Learn about Self Test

Google Nest Protect tests itself to make sure that its batteries, sensors, speaker, horn, and Wi-Fi connection are working. You’ll have the results in the Nest app or the Google Home app and during Nightly Promise when you turn off the lights for the night. Nest Protect lets you know if anything's wrong such as low batteries or speaker malfunctions.

Learn more about Nightly Promise.

What Self Test checks

There are few differences between the 1st and 2nd generation Nest Protects. Only the 2nd gen Protects can check their speaker and horn. Nest Protect's Self Test automatically tests the following:

Sensors: Smoke, carbon monoxide
Audio: Speaker and horn (2nd gen Nest Protect only). Learn more about Automatic Sound Check test
Power: Battery charge (including backup batteries for wired Nest Protect) and 120V or 230V (depending on your region) line power connection for wired Nest Protect
Wi-Fi connection: So you can receive alerts and notifications on your phone

Note: Wi-Fi connectivity can vary over the course of the day because of wireless interference, service interruptions and other factors. To avoid sending you repetitive notifications when your internet connection is spotty, Nest Protect shows you it's offline after 48 hours of no internet connection. Nightly Promise glows yellow, and you'll have the information in the Nest or Home app.

The 2nd generation Nest Protect also runs a Sound Check once a month to test its speaker and horn even, if you’re not at home to run the test.

Learn more about Sound Check.

How to check Self Test results

Your Nest Protect lets you know Self Test's results during Nightly Promise. If Self Test finds a problem with any of your Nest Protects, such as a low battery, all Nest Protects in your home lets you know during Nightly Promise.

When you turn off the lights, Nest Protect's light glows green to show you that everything's okay. It glows yellow if there's a problem even when the setting is off. To hear what's wrong, you can press the Nest button.

Learn more on what the lights and sounds mean on Nest Protect.

You can also check it in the Nest or Home app. This shows the time and results of the last test.

On the Nest app, tap info on the Nest Protect you want to check.
On the Home app, select the Nest Protect that you want to check.

If there's an issue, you can check what happened in History of the Nest app or Activity on the homepage of your Google Home app.

Learn more about Protect History.

Nest protect with pulsing green ring

Nest protect app everything ok image.

Can I turn off Self Test

Self Test helps ensure that your Nest Protect is working to keep you safe, and gives you essential information when you need it, so it can't be disabled. However, you can disable Nightly Promise at any time in the Nest app or the Google Home app .

If you do this, your Nest Protect's light ring won't glow when you turn off the lights to let you know if everything is OK or if there's a problem. Here's how: