If you use the Google Home app or Google Home for web to view your camera or doorbell's video history, you can save events as video clips to your phone or computer.
If you have an older camera or doorbell in the Nest app and Nest Aware subscription, you can use the Nest app or Nest web app to create, download, and share video clips.
Video clips and timelapses in the Home app, Nest app, and on a computer
The table below shows some differences between the Home and Nest apps, and web.
| Google Home app | Google Home for web | Nest app | Nest app for web (only available for cameras and doorbells in the Nest app) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Download clips |
Yes1 | Yes (up to 5 minutes per clip) |
Yes2
(Up to 2 minutes |
Yes (Up to 1 hour per clip) |
|
Create timelapses |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (Up to 24 hours worth of footage per timelapse) |
1 You can only download video clips from detected events in the video history. You can't download video clips from footage with no activity. The maximum clip length setting for your camera or doorbell will affect how long video clips can be.
2 You can only use the Nest app to download video clips that are created in the Nest app. You can't download video clips created on a computer with the Nest app.
Create, download, and manage video clips
Google Home app
Download a video clip
Note: You can only download video clips from detected events in the video history. You cannot download video clips from footage with no activity. The maximum clip length setting for your camera or doorbell will affect how long video clips can be.
Follow the steps below to create and download a video clip:
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Favorites
or Devices
.
- Select your camera.
- Scroll to an event in your camera’s video history timeline. You can also tap Event history
for a list of events.
- Choose the event you want, then tap Controls
.
- Tap Save clip to save the video clip to your phone. From there, you can share the video clip via email or other apps.
.Nest app
You can save up to 3 hours of video clips in the Nest app. If a clip is too big to be saved in the remaining storage, the app will tell you that you're out of storage space. You'll have to download and delete clips to make room before you can save a new clip.
Note: If you want to share the clip from the app, you need to share it when you make the clip. Otherwise if you want to share the clip at a later time, you'll need to use a computer to share it from your account at home.nest.com.
Create an instant clip
When you make an instant video clip, the app will search for the beginning and the end of activity near the time you've selected,create a clip of that activity, and save it in the app.
- Open the Nest app.
- On the home screen, select your camera.
Video history in the Nest app - In your camera's video history timeline, rewind to where you want the clip to begin. Note: You can either scroll through the timeline or tap on an activity mark on the timeline.
- Tap New clip
to automatically create an instant clip. It will take a short time to create your clip and save your clip in the Nest app.
- Choose what you want to do with your clip:
- Tap Save to photos to download the clip to your phone or tablet.
- Tap Share link for options for how to share the clip.
- Tap Cancel to delete the clip.
to automatically create an instant clip. It will take a short time to create your clip and save your clip in the Nest app.Create a custom clip
- Open the Nest app.
- On the home screen, select your camera.
Video history in the Nest app - In your camera's video history timeline, rewind to where you want the clip to begin.
Note: You can either scroll through the timeline or tap on the activity mark in your camera's activity track. - Press and hold New clip
- Choose what you want to do with your clip:
- Tap Save to photos to download the clip to your phone or tablet.
- Tap Share link for options for how to share the clip.
- Tap Cancel to delete the clip.
On a computer
Google Home for web
Create and download video clips
You can only make custom clips from wired cameras that have 24/7 video history. For battery-powered cameras, the app will create a clip for you. Clips can be up to 5 minutes long.
- Go to home.google.com and sign in.
- Select the camera that recorded the video you want.
- Tap the event you want to turn into a clip.
- Click Save a clip
.
- The app will generate a default clip length based on the event duration.
- Move the end and start points of the clip to create a longer or shorter clip.
- Click Play to preview your clip.
- Click Clip name to change the name of the clip.
- Select Save clip to save the video clip to your computer. From there, you can share the video clip via email or other apps.
Nest app for web
Create a video clip
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera that recorded the video you want to use.
- Select Clips
in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Choose Create clip.
- Sliders will appear on your timeline. Drag them forward or backwards to select the start and end times for your clip.
- Name for your new clip and choose Save.
- A popup will appear that says "Your clip is ready. View your clip." Pick View your clip.
- If you're satisfied with the clip, select Done.
- If you're not happy with the clip or would like to select different start or end times, select Delete to erase it and go Back
to start again.
- If you're not happy with the clip or would like to select different start or end times, select Delete to erase it and go Back
in the lower right corner of the screen.
to start again.Create a quick event clip
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera that recorded the video you want to use.
- Hover over an event in your timeline. A popup will appear with a clip of the event.
- Choose New clip
- Sliders will appear on your timeline marking the duration of the activity or event.
- You can drag them forward or backwards to adjust the start and end times for your clip.
- Name your new clip and select Save.
- A popup will appear that says "Your clip is ready. View your clip." Choose View your clip.
- If you're satisfied with the clip, select Done.
- If you're not happy with the clip or would like to select different start or end times, select Delete to erase it and go Back
- If you're not happy with the clip or would like to select different start or end times, select Delete to erase it and go Back
Make a timelapse
You can create a timelapse in much the same way you make regular video clips. You can condense up to 24 hours of video into a timelapse.
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera that recorded the video you want to use.
-
Select Clips
- Choose Create Timelapse.
- Sliders will appear on your timeline. Drag them forward or backwards to select the start and end times for your clip.
-
Select Length to choose how long you want to make your timelapse.
Note: Changing the length of the timelapse won't move its start and end times - Name your new clip, and select Save.
Note: If the timelapse you created is missing video, you might not have selected enough video history to fill the entire duration of the timelapse. In this case, you should select a longer video clip to completely fill the timelapse. For more help with this, go to our Troubleshoot creating a video clip article.
View clips
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera you want to view.
- Select Clips
- Choose View clips.
- Pick the clip that you want to view and it will open in a popup window.
- Select Play
to watch your clip.
to watch your clip.Share or download clips
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera you want to view.
-
Select Clips
- Choose View clips.
- Select the clip you want to share or download.
-
Choose one of the icons at the bottom of the video window to share your clip. Choose the Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or Nextdoor icon to quickly post your clip to one of these social media sites.
- Click Link
to create a link for your clip.
- Select Copy and paste the link where you want to share it. Anyone who has the link can watch your clip.
Important: A shared link can only be viewed on a computer, it can't be viewed with a phone or tablet. If you want people to be able to view your video with their phone or tablet, we recommend sharing via Youtube, Twitter, Facebook or Nextdoor. - Select Download
to save the clip to your computer.
- Click Link
to create a link for your clip.
to save the clip to your computer.Delete clips
Note: You won't be able to recover clips after they've been deleted. Make sure that any clips you want to keep have been saved to your computer before you delete them from the Nest web app.
- Go to home.nest.com and sign in.
- Select the camera you want to delete clips from.
- Select Clips
- Choose View clips.
- Hover over the clip you want to delete and select Trash
.
Note: If you want to view the clip before you delete it, select on the clip and select Play
.