How do I unlink it?+
Go to Settings, then Account, and choose Disconnect, to unlink it from your account.
Does it relearn?+
Yes, it relearns your habits over a few days after a reset.