Smart thermostats are pushing the boundaries of technology, whether it’s saving money or anticipating your every want.
There are a lot of people out there who love Nest thermostats, and it’s easy to see why. They will provide you with the ideal comfort level in your house while also allowing you to conserve energy. However, the lights’ flickering or flashing behavior confuses a lot of clients. You’ve come to the perfect site if you’re wondering what the flickering lights on your Nest thermostat indicate!
Red, green, orange, yellow, white, and blue lights may be found on your Nest thermostat. Even when no light is on, there may be moments when one of these lights may light up or flash, as well as instances when many of these lights will light up simultaneously. If you don’t grasp the significance of the lights on your thermostat, you won’t be able to get the most out of your system.
Since the Nest thermostat looked to be a step above the competition when it came to smart thermostats, that’s what I went with when I bought one and had it installed.
My thermostat started blinking a bunch of times after I started using it.
I was baffled and frustrated by the lack of clear explanations for the various colors for a long time.
However, I now enjoy how fast and effectively it communicates the condition of my Nest Thermostat to me.
While the green light is flashing, the red light shows that the thermostat’s battery is low, and the green light indicates that the thermostat is updating. It is possible to fix the orange light by charging the thermostat, and the flashing white light signals that the thermostat is reconnecting with the network.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Lights: What Does Each Light Mean?
Throughout this essay, I will explain what each hue means in detail, and I will also provide you with instructions on how to troubleshoot any issues you may be experiencing.
Nest Thermostat Status Lights: What Do They Mean?
There are a wide variety of Nest thermostats on the market. Regardless matter whether you have the first-generation Google Nest thermostat or the fourth-generation Nest thermostat, the flickering lights signify the same problem, so let’s explore what each light signifies.
In addition, I’ll guide you through each stage of the process of resolving them. To begin with, let’s get going.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Red

The blinking red light may be the most worrisome sign for Nest customers. However, once you realize why this light is flashing, you’ll see it’s not a cause for concern. Depending on the type of your Nest thermostat, you may see a flashing red light and a blank screen at the same time. Occasionally, you’ll see a green lighthouse flashing right on top of the rest of the screen.
You may see a flashing red light if your thermostat is running low on battery power. This is also one of the most popular explanations in the manual that comes with the gadget.
With the Nest thermostat, you don’t have to worry about seeing red lights on your gadgets.
The flashing red light on your thermostat shows that the battery has run out.
There may be a blank screen or a home icon on your smartphone when it begins flashing red.
When the battery is fully charged, the red light will go off. Upon completion of the recharge, the thermostat will re-energize itself. Please be patient as the gadget will take some time to completely charge during this time.
Depending on the thermostat’s original battery level, this might take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour.
Additionally, your Nest Thermostat Battery may not be charging.
You may do one of two things:
- Locate the device’s USB port.
- Charging your gadget is as simple as plugging in a USB cord.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Green
The green light at the top of your thermostat is another typical flashing light. In the event your Nest thermostat is upgrading or installing software, you will see a green light flashing. The green light on your thermostat may be flashing to indicate that it’s restarting or simply booting up. If your thermostat has a flashing green light, you don’t need to be alarmed.
There will only be a few seconds of green light flashing before the red light returns. The light will go off as soon as the program or update is deployed correctly. Occasionally, your green light may get stuck, meaning it will no longer flash. Your thermostat may have been stuck in the midst of an update or installation if this is the case.
To let you know that your thermostat is upgrading its software, it blinks green.
Nest thermostats get frequent software upgrades from Google. It’s also possible that the thermostat is rebooting or updating itself.
The light will continue to flicker for a little time, maybe a minute or two.
It’s possible that the thermostat has frozen during the update if the green light isn’t flickering and seems to be stable.
These are the actions to take in order to diagnose the problem:
- Remove the thermostat screen from the base and reinstall it, making sure that all of the pin connections are perfectly aligned before you do so.
- When it returns to its original place, you will hear a click.
- If it doesn’t work, hold down the display button for ten seconds before releasing it to reset the thermostat. When you’re lowering yourself, be careful.
Nest Thermostat Orange Light
Nest thermostats are also known to have a blinking orange light, which is pretty common. This indicator will illuminate even when your thermostat seems to be operating normally, making it all the more perplexing to understand. Your heat will be set to the appropriate setting, and your thermostat will be operating properly, but you will see this orange light flashing on your thermostat.
The orange light on the Nest thermostat may be flashing for maintenance purposes. It is possible that you may need to charge your thermostat or update the software on your thermostat, depending on the type you have.
When the thermostat lights up orange, you may wonder whether anything is wrong since the thermostat seems to be functioning normally.
Even once in a while, this may happen.
Follow these simple actions to resolve the issue:
- Remove the thermostat display from the bottom of the unit. Remove the thermostat display from the thermostat display.
- Charge the gadget by using a USB cord.
- A PC USB cable or an unpowered USB should not be used.
- It may be either a small or a micro USB, depending on the requirements of your device.
- The thermostat has a USB port, so plug it in there.
- You will be prompted to reconnect the thermostat to the mains after it has finished charging.
- A click sound should be heard once you’ve placed it on the base. Take your time and be careful.
Nest Thermostat Blinking White Light

The flickering white light on the Nest thermostat indicates that there was an issue during the initialization process. As a result, you may have difficulty completely starting or restarting your Nest thermostat. Unfortunately, this is not a software mistake but rather a hardware fault that must be addressed. Consequently, in order to resolve the issue, you will need to understand how a Nest thermostat is set up and linked.
You may have a flickering white light problem after connecting your thermostat to your network or after an upgrade. In certain instances, the white light will also begin to flash after a manual restart.
There is a white light on the screen if you have restarted manually. If the thermostat reconnects to the network or updates its firmware, this problem might occur.
Take the following procedures to restart the thermostat:
- Your heating and cooling cables should be correctly connected to the connections within your appliance.
- Take a look at the thermostat and make sure it is securely attached to the base
- Try rebooting the thermostat if the first two suggestions don’t work.
- By pushing the thermostat ring, you may turn it off.
- The gadget may then be configured.
Nest Thermostat Blank Screen
Users of Nest thermostats may find that a blank screen, rather than flickering or flashing lights, is the most worrying feature of their devices. If your thermostat has gone blank, it is most likely because the battery has run out. A blank screen might also indicate that the connections are not correctly connected or that the thermostat failed to properly install the software in more dangerous conditions. If you see no light on the thermostat, it may indicate that the thermostat’s battery has been entirely depleted, which may be addressed by recharging the thermostat. Incorrect screen-to-base connection, broken wiring, or a blown a fuse may also result in a lack of illumination.
- Check to see whether the display is correctly attached to the chassis.
- Temperatures might fluctuate greatly if the thermostat’s power button isn’t firmly pushed.
- Ensure that your thermostat is linked to compatible devices.
- Make sure the thermostat’s wiring isn’t damaged by doing a visual inspection.
- Check to see whether the fuse has been damaged.
- Make sure your thermostat is working properly.
- If these fail to restart your thermostat, seek expert assistance.
Final Thoughts
That’s all you need to know about the Nest thermostat’s flickering lights and how to fix them.
I hope your misunderstanding about the various light bulbs has been resolved. These lights have helped me be aware of any issues my thermostat may be experiencing. Using this article, I’ve covered all of the different light colors on your thermostat, as well as easy fixes for each one.
It’s possible that you’ll need to call in an expert if none of the remedies work.
If none of the lights stop flashing after you follow the suggestions I’ve provided for troubleshooting, it’s time to call in a specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Nest Thermostat keep lighting up?
When a human is in the area of your Google Nest thermostat, it activates.
In most cases, this will occur within a distance of one meter or around three feet. The light may also illuminate when the temperature is changed manually or automatically by a predefined schedule in the app.
On the other hand, the thermostat keeps track of how much light is already in the room and only illuminates the display if there is enough light.
There is no need to worry about the thermostat turning on at night if you use this feature.
How long does Nest take to charge?
The Google Nest Thermostat’s recharge time may range from 30 minutes to an hour.
There are two ways to charge it: using a USB cord for 30 minutes or utilizing the thermostat’s built-in rechargeable battery for up to two hours. During the charging process, the thermostat will display a flashing red light.
Why does my Nest thermostat say in 2+ hours?
The Time-to-Temperature function of the Google Nest thermostat calculates how long it will take to reach the desired temperature.
It’s figured out in 5-point increments. It will show 2+ hours if it takes more than two hours to achieve the desired temperature.
It will be less accurate when you first start using the time-to-temperature tool.
It will, however, get more precise over time as the thermostat gets to know your house, your heating system, and the time it takes to get your house to the desired temperature.