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Change Nest camera and doorbell audio settings

Google Nest cameras and doorbells let you know what’s happening nearby. You can adjust your Nest camera and doorbell audio settings to turn the microphone off or on, change the microphone sensitivity, and set up audio notifications.

Turn the microphone on and off

When the microphone is on, your Nest camera’s microphone picks up sound in the area around your camera. If your camera has event video history or 24/7 video history, your camera’s audio is recorded in your video history as long as the microphone is on. 

When the microphone is off, audio is not streamed or recorded. The microphone is off by default during setup.

If you have more than one Nest camera, you can turn each camera’s microphone on and off independently.

Home app

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Tap the Microphone switch to turn it on or off.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Tap the Microphone switch to turn it on or off.

Nest app

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, tap your camera.
  3. Tap Settings Nest settings icon.
  4. Select Microphone, then tap the switch to turn it on or off. 

Note: When you turn off the microphone, you can't go back in your video history and turn on sound during times the microphone was off.

Adjust the camera volume (Home app only)

For the following Nest cameras and doorbells, you can adjust how loud your voice is when you speak into your phone with Talk and Listen:

  • Nest Cam (wired)
  • Nest Cam (battery)
  • Nest Doorbell (battery)

For other Nest camera and doorbell models, the camera’s speaker volume isn't adjustable, but it should be loud enough to be easily heard by someone near the camera. If you use Talk and Listen a lot, make sure to install your camera in a place where your voice can be heard.

Note: This setting does not affect how loud the visitor’s voice is in the app when they speak through your camera.

Follow the steps below to adjust your camera’s volume:

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Drag the Camera volume slider to decrease or increase the volume of your camera.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Drag the Camera volume slider to decrease or increase the volume of your camera.

Adjust microphone sensitivity (Nest app only)

Cameras with adjustable microphone sensitivity

The following cameras have a manually adjustable microphone sensitivity:

  • Nest Cam Outdoor
  • Nest Cam Indoor

If you don't get sounds in your camera’s video stream, or if your camera repeatedly picks up unwanted noise, you can manually adjust sensitivity for these cameras.

Other Nest cameras and doorbells use echo cancellation and noise suppression to automatically adjust their microphone sensitivity.

Follow these steps to manually adjust your camera’s microphone sensitivity:

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, select your camera.
  3. Tap Settings Nest settings icon.
  4. Select Microphone. Make sure the microphone switch is turned on in the app, or the “Microphone sensitivity” setting wouldn't appear.
  5. Tap Microphone sensitivity then drag the slider to change the mic setting.

Turn audio recording on or off

Here’s what to expect when you turn audio recording off for your camera:

  • Audio isn't saved with your camera’s recorded video, which means that any footage saved in your video history while audio recording was turned off don't have sound.
  • You can still get audio in your camera’s live video stream.
  • The app doesn't send you any sound alerts.

To turn audio recording on or off, follow the app instructions for your camera or doorbell.

Home app

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Tap the Audio recording switch to turn it on or off.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Audio.
  6. Tap the Audio recording switch to turn it on or off.

Nest app

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, tap your camera.
  3. Tap Settings Nest settings icon.
  4. Select Microphone. Make sure the microphone switch is turned on in the app, or the Audio recording setting wouldn't appear. 
  5. Tap the Audio recording switch to turn it on or off.

Note: When audio recording is off, you can still listen live, but you shouldn't receive any sound alerts.

Get alerts when your camera detects sound

Your camera or doorbell can send notifications when it detects certain sounds.

For example, if the doorbell rings or your dog barks, you can get an alert even if the activity isn’t in your camera’s view.

Camera alerts

Turn the Talk and Listen tone on or off

With Talk and Listen, you can talk to people near the camera and get their responses.

To help Talk and Listen conversations flow better, your Nest camera or doorbell can use a tone to let people know when you’re about to speak and again when you’re done. The tone helps prevent people from speaking over each other.

Note: For both the Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam Outdoor, Talk and Listen works like a walkie-talkie: only one person can speak at a time. If the tone is off, it may make conversations more difficult.

Follow the instructions for your camera or doorbell to turn the Talk & Listen tone on or off:

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, tap your camera.
  3. Tap Settings Nest settings icon.
  4. Select Talk & Listen tone Nest cam talk listen tone.
  5. Tap the switch to turn the tone on or off.

Doorbell chime settings 

Adjust how long the digital chime rings (Home app only)

Note: Digital chimes (internal speaker and no moving parts) only work with Nest doorbells that are wired to your home’s doorbell system. Battery-powered doorbells can't use a digital chime.

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Doorbell.
  6. Slide the Length of the ring node to decrease or increase how long the chime plays.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Doorbell.
  6. Slide the Length of the ring node to decrease or increase how long the chime plays.
Use Quiet Time to mute the indoor chime

If you don’t want to be disturbed during a certain time, you can use Quiet Time so your doorbell chime doesn't ring when someone pushes the button on your Nest doorbell.

Here’s what you can expect to happen when a visitor rings your doorbell while Quiet Time is on:

  • Your doorbell creates its usual doorbell sound outside, but the chime inside your home won't ring.
  • If visitor announcements are enabled, your speaker or display won't announce that someone’s there.
  • The app can still send a notification to let you know that someone’s at the door.

Follow the app instructions for your doorbell to turn Quiet Time on.

Home app

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4. Select Quiet Time .
  5. Choose how long you want the indoor chime and visitor announcements to be off for.
  6. Tap Set.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4.  Select Quiet Time .
  5. Choose how long you want the indoor chime and visitor announcements to be off for.
  6. Tap Set.

To cancel it early, select your doorbell in the app, and then tap End Quiet Time.

Nest app

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, select your doorbell.
  3. Tap Quiet Time Quiet time button.
  4. Select how long you want the indoor chime and visitor announcements to be off for.
  5. Tap Start.

To check how much time is left, or to cancel Quiet Time early, go back to the Quiet Time setting.

Turn the indoor chime on or off

If you want to temporarily mute your indoor chime for up to a few hours, you might want to use Quiet Time instead. If you don’t want to be disturbed for an extended period of time, you can turn your indoor chime off instead.

Follow the app instructions for your doorbell to turn the indoor chime on or off.

Home app

Android

  1. Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3.  Tap More .
  4. Tap Settings .
  5. Select Doorbell.
  6. Tap the Indoor chime switch to turn it on or off.

iPhone & iPad

  1.  Open the Home app .
  2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
  3. Tap More .
  4.  Tap Settings .
  5. Select Doorbell.
  6. Tap the Indoor chime switch to turn it on or off.

Nest app

  1. Open the Nest app Nest app.
  2. On the home screen, tap your doorbell.
  3. Tap Settings Nest settings icon.
  4. Select Indoor chime On/Off, then tap the switch to turn it on or off.

Note: Once Quiet Time has ended, your doorbell resumes its current indoor chime settings. If you turn the indoor chime on and then off again while in Quiet Time, the chime doesn't automatically turn on when your Quiet Time countdown ends.

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