Google Nest thermostat smart features disabled: Difference between revisions

{{IncidentCargo

|Company=Google, Nest

|StartDate=2025-10-25

|Description=Google is ending support for 1st/2nd generation Nest thermostats October 2025, removing app control and safety features despite working hardware.

}}

[[Google]] has announced the discontinuation of cloud-based support for first and second-generation [[Google Nest]] Learning Thermostats, affecting devices purchased between 2011-2014. While the thermostats will continue basic operation, all smart features and remote capabilities will be permanently disabled.

Nest Labs launched the Nest Learning Thermostat in 2011, introducing smart thermostats to the mainstream market. The company was acquired by Google in 2014 for $3.2 billion. First and second-generation Nest thermostats were marketed as premium one-time purchases with cloud-based functionality as core features, including smartphone control, voice assistant integration, and home automation capabilities.

On April 25, 2025, Google officially announced that support would end for the following devices on October 25, 2025:<ref name="official">{{Cite web |title=Support changes to our earliest generation Nest Learning Thermostats |url=https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Support-changes-to-our-earliest-generation-Nest-Learning-Thermostats/ba-p/713068 |date=2025-04-25 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Google Nest Community |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260127215416/https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Support-changes-to-our-earliest-generation-Nest-Learning-Thermostats/ba-p/713068 |archive-date=27 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name="google-announcement">[https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/16233096 "Upcoming End of Support for Nest Learning Thermostats (1st and 2nd Gen) - Google Nest Help."] Google.com, ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260227051701/https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/16233096 Archived])</ref>

*Nest Learning Thermostat (1st generation, 2011)

*Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd generation, 2012)

*Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd generation, Europe version, 2014)

===Features being discontinued===

After October 25, 2025, affected devices will lose:<ref name="official" /><ref name="google-announcement" />

*All cloud-based features and connected services

===Safety feature impact===

The discontinuation affects the Emergency Shutoff feature, which automatically shuts off heating systems when Nest Protect smoke detectors sense carbon monoxide.<ref name="emergency-shutoff">[https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9245889 "What you need for Emergency Shutoff to work - Google Nest Help."] Google.com, ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260121043913/https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9245889 Archived])</ref> Google has confirmed that "Nest Protects will also disconnect from the thermostat and Emergency Shut-off will no longer run."<ref name="google-announcement" />

===Remaining functionality===

Google states that basic thermostat functions accessible directly on the device will continue to work, including:<ref name="google-announcement" />

*Pre-set temperature schedules

*Manual temperature adjustments

*Mode switching (heat/cool)

*Auto-Schedule settings management

==Harm to consumers==

The discontinuation removes core features that were primary selling points when consumers purchased these devices. Users who built smart home systems around these thermostats face the loss of functionality they paid for, with no option for local control or open-source alternatives. The removal of the carbon monoxide safety shutoff feature presents particular concern for consumer safety.

Google cited the age of the hardware as the primary reason, stating it had become "increasingly challenging to continue to update these products."<ref name="official" /> The company offered limited-time discounts to affected customers:

 

 

 

The announcement generated significant criticism from consumers and technology commentators. Carl T. Bergstrom summarized the sentiment: "We're Google, and we're going to brick your perfectly functional thermostat after buying the company that made it."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carl T. Bergstrom on Bluesky |url=https://bsky.app/profile/carlbergstrom.com/post/3ltkvrz26tc2u |date=2025-07-09 |access-date=2025-07-13 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251126232013/https://bsky.app/profile/carlbergstrom.com/post/3ltkvrz26tc2u |archive-date=26 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref name="chrome">{{Cite web |title=Google ends support for Nest Learning Thermostat Gen 1 & 2 |url=https://chromeunboxed.com/your-old-nest-thermostat-is-going-to-lose-app-control-later-this-year/ |date=2025-04-29 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Chrome Unboxed |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251128071758/https://chromeunboxed.com/your-old-nest-thermostat-is-going-to-lose-app-control-later-this-year/ |archive-date=28 Nov 2025}}</ref>

 

 

*Consider filing complaints with consumer protection agencies if appropriate

*A community driven open source project has been created.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No Longer Evil Thermostat |url=https://nolongerevil.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325163401/https://nolongerevil.com/ |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=15 Apr 2026 |website=No Longer Evil}}</ref> This gives owners the ability to flash a custom firmware on to the Gen 1 and 2 devices. Currently a free account is required as the firmware redirects the devices to the projects own servers. A full release of the API code is planned to allow users to create their own servers. This process, of course, carries the risk of bricking the device during the flashing process.  This initiative has been covered in an article on Toms Hardware Guide<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tyson |first=Mark |date=9 Nov 2025 |title=No Longer Evil Thermostat hack strips Google from Nest thermostat to heat your home better — open source project revives sunsetted hardware, gives more precise control |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/software/no-longer-evil-thermostat-heats-your-home-better-by-removing-google-revive-sunsetted-hardware-gain-more-precise-control-open-source |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260226012907/https://www.tomshardware.com/software/no-longer-evil-thermostat-heats-your-home-better-by-removing-google-revive-sunsetted-hardware-gain-more-precise-control-open-source |archive-date=2026-02-26 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref>

[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]