A Nest thermostat works with Google Assistant on speakers and displays in the same home: you can ask the assistant to raise or lower the temperature, set a temperature, turn heating or cooling on or off and ask what the temperature is. The thermostat must be online, linked to the same Google Home and given a clear name, ideally with a room name. If the assistant says it cannot reach the thermostat, check the wifi with the offline steps and check power, since the thermostat drops offline when it lacks system power.
The checks in more detail
Voice commands change the thermostat's setpoint, so they are temporary against a learned schedule until the next scheduled change. If commands set the wrong mode or temperature scale, check the thermostat's temperature unit in Settings. Voice commands do not change equipment settings such as the heating type. Alexa can control the thermostat through Nest's skill where available, and Apple Home works through Matter on models that support it. Rename devices with short unique names. Update the Home app and speaker firmware.
Use Voice Match so that the right person's home is controlled. Try a simple read-back like asking the temperature first, since it proves the link before you test a command that changes something. Rename the thermostat with its room, such as hallway thermostat, so it is unique. Practise a few commands so the wording is natural. If you use more than one home in Google Home, check which home the speaker belongs to, because a voice command goes to the speaker's home and may change the wrong thermostat.
Ask the assistant for the current temperature after a change to confirm the command was understood, since the spoken reply names the setpoint it applied. If you share the home with someone who also gives commands, agree who sets what, since two voices changing the same thermostat feels like a fault but is only a disagreement. A voice command sets a temperature against the schedule, so if the thermostat returns to a different temperature an hour later, that is the schedule resuming and not a fault.
Differential
Likely causes of “Nest thermostats does not respond to voice control”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The thermostat offline
What separates it The assistant cannot reach the thermostat because it is offline
How to confirm Fix the wifi and the power, and check the thermostat shows online in the Google Home app
- 2
A name conflict
What separates it The assistant controls the wrong device because two devices have similar names
How to confirm Rename the thermostat with a clear name that includes the room, such as Hallway Thermostat
- 3
Wrong temperature unit
What separates it The values sound odd because the temperature unit is set to the wrong one
How to confirm Set the unit to Fahrenheit or Celsius, whichever you use, in the thermostat's settings
- 4
An override of the schedule
What separates it The temperature returns to another value later because the schedule takes over again
How to confirm Expect the next schedule change, since a voice command is only temporary
- 5
A different home
What separates it The assistant controls another home because more than one home is linked to the account
How to confirm Choose the correct home in the Google Home app, so that commands go to the right thermostat
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The exact command that you used with the assistant
- The name that the thermostat has in the app
- The temperature unit set on the thermostat
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the thermostat is online
ReversibleCheck that the thermostat is online, with wifi and power, since a voice command cannot reach it offline.
Use a clear name
ReversibleUse a clear name for the thermostat, with the room in it, so the assistant knows which one you mean.
Check the unit
ReversibleCheck the unit, whether Fahrenheit or Celsius, since a wrong unit gives odd temperatures when you ask.
Test a simple command
ReversibleTest a simple command, such as setting the temperature to 70, and see whether the thermostat responds.
Expect schedule changes
ReversibleExpect schedule changes, since a voice command sets a temporary temperature that the schedule later replaces.
Update apps and speakers
ReversibleUpdate the apps and the speakers, and then test the voice command again to see whether it works.
Contact Google
ReversibleContact Google if it fails, and tell them the command used and the name of the thermostat.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Assistant
- Works with Google speakers and displays.
- Schedules
- Voice changes are temporary against a schedule.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If commands never work after renaming, contact Google Nest support
- !If the thermostat is offline, use the offline steps
- !If the wrong home is used, change the default home
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Offline steps by model.
Eco temperatures.
Home and Away.
Matter.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Can I set the temperature by voice?+
Yes, you can set the temperature by voice using Google Assistant on a speaker or display.
Does voice override my schedule?+
Voice overrides your schedule only until the next change, when the schedule takes over again.
Why can't it reach the thermostat?+
It cannot reach the thermostat when the thermostat is offline, so fix the connection first.
Does Apple Home work?+
Apple Home works through Matter, on the thermostats that support it.
Should I check the unit?+
Yes, check the unit, since a wrong one gives odd values when you ask for a temperature.