Nest thermostat blinking green light – Causes and how to fix

Have you noticed your Nest thermostat displaying a blinking light on its display? Most of the time, this shouldn’t be a cause for concern. However, sometimes it could signal a problem. This could mean anything from a novel process such as your thermostat charging to a freeze during an update.

Being able to understand what different signals displayed by your Nest thermostat mean can help you make the most out of it throughout. So, what does it mean when you see a blinking green light?

Your Nest thermostat displays a blinking green light when it is starting up, restarting, or updating its software. Usually, it should last for a minute or two. If it persists, then you should configure and/or restart the thermostat.

Processes such as restarting, starting up and software updating should not be a cause for disruption of service from your Nest thermostat. Getting help to solve any issues shouldn’t be a painstaking process. The main thing is getting your thermostat to work as usual as fast as possible.

Summary of Causes and fix

Problem	Causes	How to fix
Nest thermostat blinking green light	Starting up	This is a normal procedure and there’s no need interfering with it.
	Restarting	This is a procedure used for troubleshooting. Do not interfere with it, let it fully restart.
	Updating Software	Do not interfere with your thermostat during an update. It should take 1-2 minutes to finish.   However if it takes longer, then configure it by pulling it off the base and confirming the wiring in the wall is ok and put it back in.   If it still doesn’t work, then do a manual restart by pressing down on the thermostat display for about 10 seconds and releasing it.

What makes your Nest thermostat to have a blinking green light?

The Nest blinking green should not be a major cause for alarm. It is just doing one of the following:

• Restarting

Your Nest thermostat may sometimes freeze and you can’t do anything on it. You can shut it down and on switching it on, it will display a green blinking light to indicate it is starting up. Once it’s done, it will turn on so then you can go back to using it.

• Updating its software

Software gets updated every time a new improvement is released in the market to improve your thermostat making it smarter to improve its performance. Your Nest thermostat receives these updates regularly from Google. When your thermostat is undergoing one, you will see a blinking green light on your thermostat’s display.

After the update, it will restart and then allow you to use it. Normally, the starting up will take 1 -2 minutes and the thermostat turns on for use. However, there are times the thermostat will take unusually longer while still displaying blinking green light.

• Starting up

The Nest thermostat like any other gadget restarting might be a sign of a problem with your system and it may need maintenance for some reason. Your thermostat for example might overheat due to a clogged air filter and restart. It displays a green blinking light when restarting.

What if the thermostat is unresponsive and still displays the green blinking light?

When restarting, starting or updating software, it should take between 1-2 minutes. If your thermostat is taking longer than usual to turn on and the blinding light is still showing, then you need to troubleshoot it. However, sometimes the blinking green light is accompanied by another issue that may need further assistance.

 How can we fix it?

All issues that are associated with the blinking green light can be resolved without you buying another thermostat or going back to your old thermostat. The following are steps that should solve most of your issues.

Steps

Ensure the display is properly fitted on the base

1. Take note of the amount of time that your thermostat is taking to turn on.
2. If it’s longer than 2 minutes and persists for more than 15 minutes, try removing and reconnecting its display by pulling off the base. If your display is not fully seated on its base then your thermostat wont charge its battery or turn on.
3. Ensure you have no cables sticking out from your wall as they might be preventing your daily from totally fitting. In case of any, push them back into the wall.
4. Check and ensure that the pin connector is correctly lined up and push it back. If you hear a click, then it’s properly sealed.
5. If your thermostat starts blinking red, then its charging and will be back on.
6. Check whether the thermostat is now turned on
7. If the problem is still persistent, then try pressing down on the thermostat display for about 10 seconds and then release it to force a restart of your thermostat. This will perform a manual restart. You will still get to keep all your thermostat settings after the restart just like you would on your phone or PC.
8. Your thermostat will restart. Check if your thermostat is back on and the blinking green light is gone.

If after trying all the steps above and your problem is still persistent, then reach out to the Nest support team for help.

Conclusion

A number of issues that come with a blinking green light should not make you doubt the reliability of a Nest thermostat. With a few troubleshooting steps, your thermostat should be able to work as usual. By learning your lifestyle and regulating your home temperature to optimize energy saving, the thermostat helps you save on costs.

You can troubleshoot some of these issues all by yourself and if it persists, you can post your questions on online community forums or seek expert assistance.

FAQs

My thermostat is not showing a blinking light and is unresponsive, what do I do?

If your thermostat is not responding and at the same time not blinking any light then your battery does not have enough power to deliver to your system. You need to charge your battery and turn your thermostat on.

How does the Home/Away assist feature work?

The feature determines whether you’re home or away using your Nest thermostat’s inbuilt sensor and your phone GPS. It can then reduce the temperature when you’re away or increase when you’re home.