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Yes—Google Home now offers a bulk-transfer process for eligible older Nest devices. Google says the Public Preview feature can move supported Nest cameras, thermostats, Nest × Yale Locks, and Nest Protect smoke alarms from the Nest app in one flow, including multiple cameras at once. It does not mean every Nest product ever made will transfer, and the experience is not yet feature-for-feature identical to the Nest app.
Before starting, check device eligibility, migrate a legacy Nest account if necessary, confirm your subscription is compatible, and save any camera clips you cannot afford to lose.
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What changed
Previously, owners commonly had to transfer eligible Nest devices individually. Google’s newer flow is designed to reduce that repetitive setup: it can present the eligible devices in a Nest home and transfer them together, including multiple cameras.
Google announced the feature in its December 10, 2025 release notes, and it remains documented in the company’s 2026 materials. The feature is part of Google Home Public Preview, so availability and behavior can vary by account, country, device model, and app rollout.
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The important qualification is the word eligible. “All your old Nest gear” does not mean every Nest product or generation is guaranteed to move.
Which Nest devices may qualify?
| Device category | What Google’s documentation indicates |
|---|---|
| Nest cameras | Older supported cameras, including models launched as early as 2015 in the expanded Public Preview rollout. |
| Nest Doorbell | The first-generation wired Nest Doorbell, formerly called Nest Hello, is explicitly documented. |
| Nest thermostats | Eligible older thermostats may transfer, but supported generations must be checked individually. |
| Nest × Yale Lock | Included in Google’s broad release-note description of eligible device categories. |
| Nest Protect | Nest Protect smoke alarms are included in the broad category list. |
| Nest Hub Max | The camera is included in the expanded Public Preview support, but it cannot be transferred back to the Nest app. |
Google’s detailed camera documentation explicitly lists the first-generation wired Nest Cam Indoor, first-generation wired Nest Cam Outdoor, Nest Cam IQ Indoor, Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, first-generation wired Nest Doorbell, and the Nest Hub Max camera. The company’s community announcement confirms expanded Public Preview support for the IQ models and Hub Max, while warning that some Nest-app functions remain unavailable in Google Home.
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Do not assume that a product released in 2015 or later automatically qualifies. Google’s “2015 onward” language is a broad availability description, not a guarantee for every model, region, account, or hardware revision.
Retired thermostats are a separate case
Google ended support for first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats on October 25, 2025. Those products were removed from both Nest and Google Home rather than migrated. A device being physically installed in your home does not make it eligible for this transfer feature.
Check Google’s support notice for retired thermostats before treating an old thermostat as a migration candidate.
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- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
What you need before transferring
- A Google Account: A legacy Nest account must be migrated to a Google Account first. People who began using the Nest app after August 19, 2019 already use a Google Account and generally do not need that account-migration step.
- Ownership of the Nest home: For the documented legacy-camera transfer, you must be the owner of the home in the Nest app, not merely a shared home member.
- Current apps: Google documents Google Home version 3.26 or higher for legacy-camera transfers. Update both Google Home and Nest, along with your phone’s operating system.
- Public Preview access: The bulk feature is associated with Google Home Public Preview. Join it only if you accept that preview features may change or contain bugs.
- Compatible camera subscription: Cameras can transfer with no subscription or with a Google Home Premium subscription covering the devices in the home. A first-generation Nest Aware subscription must be upgraded or canceled before a documented camera transfer.
- Time and stable connectivity: Google says a documented camera transfer may take up to 25 minutes and includes a software update. Keep devices powered and connected throughout the process.
Use a personal Google Account where possible. One Google Account can be linked to one Nest account, group email addresses cannot be used for legacy-account migration, and Workspace-account permissions may require additional care. The account used for migration also matters for home members and device access.
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How the transfer works
Google has confirmed the bulk capability, but its public help pages do not provide one universal, device-category-specific screen sequence. Labels may differ by app version and rollout. The safest process is:
- Update Google Home and Nest.
- Confirm that the correct Google Account and Nest home are selected.
- Join Google Home Public Preview if the account or device requires it.
- Open the transfer prompt in Google Home, or start from an eligible device’s settings in Nest.
- Review the devices Google offers to transfer. Select the eligible devices or confirm the all-device option shown by your account.
- Read the warnings about subscriptions, history, and missing features.
- Approve the transfer and leave devices powered and connected while the process and software update run.
- Afterward, check rooms, names, automations, alerts, home members, and subscription coverage in Google Home.
For an individually documented legacy-camera transfer, the path is: open Nest, select the camera, open Settings, choose Transfer to Home app, review the information, tap Continue, tap Transfer, select the device, and follow the remaining instructions. The bulk interface may not use exactly these labels.
What transfers—and what does not
Camera settings that Google says move
For eligible camera transfers, Google says camera settings, activity zones, notification settings, and schedules move to Google Home. Presence sensing does not transfer automatically; configure it again after migration.
Google has not published a complete field-by-field migration table showing that thermostats, locks, and Protect alarms retain every setting in exactly the same way. Check the review screen for each device category rather than assuming camera behavior applies universally.
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Nest camera features that may be unavailable
Moving to Google Home can mean giving up or changing access to Nest-app features, including:
- Changing Wi-Fi without resetting the camera
- Talk and Listen tone controls
- Saving clips to the Nest library
- Social sharing of saved clips
- Public or password-protected livestream sharing
- Email notifications
- On-device Assistant
- Zoom and Enhance
- Adjustable microphone sensitivity
- Safety Clip
- Timelapses
- Supersight close-up tracking
The exact limitations depend on the camera. Google’s expanded support announcement specifically calls out Supersight close-up tracking for Nest Cam IQ models as unavailable in Google Home Public Preview.
Camera history is not merged
After transfer, new camera history is stored in Google Home and Google Home for web. Existing history remains accessible in the Nest app until it expires. Google does not merge both archives into one unified historical library.
Save important clips before transferring if your household relies on the Nest library, Nest-specific sharing controls, or records that must remain available independently of a subscription transition. If a camera is later moved back to Nest, history created in Google Home stays in Google Home rather than being copied back or merged.
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Subscription status can block a camera transfer. Google says cameras may transfer with no subscription or with Google Home Premium covering all devices in the home for one price. Users on first-generation Nest Aware must upgrade or cancel before transferring cameras.
That choice deserves attention: Google warns that upgrading to Google Home Premium means you cannot switch back to the first-generation Nest Aware subscription. Do not begin a camera transfer until you understand the plan change and have reviewed the current terms shown in your account. Prices and plan names can change, so use Google’s current signup or checkout information rather than relying on an old price.
Can you undo the transfer?
Not universally. Reversibility depends on the device.
Google’s camera documentation says some cameras can be moved back to the Nest app, but the process may require reconfiguring Nest notification settings. Home/Away Assist and Google Home automations may also need review because they can conflict. In rare cases, a camera moved back to Nest may not reappear correctly and could require setup again.
Google’s expanded camera announcement states that Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Nest Cam IQ Outdoor can be reverse-transferred, while the Nest Hub Max camera cannot be transferred back to the Nest app. Do not treat the bulk operation as a universal undoable migration, particularly when a Hub Max is included.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you transfer now?
Transfer now if you:
- Want one app for older and newer compatible Nest devices.
- Have several eligible devices and the old one-at-a-time process was the main inconvenience.
- Primarily need live views, current alerts, device controls, and Google Home automations.
- Accept Public Preview status and possible changes.
- Do not depend on Nest-only camera features.
- Have a subscription arrangement that Google Home supports.
Wait if you:
- Rely on Nest library clips, timelapses, public livestreams, email alerts, Supersight, or other Nest-only tools.
- Want to keep a first-generation Nest Aware subscription.
- Need a fully stable, production-only setup.
- Have unclear device eligibility or a complicated shared-account or multi-home arrangement.
- Have not saved important camera history.
The practical trade-off is convenience versus feature parity. Bulk transfer removes much of the administrative work, but it does not turn every older Nest product into an identical Google Home device.
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Pre-transfer checklist
- List every Nest device in the home and identify its exact model.
- Check whether any thermostat is a first- or second-generation Nest Learning Thermostat.
- Save camera clips and records you need outside the Nest app.
- Confirm the Google Account that owns the home.
- Complete legacy Nest-account migration if required.
- Update Google Home, Nest, and the phone operating system.
- Review Public Preview status and understand the stability trade-off.
- Check the camera subscription requirement before approving anything.
- Record important room names, schedules, notification rules, automations, and presence-sensing settings.
- Plan a period when a device update lasting up to 25 minutes will not disrupt an essential security or heating routine.
Troubleshooting common problems
The transfer option is missing
Check these causes in order:
- Google Home or Nest is outdated.
- Public Preview is not enabled or has not reached the account.
- You are not the Nest-home owner.
- The Nest account has not been migrated to Google.
- The device model is not eligible.
- The feature has not rolled out to that account, country, or device.
- A camera subscription blocks the transfer.
Use Google’s eligibility and transfer guidance before trying a factory reset. Resetting a camera is not the first-line solution for a missing transfer prompt.
A device appears offline afterward
- Wait for the software update and transfer to finish.
- Force-close and reopen Google Home.
- Confirm that the correct Google Account and home are selected.
- Check the device’s power and Wi-Fi connection.
- Review its room, name, home membership, and permissions.
- Avoid factory-resetting the device unless Google’s support process specifically requires it.
If a camera is later reverse-transferred and does not reappear in Nest, Google notes that rare cases may require setting it up again.
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Shared or multiple homes are involved
Account selection matters. A migrated Nest home becomes associated with the Google Account used for migration, which can affect members, permissions, and access to linked devices. The transfer applies to devices in a particular Nest home; it is not necessarily one operation across every property or home connected to your account.
Also keep this feature separate from migrating Google Wifi, moving physical devices to another house, adding products already configured in Google Home, or replacing unsupported hardware. Google Wifi migration is a different process and is documented as irreversible.
Bottom line
Google has finally made Nest-to-Google-Home migration more practical for households with several older devices. If your equipment is eligible, your subscription is compatible, and you mainly want one control app, the bulk transfer can remove a tedious obstacle.
It is still a Public Preview feature, not a promise that every Nest product will move or that Nest features and history will follow perfectly. Check each device, save important footage, understand the subscription change, and treat reversibility as device-specific—especially if a Nest Hub Max camera is involved.
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