Google Home app adds support for garage door detection and Nest Hello video doorbell

Google announced this week that it’s rolling out support for its Nest Hello doorbell in the Google Home app. This allows you to transfer Google’s original video doorbell camera — aka, the Nest Doorbell (wired, 1st gen) — from the Nest app to Google’s Home app. Google is also bringing its garage door detection feature out of Public Preview, making it available to all users with compatible hardware. This uses a Nest Cam to alert you when your garage door is left open.

Garage door detection launched last fall in Google’s Public Preview — a public beta where users can try out upcoming features — but is now available to all Nest Aware subscribers in the US and Canada. (Nest Aware starts at $8 a month / $80 a year.)

Garage door detection doesn’t require additional hardware, unlike a smart garage door controller, which generally needs to be wired to your garage door’s electrics. All you need to do is point your compatible Google Nest cam at your door, either from the inside or outside (Google has instructions for setting it up). However, it can’t control your door; it can only tell you its status.

Nest Hello users will soon see an option in the Nest app to transfer their video doorbell to the Google Home app — if they’re in Google’s Public Preview (you can enroll here). This will let you manage the doorbell and view recorded videos in the Home app (currently only available in the Nest app), and connect your doorbell to other devices in Google Home to use it with automations — including using camera events as triggers.

The doorbell, which first launched in 2018 has been discontinued in the US but is still available in the UK, currently shows live video in the Home app (if you’ve migrated your Nest account to Google). However, you needed to use the Nest app for recorded video and other features — such as doorbell ring alerts. This transition should bring most of the doorbell’s function to the Home app. You can transfer it back if you want — but you won’t be able to access it in both apps simultaneously anymore.

Google has been moving its legacy Nest cameras to the Google Home app for a couple of years now, but it’s been a slow process. So far, the Nest Cam Indoor (wired, 1st gen) and Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 1st gen) have made it over. The addition of the Hello will be a welcome one for many users.

Google says it’s “actively working to transition additional Nest devices into the Home app.” Those still missing include the Nest Cam IQ indoor and the Nest Cam IQ outdoor — these can show live footage but require the Nest app to view recorded video. The Nest Protect smoke alarm is also still only accessible in the Nest app. Google will not be transitioning the OG Dropcams and Nest Secure system, as it ended support for these products earlier this year.