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Whether you’re looking to trade in your Google Nest Hub for a new smart display, or you’re having troubles with the device and need to send it in for service, you’ll want to perform a factory reset before you do anything else with the Hub. Fortunately, the process is extremely simple. In this breakdown, we’ll cover exactly how to do a reset and various reasons why you may need to do so.
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Reasons to reset
There are several reasons a person may want to factory reset their Google Nest Hub. Maybe the most obvious is that they are going to upgrade to a Google Home Max and no longer need their Nest. A factory reset would allow you to sell your old hub, or give it to a friend or family member, without your account being linked to that device.
Another reason to reset involves security. While Google denies the Nest Hub has any security flaws, there are some that disagree. Considering how many data breaches (including Google) and device hackings have been in the news in the past year, it’s understandable that you may be wary of any device that could be potentially hacked or that could otherwise share your data. Factory resetting your hub would wipe all of your information from the device, though if it has been gathering information the entire time you’ve been using it, there’s really not anything you can do about that as of right now. By the way, you can use this tool to see what data your smart home devices collect and where they are sending the data.
You may also reset for technical problems. If the device is acting funny, such as if it’s failing to answer questions or link to your Wi-Fi, then a good factory reset may fix the problem.
Ready, set, reset
You can’t use the app or voice commands to factory reset the Google Nest Hub, but that’s okay. To reset the display, you simply hold down both volume buttons on the right side (back of the screen) for 10 seconds using two fingers. That’s it. The device will restart and you’re done. If you ever forget, you can just say, “Hey Google, factory reset,” and the assistant will remind you of how to complete a factory reset.
If you want to reset other Google smart home devices, they can be reset in a similar way. To reset Google Home, press down and hold the microphone mute button found on the back of the unit for about 15 seconds, or until the assistant states that the device is resetting. For the Google Home Mini and the Google Home Max, find the etched circle on the base by the power cord and hold it down for around 12 to 15 seconds.
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