Routines on a Nest Mini, such as a morning briefing or turning lights off at bedtime, are built in the Google Home app, and they fail for three reasons that are easy to check. The routine may be tied to the wrong device or the wrong speaker, so open the routine and check which speaker plays the response. The starter may be faulty: a spoken phrase that is too similar to another command or a time that is set in the wrong time zone will not fire. And a device in the routine may be offline, which stops the whole routine.
Use the Routines page in the app to run the routine manually and watch which step fails. If the Mini says it cannot do that, the account may have changed, so sign in again. After a firmware or app update, owners sometimes re-save the routine to make it work again. A routine that works from the app but not from voice usually has a phrase the Mini hears as something else; change the phrase to a more distinctive one. A routine that works by voice but not on schedule usually has a time-zone problem in the Home address.
Differential
Likely causes of “Nest Mini (2nd gen) routine, schedule or automation is not running”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The wrong speaker is chosen
What separates it The routine does not speak on this Mini
How to confirm Open the routine and select the Mini under Play on
- 2
A conflicting phrase
What separates it The routine does not start from the spoken phrase
How to confirm Change the phrase to something distinct
- 3
A wrong time or time zone
What separates it A timed routine fires at the wrong hour
How to confirm Check the Home's address and time zone
- 4
An offline device in the routine
What separates it The routine stops at a step
How to confirm Bring the device back online
- 5
An account or app glitch
What separates it The routine disappeared
How to confirm Sign in again and re-save the routine
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The routine's starter and actions
- Which speaker is set to respond
- Whether every device in it is online
- The Home address and time zone
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedOpen the routine in Google Home
ReversibleHome, Automations, tap the routine.
Run it manually
ReversibleTap Run to see which step fails.
Check the speaker and starter
ReversibleConfirm the Mini and the phrase or time.
Check the Home's time zone
ReversibleIn Home settings, check the address.
Bring a device back online
ReversibleRestart an offline device.
Re-save the routine
ReversibleEdit and save it again.
Test the starter alone
ReversibleRun the routine from the app, then by voice, then wait for the scheduled time, to find which starter fails.
Simplify the routine
ReversibleRemove all but one action, test it, and add the others back one at a time to find the step that stops it.
Check that devices are named clearly
ReversibleTwo devices with similar names can be confused, so give each a distinct name in the app.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- One step fails
- The whole routine can stop at one offline device.
- Time zone
- A timed routine uses the Home's address.
- Starters are separate
- A routine can have a voice, time or sunrise starter, and each fails differently.
- Offline devices
- One offline light can stop the whole routine.
- Names
- Distinct device names avoid misunderstandings.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a routine fails after a re-save, report it to Google Nest support
- !If a device in it is offline, fix that device
- !Do not rely on routines for safety devices
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Nest Mini routine not run?+
The wrong speaker, a conflicting phrase or an offline device.
Where are routines?+
In Google Home, under Automations.
Do routines need Wi-Fi?+
Yes.
Can I run a routine manually?+
Yes, to test it.
Can a routine run when I am away?+
Yes, if the devices are online.