Nest Camera Live Stream Not Working: How To Fix [2023]

Nest users are increasingly facing issues accessing the Live Stream on their Cams. Upon opening the live stream, a black screen with the message "Live Video unavailable" or "Camera unavailable is shown.

This article will focus on why this issue happens and the ways in which you can fix the issue or work around them to access your Nest Camera Live Stream.

If Nest Camera Live Stream is not working, check the power supply and power cycle the Nest Camera. Next, ensure proper network connectivity, and update your Nest and Home App firmware version to the most recent one. If the issue persists, factory reset the Nest Camera.

Here is what to do if the live stream is not working on your Nest camera.

Check the Power Supply and Power Cycle Nest Cam

Depending on the Nest Camera model that you own, it could be battery-powered with the option to charge using the provided cable or work solely on a wired connection.

And issues with the power supply can render various functions of the Cam troublesome.

This is not only the case with Nest Cams but also various other Nest products like for issues with the Nest Thermostat. Black screens on Nest Thermostat can be cited as an apt example.

You can check the battery level of your Nest Camera by accessing the Nest App and following the steps below:

• On the Nest App Home screen, tap on Security.
• On the Security screen, a list of all Nest devices in your home is shown. Look if the Nest device in question has a Low Battery or Very Low Battery status next to it.

Generally, the USB cable is used to charge the Nest Cam whenever the battery low prompt is shown.

However, if you are frequently getting this notification or facing any bugs such as streaming issues, try plugging the device using the cable and check if the issue has been resolved.

If the issue has been resolved by plugging in, the problem in your system lies with the power supply.

Keep in mind that if you are using or planning to use your device in subzero temperatures, the rate at which the device is charged will be low.

Power Cycle the Nest Cam

Power cycling your Nest Camera resets the configuration and resolves all minor bugs and other associated issues. Power cycling retains all your settings and network information.

As a matter of fact, power cycling the Nest Cam happens to be one of the most effective troubleshooting fixes for issues with the device.

To power cycle the Nest Camera, follow the steps below:

• Plug the Camera into a power source.
• Find the reset pin or reset button on the Nest device.
• Using a paperclip or thumbtack, press the pin or press the reset button for around 5 seconds and let go.
• The Camera will restart and the status light will be showing steady, solid white.

Check if the power cycle has restored the proper functionality of your Nest device.

Check for Issues with the Network

Issues with your network can thwart you from accessing the live feed of your Nest Camera.

Your device should be able to upload the feed in real-time for you to be able to download it while viewing the live stream.

Generally, an internet plan will have a lower bandwidth for upload and a higher bandwidth for download.

Make sure that your internet service plan has enough bandwidth to support the number of cameras you operate.

Cross-check your network capabilities with the requirements of the particular Nest Camera that you operate.

Additionally, you can also modify several camera settings to make it less demanding on your network.

Refer to the router documentation for more information regarding the bandwidth capabilities of your router.

A failing network connection happens to also be a leading reason for Nest Cams to not record events.

Reboot the Router/Modem

Rebooting the router or modem is an effective way to fix most issues with your Wi-Fi network. Till the reset is finished, the devices in your home will not be able to access the internet.

To restart your router or modem, follow the steps given below:

• Unplug your router. All the lights on the device should turn off.
• Wait for at least 30 seconds and plug the router back into the power source.
• Wait for the device to initialize. A successful reboot is indicated by the flashing lights on your router lighting up.
• Connect the Nest Camera to the Wi-Fi network and try accessing the live feed.

Move the Router/Modem Closer to the Nest Cam

Another potential issue you could have is interference. This occurs when you have a lot of devices in your home accessing the Wi-Fi network or a physical obstacle between your Camera and router.

Try moving the camera closer to your router and maintain a clear line of sight between the Camera and router.

If you cannot move the Camera closer, try moving the router closer to the Camera.

You may want to look into Google's own Mesh networking system - the Nest WiFi and its Points - for a better coverage area.

Check Bandwidth

If your network is performing poorly in terms of upload/download bandwidth, you could face this issue with the live feed.

When connected to a cellular network, the Nest App will compensate for the lower bandwidth by lowering the quality of the video stream.

Such compensation reduces disconnections, pauses, and stuttering.

The Nest App is capable of adjusting camera settings even while connected to a Wi-Fi network.

You can set the highest video quality and bandwidth settings for your Camera.

In doing so, your Camera will automatically adjust to the video resolution and compression that is supported by your network capability.

In Canada and Europe, outdoor Nest products are designed to be used on only 2.4 GHz bandwidth due to regulations.

So, if you have a modem that is capable of broadcasting multiple bandwidths, make sure that you have connected to the 2.4 GHz bandwidth.

Ideally, the 5 GHz network should not show up at all in the list of available networks in the Nest App.

Indoor Nest products on the other hand are not subjected to such bandwidth regulations.

As a result, these devices can be connected to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks in Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world.

Update Nest Cam and Google Home App

Nest products are designed to update over the air automatically if you have a reliable internet connection.

Updates for Nest products are usually released in batches, so even if you do not have the latest firmware yet though it has been released, it is likely that the update will occur in the near future.

If you are using the Nest App, instead, you can try using the Google Home App to view the live feed.

You can check if you have the latest version of the Nest App and Google Home App installed on your smartphone. If you have set updates to install automatically when available, the app should be up to date.

To manually update the Nest or Google Home App on Android, follow the steps below:

• Open the Google Play Store App.
• Tap on the profile icon located at the top right.
• Tap on Manage Apps and Device. Here, the apps with an update available are tagged with Update available.
• Tap on Update and the latest version of the App will be installed.

To manually update the Nest or Google Home App on iPhone or iPad, follow the steps below:

• Open the App Store
• Tap on the Profile icon located at the top of the screen.
• Scroll to see the pending updates and release notes.
• Tap on Update next to the App to update to the latest version.

You can always check manually if you have the latest firmware on your Nest Camera or not. To do this, check the current software version of your Nest Camera using the Nest or Home App.

To check the firmware version on the Nest App, follow the steps below:

• Open the Nest App and tap on your Nest Camera from the Home screen.
• Tap on Settings.
• Select Technical Info.
• The current software version is shown next to Software.

To check the firmware version on the Google Home App, follow the steps below:

• Open the Home App.
• Touch and hold your Nest Camera's tile on the Home screen.
• Tap on Setting.
• Choose Device Information.
• The software version is shown under Technical Information.

If you have an older version, keep your Nest Camera connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network.

Factory Reset Nest Cam

If you have tried every troubleshooting solution mentioned above in this article, then you have no choice but to attempt a factory reset of your Nest Camera.

It is important that you try every other method because a factory reset permanently erases all the content and personalized settings on your device.

A factory reset happens to also be an efficacious fix for various other Nest issues such as Nest Hub not showing photos.

By performing a factory reset, the Nest Camera's entire video history and snapshots will be erased from the device. Once removed, they cannot be recovered as Google does not store backups.

Therefore, if there is any video footage you would like to keep, you can save events as video clips by following the instructions given here and thereby save it to your phone or computer.

Gone too are all the network preferences.

You will have to reconnect the device to your Wi-Fi network once the factory reset is complete. Till then, the device will be shown as offline in the App.

The first step to factory resetting your Nest Camera is removing it from the Home or Nest App.

To remove your Nest Camera from the App, follow the steps below:

• Open the Nest or Home App.
• Tap on the Nest Camera that you want to reset.
• Tap on Settings and further tap on Remove device.
• Tap on Confirm.

Let's now look at how to reset a Nest Cam.

Some Nest Cameras have dedicated factory reset buttons while some Nest Cameras do not. So depending on the Nest Camera, follow the steps below:

1. Locate the reset button or the reset hole on the bottom of the Camera head.
2. Press and hold the reset button or insert and hold a paper clip or thumbtack into the hole.
3. The status light should blink yellow four times at 10 seconds and a countdown is initiated.
4. The status light will show a solid yellow at 12 seconds and the Camera will begin to reset. A confirmation tone is heard at this point.
5. Release the button and the Camera will restore to its factory settings.

If you are having trouble with factory resetting, check here for device-specific factory reset information.

Keep in mind that if you have not removed the Nest Camera from your App, it will appear offline. You can reconnect your Camera to the app by going through the Camera setup in the App (Instructions).

Final Thoughts

Google has been pushing users from the Nest App to the Google Home App. For some Nest Cameras, the live feeds will not be accessible via the Nest App.

Therefore, make sure you try using the Google Home App to view the live feed from your Nest Camera.

If you are still unable to resolve the live feed issue, the issue will most likely be due to server issues from Google's end. You can always check the status of Nest systems online.

It is also important that you raise a ticket via Google Nest Customer support if you are unable to solve your issue. Bugs and flaws are fixed when users raise tickets that grab the attention of the Nest team.

Hope the solutions in this article have helped you resolve the live feed issue with Nest Cameras.

Have a Great Day!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Do I Stop My Nest Camera from Buffering?

To stop Nest Camera from buffering, you can try closing other open apps including the Nest or Home app. Reopen the App and view the video again. If the delay in the feed is more than 10 seconds, go back to the Home screen of the App and tap on the Camera again to refresh the connection.

How Do I Know if My Nest Cam Is Working?

Nest Cameras typically have three modes:

• Blue indication means that the Camera is starting up.
• Green indication means that the Camera is operating as it should (solid green) or the live feed is being streamed (flashing green).
• Red indication means that the Camera is not functioning as it should.

Can Nest Camera Be Used without a Subscription?

The Nest Aware subscription is not necessary to operate the Nest Cameras. However, with the subscription, you have continuous 24//7 video history. The newer Cameras like Nest Cam (battery), Nest Cam (indoor, wired, 2nd gen), or Nest Doorbell (battery) have up to 3 hours of event video history without a subscription.

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