Cameras and door sensors are not always necessary for security. In reality, Nest Awares’ sophisticated sound detection feature on your Nest Hub or speakers can significantly contribute to keeping you safe. Here’s how it functions and why you might want to make an investment.
For your house, Google produces a wide range of Nest gadgets. Google has you covered for everything from doorbells and cameras to smart speakers. In addition to that, Google also provides a rather inexpensive monthly subscription that grants you a few more benefits for your smart devices.
WHAT DOES THE GOOGLES NEST KNOW? Since the program enables users to store video data for a longer amount of time, Google’s Nest Aware subscription is frequently linked to the company’s smart cameras. Users can save footage at the lowest rate for up to 30 days following the incident, while Nest Aware Plus at the highest tier permits 60-day event storage. The higher tier also includes 24/7 recordings for up to 10 days, however battery-powered devices like the present Nest Doorbell are not included. The key variations in Nest Aware perks aside, the plans are very similar in that they both include e911 and Intelligent Alerts.
The lowest tier of Google’s security and smart home subscriptions, which also happens to be the best value, is appropriately priced at $6 per month. You’ll pay $12 per month for Nest Aware Plus, which is quadruple that.
Intelligent Alerts from Nest Awares Intelligent Alerts, as described by Google, are another another wonderful benefit. With the help of the Intelligent Alerts function, your devices can listen out for certain sounds that should never be ignored, such as glass breaking, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms. Your phone and other devices will receive an alert if your Nest device detects that sound.
Although you might already have them on hand, Intelligent Alerts is only available for a select few items. Any Nest speaker can generally listen and notify you of alarms and broken glass. Both the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, as well as the Nest Minis, perform admirably with this capability. You can set up a mesh network of sorts around your home using a few low-cost Nest Mini speakers, each of which is listening for alarms.
I haven’t personally experienced any significant alarms throughout my time using Nest Aware, but I am aware that the system is functioning. A metal bowl dropped off my counter at one point, making a loud clatter. My Nest Hub immediately detected the noise, which appeared to be the sound of breaking glass, and sent a notification to my Google Home app along with a recording of the noise and an option to call 911 from my Nest Hub.


The ability to dial 911 is essential. In essence, you can utilize this tool to alert the police about a problem or fire at your residence even if you’re not there. If you don’t, Nest Aware will still tell the emergency services your house address so they can arrive in time. One great feature of Nest Aware is the ability to call 911 using your Nest Hub or Nest speakers.
Although the notice I received informed me that Intelligent Alerts is active and listening for vital sounds, my own experience with it was a false alarm. It’s important to note that Nest Aware is all about giving you security when you need it.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR NEST AWARE DEVICES’ SOUND DETECTION Your Nest Aware subscription can be set up through the Google Home app. The choice of which speakers, if any, will actively listen for particular noises is then yours.
You must have a Nest Aware account in order to configure these settings. If you want to sign up for a month-long trial period, follow the steps below and tap Try Nest Aware when the trial page displays.
How to locate the Nest Aware sound detection page is as follows:
Navigate to the Google Home app on your device. Once there, select Settings from the list of quick actions. Locate Nest Aware and tap it. Then click Sound Detection.




You can then select the sounds you want your devices to listen out for and turn on sound detection. Additionally, you can select which gadgets listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alerts as well as glass shattering. You may choose which of these noises will alert you by adjusting the settings for Sound detection notifications. Generally speaking, we advise checking every every box.
You are now ready for your Nest speakers and Hubs to listen for alarm sounds after completing these settings. Even if we hope it never hears any of the highlighted alarms, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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