It’s not unusual for Google-made smart speakers and displays to glitch out from time to time but those are hardly permanent issues. However, some users report that their Google Nest Hub got stuck on the splash screen or black screen, and even restarting doesn’t fix the issue. If your Google Nest Hub is not working, check the instructions we provided below.
Table of contents:
- Try with restart sequence
- Check the power adapter
- Perform a factory reset
- Return the device for a repair or replacement
The Nest Hub screen goes black and it’s unresponsive
This was a widespread issue in 2021 when Google started pushing a major update focused on UI redesign. Sadly, the problems didn’t stop there and we still run into reports about similar issues in late 2022, and some blame the FusciaOS update for it. To put it bluntly: if you restart your device and the issue persists, it’s probably not a software bug we are looking at but rather a hardware defect. Nothing unusual for a device that works with such a big uptime, and rarely is turned off.
1. Try with a restart sequence
Affected users claim that a simple reboot did nothing and that the device, during the boot sequence, still gets stuck on the blank screen. For some, the device gets stuck on the “G” splash screen, for others, the screen is completely black. Either way, there’s a restart sequence that seemingly forces a hardware reset. It’s definitely tedious but you can give it a try.
Here’s how to perform the restart sequence on your Google Nest Hub based on Google support instructions:
- Unplug the Google Nest Hub from the power source.
- Keep the device unplugged for 10 seconds.
- Plug in the Google Nest Hub and unplug it again once it boots.
- After you unplug it, wait for 10 seconds and plug it in again.
- Repeat the unplug > wait 10 seconds > plug in and wait for the Nest Hub to boot > unplug sequence 10 times in continuity.
If that does nothing, make sure to check the power adapter and the cable.
2. Check the power adapter
There’s a chance that your power adapter or cable is faulty, although it’s not quite common. We think this problem is most likely either a hardware failure or a broken system update, and checking the power supply is not the worst idea.
If you have a secondary Nest Hub that’s working without issues, switch cables and check if the problem is gone. If your Google Nest Hub is still not working, we recommend going for a factory reset.
3. Perform a factory reset
If your Google Nest Hub is responsive but stuck on the black screen or splash screen, you can try resetting it. Some claim that this fixed the problem, although the majority of affected users say that the issue got back after some time. Meaning that they started resetting the device daily and, we can all agree, that’s far from ideal.
Still, you can give it a try and see if the problem is fixed. Here’s how to reset your Google Nest Hub (1st and 2nd Generation):
- Press and hold both Volume buttons for 10 seconds. This should reset your device to factory settings and you can set it up anew.
- Open Google Home.
- Tap Add or + icon and select Set up a device.
- Tap New device. Enable Location Services and Bluetooth on your smartphone.
- Select Google Nest Hub, choose preferred services and configure settings.
4. Return the device for a repair or replacement
Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, you can return the device for a repair or replacement. Make sure to open a ticket with Google Nest support on the official support website. That is if your Google Nest Hub is under warranty and you have proof of purchase. Or you can contact the retailer where you purchased the device.
With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you.
