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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) now has four additional Farsight designs, bringing its documented selection to eight. The update was announced on October 13, 2025, and is now covered in Google’s support documentation as an available feature. It changes the thermostat’s idle display—not its heating, cooling, or energy-control performance.
The new faces are Seasonal art, Minimal, Nest classic, and Temp controller. They are available specifically on the 4th-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, not older Nest models.
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What the four new Farsight faces do
Farsight is the large-format display that appears when the thermostat detects activity nearby. On the 4th-generation model, Dynamic Farsight can show a simpler view from farther away and more information as you approach.
| Face | Best for | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal art | Decorative display | Twelve animated flower and fruit illustrations, with artwork changing at the beginning of each month. The artwork becomes more detailed as you approach. Google developed the designs with artist Mathilde Loubes. |
| Minimal | A low-distraction room | Simple artwork that reflects the thermostat’s current operating mode, such as heating, cooling, or Eco. |
| Nest classic | The traditional Nest look | A modernized visual callback to the original Nest thermostat, including familiar orange and blue operating-state colors. |
| Temp controller | Quick HVAC checks | Keeps temperature-control information prominent and uses essentially the same basic information at different viewing distances. |
Seasonal art counts as one selectable Farsight face even though it contains 12 monthly illustrations. It is not a user-uploaded wallpaper or screensaver system.
#1 Best Overall
- Nest’s smartest, most advanced thermostat yet, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is a beautiful, brilliant way to save energy, keep your home comfortable, and help make sure your heating and cooling systems are running smoothly[4]
- Savings you can count on: The Nest Learning Thermostat can help save up to 31% on heating and cooling bills[2]
- Improved compatibility: It works with most 24V systems, including gas, electric, oil, forced air, heat pump, and radiant, and no C wire is required for installation in most homes; visit the Nest Compatibility Checker for more info[5]
- Easy control in the Google Home app: Adjust on your phone from anywhere[1] or by using your voice with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant smart speaker[3], it’s easy to install yourself and it’s Matter compatible for simple integration into your smart home[5]
- Beautiful design: With a 60% larger display[11] and Dynamic Farsight, you can see info from across the room[1]; choose the design, like a clock or the weather; it automatically adjusts brightness for the best readability or you can adjust manually
The four existing Farsight faces
The 4th-generation thermostat’s documented total of eight options also includes:
- Indoor temps: A practical view for current and target temperatures.
- Digital clock: A straightforward time display.
- Analog clock: A conventional clock face.
- Weather: A view centered on outdoor conditions, where the required location and data are available.
For decoration, Seasonal art or Minimal is the natural choice. For immediate thermostat information, Temp controller or Indoor temps is more useful. Weather and clock faces are better suited to people who want the thermostat to double as a room display.
Which Nest thermostats support the new faces?
The four new designs are for the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen). They should not be assumed to work on the Nest Thermostat (2020), Nest Thermostat E, or 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-generation Nest Learning Thermostats.
Rank #2
- Nest’s smartest, most advanced thermostat yet, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is a beautiful, brilliant way to save energy, keep your home comfortable, and help make sure your heating and cooling systems are running smoothly[4]
- Savings you can count on: The Nest Learning Thermostat can help save up to 31% on heating and cooling bills [2]
- Improved compatibility: It works with most 24V systems, including gas, electric, oil, forced air, heat pump, and radiant, and no C wire is required for installation in most homes; visit the Nest Compatibility Checker for more info[5]
- Easy control in the Google Home app: Adjust on your phone from anywhere[1] or by using your voice with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant smart speaker[3], it’s easy to install yourself and it’s Matter compatible for simple integration into your smart home[5]
- Beautiful design: With a 60% larger display[11] and Dynamic Farsight, you can see info from across the room[1]; choose the design, like a clock or the weather; it automatically adjusts brightness for the best readability or you can adjust manually
Google’s broader display documentation associates Farsight with the 3rd- and 4th-generation Nest Learning Thermostats, but the expanded eight-face selection described here is specific to the 4th-generation model. If you are unsure which thermostat you own, use Google’s model-identification guide.
How Dynamic Farsight works
The display is not guaranteed to stay lit. The thermostat detects movement and wakes the screen, then may present different levels of information depending on distance:
- From farther away, information is larger and easier to read at a glance.
- Closer to the thermostat, the near view can show additional selected details.
- Google’s documentation gives approximate detection distances—about 10 feet in its Farsight customization guidance and up to 20 feet in its display-wake guidance. Actual behavior depends on placement, room layout, lighting, obstructions, sensing configuration, and other conditions.
- The display eventually sleeps to conserve power.
- Important alerts can override the selected Farsight face.
The far and near views are therefore part of the feature’s design, not necessarily a fault. A face may show less information until you walk closer.
Rank #3
- Nest’s smartest, most advanced thermostat yet, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is a beautiful, brilliant way to save energy, keep your home comfortable, and help make sure your heating and cooling systems are running smoothly[4]
- Savings you can count on: The Nest Learning Thermostat can help save up to 31% on heating and cooling bills[2]
- Improved compatibility: It works with most 24V systems, including gas, electric, oil, forced air, heat pump, and radiant, and no C wire is required for installation in most homes; visit the Nest Compatibility Checker for more info[5]
- Easy control in the Google Home app: Adjust on your phone from anywhere[1] or by using your voice with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant smart speaker[3], it’s easy to install yourself and it’s Matter compatible for simple integration into your smart home[5]
- Beautiful design: With a 60% larger display[11] and Dynamic Farsight, you can see info from across the room[1]; choose the design, like a clock or the weather; it automatically adjusts brightness for the best readability or you can adjust manually
Change the face on the thermostat
- Press the thermostat ring to open Quick View.
- Turn the ring to Settings, then press to select it.
- Select Farsight.
- Scroll through the available faces.
- Press the screen when your preferred face is highlighted.
- Select Off if you want to disable Farsight.
Change the face in Google Home
- Open the Google Home app.
- Tap Home.
- Tap Climate.
- Select the 4th-generation Nest Learning Thermostat.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Farsight.
- Tap Choose a Farsight display.
- Turn Farsight on if necessary, then select a face.
- Tap Customize when the selected face offers additional choices.
Google Home’s labels can change between app versions, so the exact wording may differ slightly. The route above reflects Google’s current documented path.
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Customize the near view
On the 4th-generation thermostat, you can choose up to three information items for the near view. Depending on configuration and available data, choices can include:
- Outdoor temperature
- Feels-like temperature
- Indoor temperature
- Target temperature
- Indoor humidity
- Outdoor humidity
- Outdoor air quality
- Date
- Time
- Thermostat temperature
- Nest Temperature Sensor information
Weather, outdoor humidity, outdoor air quality, and similar data depend on location, configuration, connected services, and data availability. A connected Nest Temperature Sensor is required before its information can appear.
Rank #4
- ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat for home that helps you save energy and stay comfortable.Connectivity : Wi-Fi - 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz, 802.11a/n 5 GHz Wi-Fi., Wireless interconnect : Bluetooth Low Energy Please refer to the product description section below for all applicable legal disclaimers.Product note: You can also check your system’s compatibility before purchasing a Nest thermostat with our online Nest Compatibility Checker on the Google Nest support page
- The Nest Thermostat is designed to work without a C wire in most homes, but for some systems, including heating only, cooling only, zone controlled, and heat pump systems, you’ll need a C wire or other compatible power accessory
- Nest Thermostat turns itself down when you leave, so you don’t waste energy heating or cooling an empty home. Lock feature: No
- Programmable thermostat that lets you create an energy efficient schedule in the Google Home app on your Android or iPhone
- Remote control lets family members change the thermostat temperature from anywhere on a phone, laptop, or tablet[1]
If the new faces do not appear
Work through these checks before considering a factory reset:
- Confirm that the device is the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), not the similarly named Nest Thermostat or an older Learning Thermostat.
- Open Settings → Farsight directly on the thermostat and check that Farsight is not set to Off.
- In Google Home, make sure you selected the correct thermostat.
- Confirm that the thermostat is online.
- Update or restart the Google Home app.
- Allow time for the device and account configuration to synchronize.
- Check the battery. Google says Farsight can turn off automatically when the thermostat’s internal battery is low and return after it recharges.
- Contact Google support before performing a factory reset.
If the display wakes inconsistently, check for obstructions and consider that Farsight’s detection distance is approximate. If fewer details appear than expected, approach the thermostat and review the near-view selections.
Should you upgrade for the new faces?
No—not for the faces alone. For an existing 4th-generation owner, this is a display customization update: open Farsight settings and choose the design you prefer. It does not add a new heating or cooling mode, improve HVAC performance, or by itself justify replacing a working thermostat.
Owners of older models should evaluate the entire 4th-generation product before buying: HVAC compatibility, installation requirements, Google Home dependence, sensor support, and the thermostat’s broader features matter more than the decorative display. A Google Store product page is the appropriate place to check current availability and pricing.
The optional Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd gen) is relevant only if you own a compatible 4th-generation thermostat and want sensor information available in the near view.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Google: Customize the Farsight display
- Google: Learn about Nest thermostat displays
- Google: Learn when your thermostat’s display turns on
- 9to5Google: Original October 2025 report
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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