How Do I Reset My Nest IQ Outdoor Camera?

It’s frustrating when a smart home device just stops working. But when it comes to your home security cameras, it’s more than frustrating, it’s downright scary! When you’ve tried everything else, it’s time to consider taking the device back to factory settings. So, how do we reset the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor camera? 

There are two ways to reset your Nest Cam IQ Outdoor camera if it is failing to function properly. You can restart your device, or you can perform a factory reset to correct the issue. It is highly recommended by the manufacturer to try restarting the device first, as performing a factory reset will permanently delete all of your settings and options. 

What settings and options get permanently deleted if we do a factory reset? We need to know all the facts before we get into how to reset our camera, so let’s get started!

What To Know Before You Attempt A Factory Reset

Before you do a factory reset to correct any malfunctions you are experiencing with your Nest Cam IQ Outdoor Camera, it’s important to know exactly which settings and options will be permanently deleted from your device. In this section, we’ve provided a detailed account of how a factory reset will affect your settings, options, and content, as well as instructions for restarting your device before doing a factory reset.

Settings And Features Affected By A Factory Reset

When performing a factory reset, some settings and features will be permanently restored to factory settings. It is recommended to only perform a factory reset as a last resort after attempting other troubleshooting options and restarting your device. 

After a factory reset, the following settings, features, and content will be permanently deleted from your device: 

• Wifi Account And Password: Your device will forget all saved Wifi information and will need to be connected again.
• Offline: Your camera will show as Offline in the app and will not be usable until it is removed and reconnected.
• Custom Settings: All of your custom settings will be deleted and your cam will be restored to the default settings.
• Video Footage: All of your recorded video footage will be permanently deleted. Google does not provide backup for your footage and once it is deleted it cannot be retrieved. To save your footage, you will have to create video clips or time-lapses, then download the files on your computer or your phone. 

Unless you are intending to stop using your Nest Cam IQ or add it to another account, there is no need to cancel your Nest Aware subscription before or after a factory reset. 

Restart Your Device

Restarting your camera will fix several issues quickly and easily. To restart your cam, follow the simple steps we’ve outlined for you below: 

1. Disconnect your camera’s power adaptor from the electrical outlet 
2. Wait ten full seconds to allow the camera to fully shut down
3. Reconnect your camera to the electrical outlet and allow it to restart

How To Perform A Factory Reset

If attempting all other methods to fix your Nest Cam IQ and restarting your device failed to work, follow the steps outlined below to perform a factory reset: 

Please Note: You cannot perform this reset in your Nest App, and will need to be close to your camera. You will also need a small item such as a paperclip or thumbtack to press the recessed reset button, as well as a stepstool if your cam is installed out of normal reach.

1. Locate the reset button on your camera on the front side of the cam under the Nest logo
2. Check to make sure the camera is connected to the power outlet and turned on before beginning the reset. 
3. Insert the paperclip or thumbtack 
4. Press and hold down the reset button. The light will turn yellow and spin. 
5. Keep holding the reset button until the camera’s light ring turns blue and begins to spin, then release the button.
6. Your camera lights will turn off while it resets. This may take a few moments.
7. When your camera chimes and the light pulses blue, the factory reset is complete. 

Conclusion

When smart home devices act up, it can be tempting to go to the quickest option that’s most likely to work. But when we’re talking about a full reset to factory settings, it’s important to weigh the decision carefully to avoid the much bigger hassle of losing your custom settings, features, and content!

In this article, we answered our initial question of how to reset the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor camera, as well as a full list of the features, options, and data that will be deleted after the reset to help you make an informed decision!