How to factory reset the Nest Thermostat 

The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular and powerful smart thermostats on the market. It allows homeowners to control their HVAC systems from anywhere through their smartphones. In addition, it offers other benefits like reduced energy bills, increased efficiency, and much more. 

However, like any other electronic device, there are some common problems with the Nest thermostat you’re likely to encounter in its lifetime. Luckily, you can fix some of these issues by resetting to factory default. 

But, how exactly do you reset your Nest thermostat? Worry not! In this guide, I’ll show you how to reset the Nest thermostat step by step. First, let’s look at the difference between resetting and restarting the Nest smart thermostat!

Nest Thermostat Factory Reset Vs Restart

Restarting your Nest thermostat is similar to turning your computer off and back on. Therefore, no data will be forgotten, erased, or lost when you restart your thermostat as it maintains all your settings. This process can help to solve various issues such as when the device becomes unresponsive. Also, this process is recommended after you replace your Nest battery due to low battery issues. 

To restart your Nest thermostat, press the device for about 10 seconds and release it when the screen goes black. After a few seconds, a message will appear on the display saying that the device is restarting. 

Other instances you may want to restart your Nest thermostat include; 

• When the thermostat is offline in the app or has disconnected from Wi-Fi. 
• When your thermostat is not working properly 

On the other hand, the Nest thermostat factory reset will erase all or some personal information on the device, including the temperature schedule and saved preferences. Typically, this process restores the device’s factory default settings. This can be quite useful if you want to install the Nest thermostat in a new location and when you are moving out, but planning to leave the thermostat behind. 

Other instances that might make you consider resetting your Nest thermostat are; 

• When you want to install and set it up in a different property
• If the restart operation didn’t provide the desired results
• If you want to clear all or some of the information stored in the device up to a certain point. 
• When you’re selling the thermostat or leaving the thermostat in your previous property. 

How to reset your Nest E or 1st – 3rd Gen Nest Thermostat 

Now that you know the difference between resetting and restarting the Nest thermostat, here’s how to reset the Nest thermostat to its factory default settings; 

• Activate your Nest Thermostat

Go to your Nest device and tap or toggle it to turn it on. Then, push on the lower part of the device to bring up its menu items. 

• Record your Equipment settings 

Resetting your Nest thermostat is a relatively simple task that takes about 5 minutes. But, as I already mentioned, this process might wipe out all your personal information and save preferences. So, if you’re resetting the device because it’s frozen, make sure you write down your preferred choices before you reset it. 

To go to the Settings menu, look for the Gear Icon and click on the lower portion of your Nest thermostat. Next, go to Equipment and record the heating type, system wires as well as Safety temperature settings.

• Scroll down to the Settings Menu

After recording your saved preferences, go back to the Settings menu. Scroll through the ‘Settings’ Menu using the outer ring on your Nest device until you see the option labeled ‘Reset’. Click the lower part of your Nest thermostat to choose this setting. 

• Confirm your choice 

Select the reset method you wish to use by tapping the lower portion of your Nest device. In this case, select the ‘All Settings’ option at the bottom. Turn the outer ring to confirm your choice to start the factory reset. Turn the outer ring to the right until the dial moves to the other side and push on the unit to choose ‘OK’. 

Wait for a few minutes until the device resets to factory default. Once complete, all your settings, including the connection to the Google Home app, will be removed. 

How to Reset Specific settings in your Nest thermostat 

The steps I’ve listed above clear out all the settings in your Nest Device. However, instead of a complete reset (Resetting ‘All Settings), Nest devices have other options that allow you to reset individual features from the Settings menu. That way, you can be more selective about the information you erase. This can be particularly useful if you want to know how to reset the Nest thermostat for a new owner.

 Interestingly, resetting specific features in your Nest thermostat is quite simple. You only need to go to the ‘Settings’ menu and select the specific setting you want to reset. Nest thermostats have different reset settings that include; 

• All settings 

As already mentioned, the ‘All Settings’ reset option reverts your Nest thermostat to factory default. It clears all personal settings you’ve added manually as well as the learned information your Nest Learning thermostat has gathered over time. For that reason, it’s an excellent option if you’re moving out of a home as it will remove all your personal information. Similarly, you can use it when you’re moving into a new home and the old homeowners didn’t clear out their information from the device. In addition, this setting should be used when you have upgraded your old heating & cooling system or purchased a new HVAC system. 

• Schedule 

This reset setting erases all your temperature schedule settings including the setpoints you’ve added manually or those that the device has learned over time. Also, if you used the auto schedule function on your device, this reset option will clear out all the existing schedules. This allows the device to relearn the schedule from scratch, making it a great way to fix issues with your old schedule. 

• Network 

Selecting the Network reset option will erase all the Wi-Fi network information stored in your Nest thermostat. As a result, the device will be disconnected from your Wi-fi network and the Wi-Fi password will be deleted from the unit. In some instances, resetting the network can help to solve Wi-fi connectivity issues. However, after resetting the network, the new owner has to enter another network’s information if they want to use the device thermostat. 

• Home/ Away

One unique feature of the Nest Learning Thermostat is that it learns when you’re home to automatically connect and sync your devices. Also, it learns when you’re not home to adjust the temperature of your home accordingly. If you want to delete all the home & away mode settings, you can simply use the home/ away reset function. You can use this reset option when you are remodeling your home or moving the thermostat to a new place inside the house. Remember to look for the best place for the thermostat if you’re planning to move your device from its existing location. 

• Account Connection 

Resetting the account connection of your Nest thermostat deletes your account connection from the system. This limits your ability to control your smart thermostat remotely. 

Conclusion 

If you bought a new house or moved out of your old property, it’s always good to factory reset the Nest thermostat. This will help to protect your personal information and clear out the saved preferences of the old owners. Luckily, as you’ve seen, resetting your Nest thermostat is a fairly simple task that you can do in 3 to 4 steps. In addition, the device offers various reset settings, allowing you to reset specific features of the thermostat if you don’t want to do a complete reset. However, if you only want to fix some common problems with your Nest thermostat, a quick thermostat will help you get the unit back to normal. 

FAQs 

1. How to reset Nest Thermostat without a PIN? 

To reset your Nest devices without a PIN/ password, you need to remove the linked Nest account first via the Nest app. So, open the Nest app on your phone or tablet and tap the Menu icon in the top left corner. If you’ve multiple homes registered to your account, select the home with the Nest device you wish to remove. Tap the device you want to remove, select the Settings icon, scroll down, select Remove and confirm your option. 

Once you’ve removed the Nest thermostat from your account, go ahead and factory reset it. To accomplish that, click on your Nest device to access the main menu, scroll to the ‘Settings’ options, select it, click on the ‘Reset’ option, and select the ‘All Settings’ option to reset the device. 

2. Can you reset the Nest thermostat from the app? 

No, you can perform a factory reset on your Nest thermostat from the Nest app. However, you can remove your account from the device using the app. This is an important step, especially when you want to do a complete factory reset with a password/ PIN. 

3. How to reset the PIN on Nest Thermostat? 

To reset the PIN on your Nest thermostat, open the Nest app on your phone, select your thermostat, go to Settings, then to Unlock to remove the PIN. Next, select Lock on the Settings display to set a new PIN.