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How to factory reset your Google Nest Mini
The Google Nest Mini can be both a decent smart speaker for casual listening and a low-cost anchor for a Google Assistant smart home. As with any gadget though, glitches can sometimes get in the way, and one possible solution is a factory reset.
An important note: before attempting a reset, you should always try a restart first by unplugging your Mini, waiting 10 seconds, then plugging it back in. This is faster and less drastic, so if it works you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.
Read more: The best smart home devices
QUICK ANSWER
To reset a Google Nest Mini, switch off the mic, then press and hold the center of the Mini where its activity lights are located. The reset option should kick in after 5 seconds, but keep holding until you hear a confirmation sound. To reset the original Home Mini, just press and hold the reset button near the power port until you hear the confirmation tone.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
How to reset your Google Nest Mini (Gen 2)
Resetting the Nest Mini isn’t intuitive, but it’s still a simple process:
- Turn off the speaker’s microphone by flipping the side switch.
- Press and hold the center of the Mini where its activity lights (the four dots) are located.
- Wait 5 seconds. If you’re doing things right, the reset option should kick in, but don’t remove your fingers — you’re in a fail-safe period giving you the chance to back out.
- Hold another 10 seconds. You’ll hear a sound confirming the reset is underway, at which point you can remove your hand.
How to reset your Google Home Mini (Gen 1)
The Nest Mini’s predecessor, the Home Mini, has a dedicated reset button found beneath its power port. All you have to do to reset then is keep holding this button until you hear the confirmation tone.
What happens when you reset your Mini
As the term suggests, a factory reset strips your Mini back to the settings it shipped with. All your data is wiped, so to use the speaker again, you’ll have to set it up in the Google Home app. Make sure your device’s old listing in the app is gone before you proceed.
On top of potentially solving software issues, a reset is necessary if you’re giving or selling a used Mini to someone else. The device will otherwise be linked to your Google account, so the receiver won’t be able to attach it to their own account or even connect it to Wi-Fi — unless they perform their own reset, of course.
Read more: The best Google Nest products