Why Is My Nest Thermostat Blinking Red? [ANSWERED]

You walk by your Google Nest Thermostat multiple times per day and never usually notice anything out of the ordinary. 

It just sits there, doing its job, day in and day out. 

But then, one day, you walk past and notice a blinking red light.

Is this bad? Is the unit experiencing some sort of random issue? What does that little blinking red light mean?

Why Is My Nest Thermostat Blinking Red? [ANSWERED]

If your Google Nest Thermostat starts blinking red, its battery is low. This, of course, means that you will need to change the battery out before the current one expires completely. And, yes, the red light means the same thing regardless of which Google Nest Thermostat model you are using in your home.

First things first: Don’t panic. It isn’t exactly a bad thing.

The Nest Thermostat will blink certain colors depending on its needs.

Sometimes, it will blink red. Other times, it might blink green. 

Then there might also come a time when it will blink orange or white.

All of these colors have different meanings.

They are basically the thermostat’s way of telling you what it needs you to do for it.

When you see the thermostat blinking red, you might be a bit confused.

As one of the most popular smart thermostats on the market right now, you expect the Google Nest Thermostat to work pretty effortlessly. 

And, for the most part, it will. But you might find it frustrating when your thermostat starts blinking red at you without seemingly any warning at all.

What does it mean? How soon should you address this issue? 

When it happened to me and my thermostat, I had these questions in my mind. 

When I went online and did a little bit of research, I found out that my panicked thoughts were easily and quickly settled. 

Allow me to explain what I learned about what a red blinking light on the Nest Thermostat means.

What do blinking lights on the Google Nest Thermostat mean?

If you ever see blinking lights on your Google Nest Thermostat, know that each one is color-coded. 

There are several different colors that it could blink, so we will go over each one, including the red blinking light that is plaguing your existence.

What does the red blinking light on the Nest Thermostat indicate?

What do the Nest lights mean? First of all, know that the color codes are universal across the different Nest models and generations. 

Why does my Google Nest have a red light? This one is easy: It simply means that the thermostat’s battery is dying. 

It isn’t dead yet, but it will be pretty soon.

You might also see a blank screen or the home symbol appear on the screen. 

Once the battery is fully recharged, the red blinking light will go away. 

Once charging is complete, the thermostat will need to restart itself, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to complete.

Now, if your Nest battery will not charge, you will need to find the USB port of the device and connect a USB cable directly into the thermostat to make sure that it charges.

What if the Nest Thermostat starts blinking green?

A blinking green light on your Nest Thermostat simply means that it is in the process of updating its software.

Google routinely issues updates, so when this happens, the light blinks green to show that it is installing or restarting after an update.

This should only take a few minutes, then the light will stop blinking.

If there is a steady green light, then that means the thermostat froze during a software update. 

If this happens, you will need to remote the thermostat screen from the base and put it securely back into position, which is indicated with a click. 

Should this tactic not restart the thermostat, you’ll have to press down on the display for 10 seconds, then release it. This should fix the issue.

What does an orange light indicate?

A blinking orange light can be kind of confusing. 

If you see this, remove the thermostat’s screen from its base and connect a USB cord to the thermostat’s port and let the thermostat charge.

You should then get a message asking you to connect the screen back to the base. 

Do so and carefully press down on the display until you hear it click into place.

What does it mean if there is a blinking white light?

A white blinking light will show up if you’ve had to do a manual reset. This can also occur if the thermostat is reconnecting to the WIFI router or after an update.

If you see this and it doesn’t stop, make sure that the display is properly fitted onto the base and that the internal wires and connectors are properly fitted together.

If that does not work, try restarting your thermostat.

What does a blank screen on the Nest Thermostat indicate?

A blank screen means that the battery has been totally drained.

It might also mean that there is a loose connection somewhere, damaged wiring, or a bad fuse. 

You will need to check for all of these things, although you should first try pressing the ON button just to make sure the thermostat was not accidentally turned off. 

You will then need to inspect the wiring and fuses for any potential damage and, if you see any, contact the professionals for help.

Closing Thoughts

A blinking red light on your Google Nest Thermostat is nothing to worry about, but it does mean that you will have to get that battery charged back up before it totally drains and leads to a blank screen. 

This is normal behavior for the thermostat. 

But if it is extremely persistent, you could be looking at a deeper issue, such as a faulty battery that will need to be dealt with in order for your Google Nest Thermostat to function as it is supposed to.