Google Home or Nest speaker not connecting to Wi-Fi: how to fix it

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A Google Home or Nest speaker or display that won't join Wi-Fi is usually stuck on a wrong password, a router hiccup, or a network setting that blocks it. Reboot the router and the device, retry setup with the password shown, and keep everything close together. If it still fails, set up from a different phone before considering a factory reset.

Applies to:Google Home, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, Home Miniset up with the Google Home app
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What it means

A Google Nest or Home speaker or display can fail to join Wi-Fi in two situations. Either setup stops at the Wi-Fi step, or a device that worked before now shows as not connected or offline in the Google Home app.

Often the cause is small: a mistyped password, a router that needs a restart, or a changed network name. The fixes below run from the quickest to the one that erases the device.

For setup, Google says the phone needs Android 9.0 or later, or iOS 17.0 or later. These minimums may change over time.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • Setup stalls or fails at the Wi-Fi step.
  • Your home network is not listed during setup.
  • The device doesn't appear in the Google Home app.
  • Setup freezes partway through.
  • The device shows as not connected after you changed the Wi-Fi name, password or provider.

The usual causes, most common first:

Wrong Wi-Fi password
The password is case sensitive, and Google says it must be at least 8 characters.
Router, provider or network problem
The router or your internet provider may be down or have a temporary glitch.
Network details changed
A new Wi-Fi name, password or provider, or a lost connection, leaves the device pointing at the old network.
Distance
During setup the speaker and phone should be within about 15 to 20 ft (4 to 6 m) of the router.
Dual-band router
If your router offers both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Google suggests trying setup on each band.
Outdated phone software or Google Home app
An old OS or app version can break setup.
Unsupported network type
Public, business, dorm, school, shared-apartment and mobile hotspot or pocket Wi-Fi networks are not supported for this.
Router settings
Google names the Access Control feature and the guest-network option that stops guests seeing each other on Netgear Nighthawk routers.
Temporary glitch
The app, phone or device can simply get stuck and need a restart.

How to fix it

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.

1.Check the basics

Easy

Rules out power and network problems before you change anything.

  1. Make sure the speaker or display is plugged into a wall outlet and powers on.
  2. Check that other devices work on the same Wi-Fi. If they don't, the problem is the network, not the Google device.

2.Restart the router and check your provider

Easy

Clears temporary router glitches.

  1. Unplug the router from power, wait 1 minute, then plug it back in.
  2. Contact your internet provider to ask about outages or changed settings.

3.Adjust Netgear Nighthawk settings

ModerateChanges settings

Google names these two settings as blockers on Netgear Nighthawk routers.

Before you start: These change your router's access rules. Note the original settings so you can restore them.

  1. In the router settings, disable Access Control.
  2. In Guest Network Setup, enable Allow guests to see each other and access my local network.

4.Restart the speaker or display

Easy

Fixes a frozen device or stuck setup.

  1. Unplug the device, wait 1 minute, then plug it back in.

5.Restart the app and Wi-Fi on your phone, and try both bands

Easy

Clears app glitches and band mismatches.

  1. Force close the Google Home app and open it again.
  2. Turn Wi-Fi off and on again on your phone.
  3. If your router is dual-band, try setup on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

6.Retry setup and check the password

Easy

A mistyped password is the most likely cause.

  1. On Android, if Get Wi-Fi password appears, tap OK. If that fails, choose No thanks and type the password yourself. Tap the eye icon to see what you typed.
  2. On iPhone or iPad, tick Show password and check it character by character.

7.Set the device up again if the network changed

Easy

Use this when the device worked before but lost Wi-Fi after a change.

  1. Open the Google Home app, tap Add, then Device, and let it search.
  2. Follow the on-screen steps to reconnect the device.

8.Use a different phone or tablet

Easy

Helps when the network isn't listed or setup keeps failing.

  1. Set up using another phone or tablet in the home.

9.Test with a phone hotspot

ModerateChanges settings

Shows whether the device or your home network is at fault.

Before you start: Google says hotspots aren't fully supported, and your mobile carrier may charge for hotspot data.

  1. Turn on the mobile hotspot on a phone and try to set up the device on it.
  2. If it connects, the device is fine: contact your internet provider about your home network. If it doesn't connect, contact Google support.

10.Factory reset the device (last resort)

ModerateBack up first

Wipes any stuck configuration so you can start fresh.

Before you start: A factory reset erases the device's data, can't be undone, and disconnects it from your home. It can't be done by voice or from the app. Restart the device first.

  1. Nest Mini (2nd gen): switch the mic off so the lights turn orange. Press and hold the top center for about 5 seconds, then keep holding about 10 more seconds until a sound confirms the reset.
  2. Nest Audio: switch the mic off at the back, then press and hold the top center for about 5 seconds.
  3. Nest Hub (2nd gen) or Hub Max: hold both volume buttons on the back for about 10 seconds. For the Hub Max, remove it from the Google Home app first.
  4. Original Home Mini: hold the reset button under the power cable for about 5 seconds, then about 10 more.
  5. Run setup again in the Google Home app.

Check that it worked

  • The device appears in the Google Home app and shows as connected, not offline.
  • It responds to a voice command that needs internet, such as asking for the weather.

If it still fails

  • Contact Google Nest support through the Google Nest Help pages, especially if the hotspot test also failed.
  • Contact your internet provider if the hotspot test worked, since the problem is then likely your home network.
  • Google also has pages on fixing Wi-Fi connection issues, connecting to a network not listed in the app, and fixing an incorrect Wi-Fi password on a Nest speaker or display.

Sources

  1. Google smart speaker or display can't connect to Wi-FiOfficial · Google Nest Help
  2. Google Nest or Home device not connected to Wi-Fi networkOfficial · Google Nest Help
  3. Fix issues during Google smart speakers or displays setupOfficial · Google Home Help
  4. Factory reset your Google smart speaker or displayOfficial · Google Home Help

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