You can install your Nest thermostat with a trim plate if your old thermostat left a large hole or unpainted part of the wall. The trim plate is optional. To install a Nest thermostat on an electrical junction box, use a metal plate and trim plate.
Important things to know
- Turn off power to your system before exposing wires. This helps protect you and your system from damage.
- Nest screws are self-tapping, so there’s no need to drill into soft materials like drywall or plaster. If you need to drill into harder materials like wood, use a 3/32 or 2.5 mm drill bit.
- Use a screwdriver to connect the thermostat base to the trim plate. High torque power drills can over-tighten the screws and damage the thermostat base. If you need to use a drill, use a low torque setting at slow speed.
- The trim plate is used to cover imperfections left by your old thermostat in the wall. This is snapped together with your thermostat base.
- The steel plate is used together with your trim plate only when installing your thermostat directly into the electrical box.
Specific instructions depend on which thermostat you have.
| Select the thermostat you have: | |||
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Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) |
Nest Thermostat |
Nest Thermostat E |
Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen or earlier)
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| How to tell which thermostat you have | |||
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
On the wall
- Snap the thermostat base and trim plate together.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the thermostat base.
- Hold the trim plate against the wall and use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure everything is level.
- Mount the plate on the wall with the screws included with your thermostat.
- Check the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level. Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.
On an electrical box
Your Thermostat includes a metal plate in case you want to install it directly to an electrical box.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the steel plate.
- Secure the plate to the electrical box with 2 of the included short screws.
- Snap the trim plate and thermostat base together.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the thermostat base’s hole.
- Hold the trim plate against the wall and use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure everything is level.
- Use the other short screws to attach the thermostat base and trim plate to the steel plate.
- Check the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level.
- Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.
Nest Thermostat
If you don’t want to paint over holes or marks left by your old thermostat, you can purchase the optional trim kit in different colors to match your thermostat and decor. The kit includes a trim plate and a steel plate if you are mounting to an electrical box.
On the wall
- Snap the thermostat base and trim plate together, pull the wires through the hole.
- Hold the trim plate against the wall and use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure everything is level.
- Mount the plate on the wall with the screws included with your thermostat.
On an electrical box
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the steel plate. Then secure the plate to the electrical box with two of the included long screws.
- Snap the thermostat base and trim plate together. Then screw them onto the steel plate.
- Check the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level. Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.
Nest Thermostat E
On the wall
- Snap the thermostat base and trim plate together.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the thermostat base.
- Hold the trim plate against the wall and use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure everything is level.
- Mount the plate on the wall with the screws included with your thermostat.
- Check the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level. Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.
On an electrical box
Electrical boxes aren’t common, but if you have one, purchase an optional steel plate.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the steel plate. Then secure the plate to the electrical box with two of the included short screws.
- Snap the trim plate and thermostat base together.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the thermostat base’s hole.
- Hold the trim plate against the wall and use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure everything is level.
- Use the other short screws to attach the thermostat base and trim plate to the steel plate.
- Check the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level. Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.
Nest Learning Thermostat
- Snap the thermostat base and trim plate together.
- Pull the thermostat wires through the hole in the thermostat base.
- Attach the plate to the wall with the included screws. The screws are self-tapping, there’s no need to drill holes.
- Use the bubble level in the thermostat base to make sure it’s level. Loosen the screws and turn the thermostat base if needed. Then re-tighten the screws.