Installing the Nest Doorbell is just as easy as installing any wired doorbell. However, if working with low-voltage electricity isn’t your thing, consider hiring a professional. If this is your first Google or Nest device, you’ll have to download the Google Home app and create an account. I turned off the power to the correct circuit at the breaker box, removed the old doorbell, and attached the Nest mounting plate to the doorframe. I connected the Nest Doorbell to the two wires, attached it to the plate, and tapped the plus icon in the upper-right corner of the app’s home screen.
Thereafter, I tapped Device, scanned the QR Code on the back of the doorbell, and it was immediately recognized. I tapped Already Installed, confirmed that the LED was blinking blue, and selected my Wi-Fi SSID. Once the doorbell was added to my Google Home device list, I gave it a name, enabled Video History, the microphone, and audio recording to complete the installation.
The Nest Doorbell delivered sharp 2K video in my tests. Daytime colors popped and appeared well-saturated, and the black-and-white night video showed good contrast and was more than adequately illuminated. The low-light color was decent, but not nearly as vibrant as daytime color.
(Credit: John R. Delaney)
The doorbell provided a wide view of my doorstep and beyond, and motion detection alerts were swift and accurate. Voice commands to stream video from the doorbell to a Nest Hub smart display worked perfectly, as did my Google automation to have a U-tec Smart Dimmer Switch turn on when the camera detected motion.
Gemini AI features also worked as intended. The Daily Home Brief provided detailed recaps of daily activities, and event descriptions were spot-on. The camera always recognized me as a familiar face, and AI-generated searches for videos that contained my face were quickly found and accompanied by thumbnails.
