Nest Thermostat Not Following Schedule? (5 Quick Fixes)

If you’re wondering why your Nest thermostat not following schedule, continue reading!

The auto-schedule on compatible Nest thermostats allows for fluid and dynamic modification of the preferred heating/cooling temperature throughout the day and week.

Thus, remain invested throughout the guide to understand why the Nest is not following the schedule and how to fix it!

If your Nest thermostat isn’t applying the set schedule temperature, check if the settings of the auto-schedule are correct and update the Google Home app.

Let’s investigate why the Nest thermostat is not sticking to the schedule!

Why is My Nest Thermostat Online Schedule Not Following?

To help you understand what could cause a discrepancy with the Nest thermostat’s temperature readings, we must first review the underlying causes.

So, many things can be considered as the cause for Nest’s schedule problem, primarily if related to the Wi-Fi connectivity.

Here’s why the Nest thermostat won’t follow the auto-schedule setting:

How to Check if Nest Supports “Auto-Schedule”?

There are a total of three types of Nest thermostats available to the market:

• Nest standard thermostat
• Nest thermostat model “E”
• Nest Learning thermostat

Although the thermostats may look very similar, they certainly are not alike in supported features and configuration.

The “Auto-Schedule” feature allows your Nest thermostat to save and apply your heating/cooling routine daily, weekly, and on preferred days of the week.

Note: Only the Nest E/Learning thermostats are the models that support the Auto-Schedule feature for fluid corrections of the set temperature.

Nest Thermostat Not Following Schedule – Fixed Easily!

Tip: Follow the steps and instructions in consecutive order!

1. Turn On “Auto-Schedule”

The “Auto-Schedule” feature must be enabled automatically for compatible Nest thermostats through the settings menu.

Hence, without activating “Auto-Schedule,” Nest cannot follow the recommended heating/cooling temperatures according to the schedule.

How to Enable “Auto-Schedule” Through the Nest App?

1. Open the Nest app on your mobile Android/iOS device.
2. Select “Settings” and then navigate to “Auto-Schedule”.
3. Tap the activation slider to activate the schedule option.

How to Enable “Auto-Schedule” On Nest E or Learning?

1. Tap on the compatible Nest thermostat display once.
2. Go to “NetSense” by turning the Nest settings wheel.
3. Highlight “Auto-Schedule” and activate the feature.

Remember that the “Auto-Schedule” feature will only work if there’s an active schedule applied to the Nest thermostat.

If you haven’t specified a schedule through the Nest app or the device’s settings, enabling “Auto-Schedule” will be ineffective.

Note: The “Auto-Schedule” will only activate after a thermostat has been set and configured!

2. Create a New Nest Schedule

To verify there are no issues with the Nest schedule’s configuration, creating a brand-new temperature schedule within the Google Home app is recommended.

By creating a new schedule, you can set up a new clock and daily and weekly options for the Nest temperature.

Here’s how to create a new auto-schedule on your Nest thermostat:

1. Open the Google Home app on your mobile unit.
2. Select the Nest thermostat from the devices list.
3. Tap “Schedules” and choose a day of the week.
4. Tap the “Add” button and specify the temperature.
5. Select the temperature preset you wish to apply.
6. Select the time for the occurrence of the schedule.
7. Once done, tap the “Save Changes” button to exit.

One More Thing: Correct Existing Schedule

There’s a possibility that you have not configured the auto-schedule of your Nest thermostat correctly, hence, there are discrepancies and logical conflicts.

You need the Google Home mobile app to check the options of the Nest schedule and apply any necessary corrections.

Note: If “Auto-Schedule” is enabled on the thermostat, the timing will be applied, regardless of the time chosen within the Nest app. 

3. Discharge the Nest Thermostat

You can address any issues with the Nest thermostat by reinserting the batteries in and out of the device.

This will contribute to functionality issues impacting the software and the hardware functionality of the Nest thermostat, restoring all auto-saved schedules.

Here’s how to discharge the Nest thermostat in easy steps:

1. Take off the front Nest thermostat plate from the mount.
2. Next, expose the two triple-A batteries inside the device.
3. Eject the backup batteries of the Nest thermostat device.
4. Wait for 60 seconds while Nest’s batteries are taken out.
5. Reinsert the batteries of the thermostat back into the slot.
6. Close the battery compartment cover and test the device.

Bonus Tip: Replace the Thermostat Batteries

If the Nest thermostat is still not functioning correctly, there is a high chance that the batteries are starting to wear out and have reached minimum capacity.

So, insert 2 standard AAA 1.5 V alkaline batteries into the Nest thermostat to restore the device’s functionality and schedule.

Note: Verify that the new batteries are correctly inserted into the battery compartment!

4. Update the Google Home App

Another reason why the Nest thermostat schedule is not following is because of an outdated version of the Google Home app.

The next and one of the most important steps is to update the Google Home app installed on your mobile device to the most current firmware version.

How to Update Google Home App On Android?

1. Open the Google Play Store on the Android mobile device.
2. Next, tap on the profile icon situated in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Manage Installed Apps” from the available options.
4. Then, go down and locate the Google Home app on the list.
5. Tap the “Update” button to begin the app’s firmware update.

How to Update Google Home App On Apple’s iOS?

1. First, open the App Store on your mobile iOS device.
2. Tap on your profile icon on the upper part of the page.
3. Next, scroll to “Pending updates and release notes.”
4. Locate the Google Home application in the listings.
5. To start, tap the “Update” button next to Google Home.

How to Clear Google Home’s App Cache?

Also, remember that updating Google Home does not erase the automatically generated app cache, also called “excess data files.”

You can clear Google Home’s cache by navigating to Settings > “Applications” > “Google Home” > “Clear Data” > “Clear Cache.”

Tip: On iOS devices, you can “Offload” the Google Home app and load it again!

5. Restore Nest to Factory Defaults

There’s a strong possibility that misconfiguration of the thermostat’s initial settings is preventing the accurate functionality of the automatic schedule.

To address any underlying issues with the Nest thermostat, you must restore the system of your device to a factory default state.

Warning: The factory reset will erase all saved content and settings on the thermostat!

Here’s how to perform a factory reset on the Nest thermostat in easy steps:

1. Wake up the Nest thermostat by pressing the frontal panel.
2. Next, choose the “Settings” icon from the displayed icon.
3. Rotate the Nest ring until the “Reset” option is highlighted.
4. Then, rotate the ring to “All Settings” and press “Select”.
5. Wait for a few minutes until the Nest thermostat is reset.

Don’t forget that the Nest thermostat will take up to 5 minutes to complete the factory reset.

During that time, do not interact with the unit or press any buttons, as this could cancel the factory reset or cause further functionality issues.

Note: Once the thermostat is complete with the reset, you can set up the device!

Quick Recap:

To fix whenever Nest thermostat not following schedule, discharge the unit by taking the batteries in and out and then update the version of Google Home.

If the problem persists, re-configure the existing schedule, create a new one, or reset the entire thermostat’s OS. 

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