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To change Nest camera or doorbell alerts, first use the app that manages the device: Google Home for newer devices and devices set up there, or the Nest app for compatible legacy devices. Then check three separate controls: the app’s permission to send notifications, the individual camera’s notification settings, and the event types—such as people, packages, animals, vehicles, sounds, or doorbell presses—that are allowed to trigger alerts.
Before you start: identify the correct app
Google Home and the Nest app are not interchangeable for every camera or doorbell. Use the app where the device was originally set up:
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| Device setup | App to use |
|---|---|
| Newer cameras and doorbells configured in Google Home | Google Home |
| Compatible older devices configured in the Nest app | Nest |
| Some current models, including Nest Doorbell (battery) and Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) | Google Home only |
Google’s product specifications identify these newer doorbells as incompatible with the Nest app and home.nest.com. If you cannot find a setting in one app, check whether the device belongs in the other rather than assuming the setting is missing.
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#1 Best Overall
- Meet the smarter, sharper wired Google Nest Cam Indoor; with 2K HDR video and Gemini, it knows what to look out for and what to do next[1,2,3](Gemini features require a Google Home premium subscription; try it for 1 month at no cost to you)[4]
- With an Advanced subscription to Google Home Premium, know more about what’s happening with notifications like “Kids are playing soccer in the living room”[3]; and get even more detailed descriptions and tap to see a summary of what happened[3]
- Google Nest Cam Indoor keeps your data safe with encrypted video, two-step verification, and enhanced security through your Google Account; and a green LED light lets you know when it’s processing or streaming video
- Video is crisp and clear in 2K HDR, Nest Cam’s highest resolution yet[1,2]; see rich color and details, and see in the dark with night vision; and with a wider, taller field of view, you can see even more of a long hallway or large room[1]
- Search your video history with help from Gemini[3]; try something like “What happened to the vase in the living room?” to see a summary and relevant clips (subscription required)
Change notifications in the Google Home app
Turn Google Home notifications on or off generally
- Open the Google Home app.
- Tap your profile picture or initial in the top-right corner.
- Tap Home settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap General notifications.
- Turn the relevant notification categories on or off.
This controls whether Google Home is generally permitted to send push alerts. It does not necessarily override the settings for an individual camera. Also check Android or iPhone/iPad notification permissions if the operating system is blocking Google Home.
Google documents this general path in its Google Home notification settings guide.
Change alerts for one camera or doorbell
- Open Google Home and tap Home.
- Tap All devices.
- Touch and hold the camera or doorbell tile.
- Tap More.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Select the alert options you want.
Configure each camera or doorbell separately. Depending on the model, region, software version, and Google Home Premium status, the available choices may include motion, people, animals, vehicles, packages, doorbell presses, familiar faces, sounds, or activity in an Activity Zone.
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Change event types separately
On some Google Home-managed devices, event categories are controlled separately from the main notification switch:
- Open Google Home and go to Home > All devices.
- Touch and hold the camera or doorbell tile.
- Tap More > Settings > Events.
- Tap Seen events.
- Turn individual event categories on or off.
A camera can be online and recording while a particular category is disabled. If you want person alerts but receive only general motion alerts, check both the camera’s notification page and Events > Seen events.
Google explains the model-dependent event controls in its guide to how Nest cameras detect sound and motion.
Change notifications in the Nest app
- Open the Nest app.
- Select the camera or doorbell.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
Depending on the device, the Nest app may let you choose push notifications, email notifications, alert timing, and activity categories. The settings apply to that camera or doorbell, so repeat the process for other devices.
Rank #2
- Meet the smarter, sharper wired Google Nest Cam Outdoor; with 2K HDR video and Gemini, it knows what to look out for and what to do next[1,2,3](Gemini features require a Google Home premium subscription; try it for 1 month at no cost to you)[4]
- Stay in the know with always-on power: Nest Cam Outdoor keeps you plugged into home, day and night, with no need to recharge or replace batteries
- Google Nest Cam Outdoor keeps your data safe with encrypted video, two-step verification, and enhanced security through your Google Account; and a green LED light lets you know when it’s processing or streaming video
- With an Advanced subscription to Google Home Premium, know more about what’s happening with notifications like “Rabbits eating garden plants”[3]; get even more detailed descriptions and tap to see a summary of what happened[3]
- Video is crisp and clear in 2K HDR, Nest Cam’s highest resolution yet[1,2]; see rich color and details, and see in the dark with night vision; a wider, taller field of view means almost nothing’s out of frame[1] – even in a long driveway or big yard
Choose “Always” or “No one’s home”
Where available, notification timing normally includes:
- Always: Send alerts regardless of whether the home is occupied.
- No one’s home: Send alerts only when Home/Away Assist or presence sensing determines that the home is in Away mode.
No one’s home does not necessarily turn the camera off. It can simply determine when activity notifications are delivered. This setting is useful for an indoor camera when you do not want alerts about normal household activity, but it also explains why alerts may appear to stop while someone is home.
For the relationship between camera behavior and presence sensing, see Google’s Home/Away guidance.
Choose the types of alerts you receive
Use the narrowest alert category that matches your goal. Options vary by camera or doorbell:
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match- People: Receive alerts when a person is detected, where supported.
- Animals: Receive or suppress animal detections.
- Vehicles: Useful for driveways and parking areas where supported.
- Packages: Enable package-related alerts where the device supports them.
- Doorbell presses: Keep doorbell-ring alerts even if other activity alerts are disabled.
- Sounds: Some devices can identify supported sounds, such as a dog bark or doorbell ring.
- Familiar faces: Available only on supported devices and accounts.
- General motion: The broadest category and often the source of excessive alerts.
Detection availability can depend on the device, account, geography, app version, and Google Home Premium plan. Do not assume that a setting shown for one Nest model will appear on another.
Control sound alerts separately from motion alerts
Audio controls, sound detection, visual motion detection, and speaker volume are different settings.
Google Home
- Open Google Home.
- Go to Home > All devices.
- Touch and hold the camera tile.
- Tap More > Settings > Audio.
Nest app
- Select the camera.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Microphone.
Turning off the microphone prevents audio streaming and recording while it is disabled; audio cannot be restored for that earlier silent period. It does not necessarily disable visual motion, person, package, or vehicle alerts. Change notification or event settings separately if you want to stop those.
Rank #3
- Meet the smarter, sharper wired Google Nest Cam Indoor; with 2K HDR video and Gemini, it knows what to look out for and what to do next[1,2,3](Gemini features require a Google Home premium subscription; try it for 1 month at no cost to you)[4]
- With an Advanced subscription to Google Home Premium, know more about what’s happening with notifications like “Kids are playing soccer in the living room”[3]; and get even more detailed descriptions and tap to see a summary of what happened[3]
- Google Nest Cam Indoor keeps your data safe with encrypted video, two-step verification, and enhanced security through your Google Account; and a green LED light lets you know when it’s processing or streaming video
- Video is crisp and clear in 2K HDR, Nest Cam’s highest resolution yet[1,2]; see rich color and details, and see in the dark with night vision; and with a wider, taller field of view, you can see even more of a long hallway or large room[1]
- Search your video history with help from Gemini[3]; try something like “What happened to the vase in the living room?” to see a summary and relevant clips (subscription required)
See Google’s camera and doorbell audio settings for the controls available on your model.
Reduce false or excessive notifications
1. Disable broad motion alerts first
If you mainly want people, packages, vehicles, or doorbell presses, turn off general motion when your device allows it. General motion can be triggered by background changes such as moving branches, shifting light, or activity in a busy street scene.
2. Create an Activity Zone
Use an Activity Zone to concentrate detection on an important area such as a porch, driveway, gate, walkway, or entry. Exclude irrelevant areas such as a road, neighboring sidewalk, tree branches, or a reflective window where possible.
Activity Zones are helpful but are not perfect object boundaries. Google notes that even a small part of a notable object entering an enabled zone can trigger recording or detection. A zone may therefore reduce unwanted alerts without eliminating every alert from the edge of the scene. Google’s detection guidance explains these limitations.
3. Reconsider camera placement
A camera aimed at a busy road, swaying vegetation, reflective glass, a ceiling fan, or a location with rapidly changing light is more likely to produce unwanted motion events. Repositioning the camera or narrowing its view can be more effective than silencing every notification.
4. Use Away-only alerts
For an indoor camera, choose No one’s home when you want alerts primarily during unoccupied periods. Remember that this can suppress useful alerts while someone is still at home.
Stop Nest alerts entirely
There are three increasingly broad ways to quiet alerts:
Rank #4
- Meet the wired Nest Doorbell; with 2K HDR video and Gemini, it knows what’s at your door and and what to do next (Gemini features require a Google Home premium subscription; try it for 1 month at no cost to you)[4]
- No need to recharge or replace batteries; the Nest Doorbell keeps you plugged into home, day and night
- The Nest Doorbell keeps your data safe with encrypted video, two-step verification, and enhanced security through your Google Account; and a green LED light lets you know when it’s processing or streaming video
- With an Advanced subscription to Google Home Premium, know more about what’s happening with notifications like “Person with flowers”[3]; get even more detailed descriptions and tap to see a summary of what happened[3]
- Video is crisp and clear in 2K HDR, the Nest Doorbell’s highest resolution yet[1,2]; see rich color and details, see in the dark with night vision, and see the bigger picture with an expanded 166° field of view[1]
| Goal | Control to use | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Stop one category | Disable that event type | Other alerts continue |
| Stop ordinary alerts from one camera | Disable that camera’s notifications | Other cameras and app alerts continue |
| Block all app alerts | Disable Google Home or Nest notifications in Android or iOS settings | You may miss alerts from every device and some account functions |
Phone-level blocking is the broadest option. Google also notes that some important technical or security notifications may still be delivered depending on their type and settings.
Not every camera notification can necessarily be disabled. Google identifies certain alerts—such as a camera going offline, being removed from the app, or detecting tampering—as important notifications that may remain on.
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Check these items in order:
- Confirm the account and home. Make sure you are signed into the Google Account that owns or shares the device and have selected the correct Home.
- Check phone permissions. In Android or iOS settings, confirm that Google Home or Nest can send notifications.
- Check the camera’s own setting. General app permission cannot send alerts that are disabled for the individual camera.
- Check alert timing. Change No one’s home to Always if you need alerts while someone is home.
- Check the event category. Make sure the desired person, animal, vehicle, package, sound, or doorbell event is enabled.
- Check every camera individually. Settings are not automatically identical across cameras.
- Confirm the camera is online. An offline camera cannot provide normal live detection alerts.
- Check battery level. A battery-powered camera or doorbell may need charging.
- Restart the app and camera. Do this if the settings look correct but alerts remain absent.
If alerts arrive only after you leave, the most likely cause is No one’s home or a presence-sensing configuration. If person alerts are missing but motion alerts work, the model may not support person detection, the event category may be disabled, the feature may require a plan, or the activity may fall outside an enabled Activity Zone.
Google’s troubleshooting guidance covers camera notification problems.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can household members use different alert settings?
Yes. For cameras and doorbells, people with shared access can maintain their own notification preferences. One household member can receive camera alerts while another chooses not to. If someone else still receives alerts after you change yours, that person may need to adjust their own settings.
See Google’s guidance on changing Nest notification settings.
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Do you need Google Home Premium?
No—not simply to turn basic camera notifications on or off. Subscription requirements depend on the device and the specific detection or history feature.
Best Value
- Nest Cam has built-in intelligence and can tell the difference between a person, animal, and vehicle and send alerts directly through the Google Home app[1], no subscription required.Controller Type:Google Assistant.Connectivity protocol:Bluetooth;Wi-Fi.Power source type:Battery Powered.Operating Temperature : –4°F to 104°F (–20°C to 40°C).
- Easily check in from anywhere 24/7 with 1080p HDR video[1] with night vision, and see what you missed with 3 hours of free event video history[2]; add a Nest Aware subscription (sold separately) for up to 60 days of video history[3]
- If your Wi-Fi goes down or there’s a power outage, Nest Cam will store up to an hour of recorded events so you can see what you missed[4]. Nest Cam Outdoor comes with a wall plate that can be mounted on your brick wall.
- Put Nest Cam anywhere, outside or in; it’s battery powered, so you don’t need to set it up near an outlet, and the magnetic mount makes installation effortless
- For continuous power and 24/7 video recording with Nest Aware Plus, add a weatherproof power cable or indoor stand with power cable (both sold separately)
As of August 2026, Google’s US comparison lists:
- Standard: $10 per month or $100 per year, with up to 30 days of event-based video history.
- Advanced: $20 per month or $200 per year, with up to 60 days of event-based history, up to 10 days of 24/7 history for compatible cameras and wired doorbells, descriptive notifications, searchable video history, event descriptions, and daily summaries.
Plans, prices, regions, and feature eligibility can change. Basic live view and some detection features may be available without a subscription, but the exact options depend on the camera. Choose Standard only if longer history or enhanced intelligent alerts are useful; Advanced makes sense only when features such as searchable history, descriptive notifications, daily summaries, or compatible 24/7 history justify the recurring cost. Check Google’s current Google Home Premium details before subscribing.
Quick settings guide
- Stop animal or vehicle alerts: Disable that event category in the camera’s notification or seen-events settings.
- Receive alerts only while away: Select No one’s home or the equivalent presence-sensing option.
- Ignore a road or sidewalk: Create an Activity Zone focused on the relevant property area.
- Keep doorbell alerts but reduce motion alerts: Leave doorbell presses enabled and disable general motion or unwanted categories.
- Prevent audio capture: Turn off the microphone; this does not stop visual alerts.
- Stop alerts from one camera: Disable that camera’s notifications, not the entire app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I find the Notifications menu?
You may be using the wrong app for the device. Check the app where the camera or doorbell was set up; newer Google Home-only models will not expose their settings in the Nest app.
Why does my camera notify me only when I leave home?
Its alert timing is probably set to “No one’s home,” or presence sensing is putting the home in Home mode while someone is present. Change the setting to “Always” if you want alerts at all times.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDoes turning off the microphone stop motion notifications?
No. The microphone controls audio capture and sound detection. Visual motion and object alerts have separate settings.
Do different household members share one notification setting?
Camera and doorbell alert preferences can be different for each person with shared access, so each user may need to change their own settings.
Are all Nest camera alerts disableable?
Not necessarily. Important technical or security alerts, including some offline, removal, and tampering notifications, may remain enabled.
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