How to Fix Nest Camera Snapshots Not Working
The snapshot feature on your Nest camera is an incredibly useful tool. It creates a visual timeline of events, allowing you to quickly see when motion or sound was detected without having to watch hours of footage. When this feature stops working, it can be difficult to review your camera's history effectively. You might see gaps in your timeline, or events might not have a corresponding snapshot image.
This guide is here to help you diagnose and fix the problem. We'll explore the most common causes for the snapshot feature failing, from subscription issues to network problems, all in a professional and easy-to-understand manner, using British English.
## What is the Snapshot Feature?
Depending on your camera model and which app you use (the Nest app or the Google Home app), this feature might be called 'Sightline' or be part of your 'event video history'. Regardless of the name, the function is the same: to capture a still image when an event occurs and place it in your timeline. If these images are missing, black, or blurry, this guide is for you.
## Step 1: Check Your Nest Aware Subscription
For the vast majority of Nest camera features, including storing and viewing event snapshots, an active Nest Aware subscription is required. This is the most common reason for the feature to suddenly stop working.
- Check Your Subscription Status: Log in to your Google account and navigate to your subscriptions to ensure your Nest Aware plan is active and hasn't expired. Check that your payment method is up to date.
- Ensure the Camera is Covered: If you have multiple cameras, confirm that the specific camera experiencing the issue is included in your Nest Aware subscription plan.
Without an active subscription, your camera may only offer a live view and will not save any event history, including snapshots.
## Step 2: Verify Your Camera's Settings in the App
It's possible that the setting to record history has been accidentally disabled. The location of this setting depends on which app you are using.
### For the Google Home App
- Open the Google Home app and select your camera.
- Tap on Settings (the gear icon).
- Go to Video and then Video history.
- Ensure you have selected a plan that includes event history (e.g., '30-day event video history'). Make sure it hasn't been turned off.
### For the Nest App
- Open the Nest app and select your camera.
- Tap the Settings gear icon in the top right corner.
- Select Video.
- Make sure that Video history is turned on.
## Step 3: Troubleshoot Your Network Connection
Your Nest camera needs a stable and reasonably fast internet connection to upload video and snapshot data to the cloud. An unstable connection can lead to missing data.
### Check Wi-Fi Signal
- Try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the camera, or vice-versa, to see if the issue resolves.
- Physical obstructions like thick walls, large metal appliances, or even fish tanks can significantly interfere with the Wi-Fi signal.
- In your camera's settings within the app, there is usually a 'Technical info' or 'Connection' section where you can check the signal strength.
### Restart Your Network and Camera
A simple power cycle can often resolve temporary glitches.
- Unplug your Nest camera from its power source.
- Unplug your Wi-Fi router from its power source.
- Wait for at least 60 seconds.
- Plug your router back in first. Wait for it to fully restart and for your internet connection to be restored (this can take 5-10 minutes).
- Once your internet is working again, plug your Nest camera back in. Give it a few minutes to boot up and reconnect.
## Step 4: Update the App
An outdated version of the Google Home or Nest app can sometimes cause compatibility issues.
- Go to the Google Play Store (for Android) or the App Store (for iOS).
- Search for your app (Google Home or Nest).
- If you see an 'Update' button, tap it to install the latest version.
## Step 5: Check the Nest Service Status
Occasionally, the problem isn't with your setup at all, but with the Nest service itself. Google's servers can experience outages that affect features like video history and snapshots.
- You can check the official Google Nest Service Status page. A quick search online will lead you to it.
- This page will report any ongoing issues or outages. If there is a problem reported, you will simply have to wait for Google's engineers to fix it.
By following these steps, you can identify why your Nest camera's snapshot feature is not working and take the necessary actions to restore this valuable function.