Google Nest Protect speaks and lights up so you don't have to guess what it's trying to tell you. You'll also get an alert on your phone or tablet (as long as your Protect has a working Wi-Fi connection). Alerts are saved in the Nest app in Messages. If you ever need to review them, just click or tap on the Messages icon 
Here’s what Protect's lights and messages mean, and what you should do.
Note: You might notice that the voice of your Nest Protect has changed. This is working as intended. There was a recent software update that updated your Nest Protect’s voice.
During setup
| Protect speech and sounds | Protect lights | What it means | What to do |
|
"Hi." Listen to it now |
Pulsing blue light ring |
Nest Protect is ready for setup. |
Protect will walk you through the setup steps. |
Manually test Nest Protect
| Protect speech and sounds | Protect lights | What it means | What to do |
|
"Press to test." Listen to it now |
Pulsing blue light ring |
After you press the center button, Protect pulses blue to indicate that it will test its sensors, batteries, Wi-Fi connection and interconnection with other Protects. 2nd gen Nest Protects will also run Sound Check on their horn and speaker. Protect will run one horn cycle for smoke and 2 horn cycles for carbon monoxide. |
Protect will tell you when the test is complete and what the results of the test were. |
Heads-Up and Emergency Alarms
Protect uses its voice to let you know about potential danger and where in your home it's located. It also sends an alert to your phone or tablet as long as it is connected to Wi-Fi and the Internet.
Protect first gives you an early warning when it detects that smoke or carbon monoxide levels are rising. This is what we call Heads-Up. If the smoke or carbon monoxide levels are at critical levels, Protect will sound the alarm, pulse red and let you know where the problem is.
| Protect speech and sounds | Protect lights | What appears on your mobile device | What it means and what to do |
|
"Heads-Up. There's smoke in the (room name). The alarm may sound." Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Heads-Up: There's smoke • (room name). |
Smoke levels are rising. Put out the source of the smoke. Then, use the app or press the center button to silence the alert. |
|
"Heads-Up. There's carbon monoxide in the (room name). The alarm may sound." Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Heads-Up: There's carbon monoxide • (room name). |
Carbon monoxide levels are rising. Open a window or door to get some fresh air. Then, use the app or press the center button to silence the alert. |
|
"(Smoke or carbon monoxide) alarm silenced." Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Alarm silenced. The alarm will sound again if the problem continues. Note: In some cases, alarm silencing isn't possible when smoke reach very high levels. |
You have silenced the alarm temporarily. Make sure you are safe and put out the source of the smoke or carbon monoxide. |
|
(Alarm sound) "Emergency. There's smoke in the (room name)." Listen to it now |
Pulsing red light ring |
Emergency: There's smoke • (room name). |
The smoke in the room has reached emergency levels. Get out of the house immediately. |
|
(Alarm sound) "Emergency. There's carbon monoxide in the (room name). Move to fresh air." Listen to it now |
Pulsing red light ring |
Emergency: There's carbon monoxide • (room name). |
The carbon monoxide in the room has now reached emergency levels. What to do if carbon monoxide is detected
|
|
"(Smoke or carbon monoxide) alarm silenced." Listen to it now |
Pulsing red light ring |
Alarm silenced. The alarm will sound again if the problem continues. Note: In some cases, alarm silencing isn't possible when smoke reach very high levels. |
You have silenced the alarm temporarily. |
|
"The smoke alarm is over in the (room name)." Listen to it now |
Pulsing green light ring |
Smoke clearing • (room name). The smoke level is decreasing. |
Conditions are returning to normal. Make sure you're safe and have put out the source of smoke. |
|
"The carbon monoxide alarm is over in the (room name)." Listen to it now |
Pulsing green light ring |
Carbon monoxide clearing • (room name). The carbon monoxide level is decreasing. |
Conditions are returning to normal. Make sure you're safe and have dealt with the source of the carbon monoxide. |
Note: Protect will only speak the room name if you selected one of the standard names from the list during setup or if you chose a standard name and added a custom label. If you use a custom name, your Protect will not speak a room name.
When Protect needs your attention
If a problem has been identified during Self Test, Protect uses its yellow light to communicate that it requires your attention. As with Heads-Up and Emergency Alarms, Protect will also send an alert to your phone or tablet as long as it's connected to Wi-Fi and the Internet. It may be that its batteries are getting low, its sensors have failed, or Protect is about to expire.
Battery chirps and expiration chirps
Protect will continuously chirp when its batteries are critically low and when it has expired. The chirp acts as a reminder for you to take action (and is required in order to comply with safety regulations). In both of these situations, Protect will chirp continuously until the issue has been taken care of. However, it uses different chirp patterns depending on what’s going on.
- Low battery: Protect will sound one chirp every 60 seconds until you replace the batteries.
- To stop the chirping, you need to replace the batteries with Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA (L91) batteries.
- Protect has expired: Just like any electrical appliance, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms wear out over time and expire. Protect will sound a double chirp once a minute. You won’t be protected from smoke or carbon monoxide if you don't replace your Protect when it expires.
- Note: Protect will let you know it's going to expire a few months before the expiration date. You’ll receive a series of messages during that time to remind you to replace it.
| Protect speech and sounds | Protect lights |
What you'll receive on your mobile device |
What to do |
|
"The batteries are low in the (room name). Replace the batteries soon." Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Low battery (home name: Protect location). The battery is low. Replace the battery soon. Your Protect will need new batteries in the coming months. |
Protect batteries (or backup batteries for Protect wired) are low. Replace Protect batteries soon. |
|
"The batteries are very low in the (room name). Replace the batteries now." Single chirp every 60 seconds. Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Replace the battery now. (home name: Protect location). Your Protect needs new batteries immediately. Only a few days of battery life remain. Protect will start chirping day and night soon. |
Protect batteries are very low. It will chirp. Replace Protect batteries now. |
|
"The sensors have failed in the (room name). Replace Nest Protect now." Single chirp every 60 seconds. Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Smoke sensor failure (home name: Protect location). The Protect's smoke sensor has failed. |
Protect has tested its smoke sensor and a problem has been detected. Clean your Protect according to the instructions. If the problem persists, replace it. If you’re in the US, you can send your old Protect back to Google for recycling. |
|
"The sensors have failed in the (room name). Replace Protect now." Single chirp every 60 seconds. Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Carbon monoxide sensor failure (home name: Protect location). The Nest Protect's carbon monoxide sensor has failed. You need to replace Nest Protect. |
Protect has tested its carbon monoxide sensor and a problem has been detected. Replace your Protect now. If you’re in the US, you can send your old Protect back to Google for recycling. |
|
"Nest Protect has expired in the (room name). Replace Nest Protect now." 2 chirps every 60 seconds. Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Nest Protect has expired per safety regulations. Replace your Nest Protect now. |
|
|
"Nest Protect is offline in the (room name)." Listen to it now |
Pulsing yellow light ring |
Nest Protect is offline. |
Protect is no longer connected to the Internet. Check your Wi-Fi network and Internet connection. |
|
Solid green power light |
Nest Protect is receiving power from line voltage. |
||
| "The power is out in the (room name)." | No power light |
Power out (home name: Protect location) The power is out. |
Nest Protect’s wired power is out. Protect is receiving power from battery. |
|
"The sensors have failed in the (room name). Replace Nest Protect now." Single chirp every 60 seconds. Listen to it now |
No lights |
There is a problem with the light ring. |
Nest Protect's light ring no longer works. Replace your Protect now. |