How Do I Stop Nest From Going into Eco Mode? Full Guide (Updated)

I love being able to set my Nest Thermostat temperature and create routines from anywhere using my phone. But sometimes, it frustratingly turns Eco Mode on even when I’m home.

You can stop Nest from entering Eco Mode by disabling automatic switching to Eco temperatures. This option is available on the Nest app at the top of the Home/Away Assist page.

Disable Nest Eco Mode from Home Away Assist Page

Nest Thermostats automatically switch to Eco Temperatures when they sense that no one is home, then go back to heating and cooling when you return.

You can tell that your Nest Thermostat is in Eco Mode when the leaf icon at the bottom of the display is illuminated. There is a sensor built into your thermostat, and when you walk by it, it tells the thermostat you are still home.

The problem is, if your Nest Thermostat is somewhere you don’t walk by frequently, it incorrectly assumes you aren’t home and triggers Eco Mode. 

Here’s how you can disable automatic switches to Eco Mode:

1. Open the Nest app.
2. Select the gear icon to open your thermostat’s settings.
3. Tap Home/Away Assist.
4. Select your thermostat.
5. Toggle “Automatically use Eco Temperatures when you’re away” off.

I also recommend turning off Eco Mode entirely. Go to the bottom of the screen and select “Eco Temperatures.” Slide the slider until it says “OFF.”

This should stop your Nest Thermostat from entering Eco Mode when it thinks you’re not home.

Disable Presence Sensing in Google Home App

“Presence Sensing” uses your phone’s location and sensors to determine whether you are home.

Although this seems great in theory, it can still cause Eco Mode to turn on when you’re home. Here’s how you can turn Presence Sensing off:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Select “Thermostat.”
3. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.
4. Select “Presence Sensing.”
5. Toggle “Allow this home to use phone locations” and the slider next to your thermostat off.

If you don’t see this setting, no worries. It just means you probably didn’t set it up in the first place.

Delete Your Routines Tied to Your Nest Thermostat

When you first set up your Nest Thermostat, you may have created a routine that turns Eco Mode on when you’re away. Let’s make sure that’s disabled too.

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Select “Routines.” 
3. Select the Routine associated with your Nest Thermostat.

4. Look under “Actions” and select the one that sets your thermostat to Eco Mode.

5. Tap “Remove Action” at the bottom of the screen, then hit “Save.”

Disable Auto-Schedule in Google Home App

If you have a Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Sense, an algorithm that lets your thermostat learn about your routines, may be triggering Eco Mode through an Auto-Schedule. 

To disable this schedule, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Tap “Thermostat.” 
3. Select “Temperature Preferences.”
4. Turn off Eco Temperatures and Auto-Schedule.

Once you’ve disabled Auto-Schedule, your Nest Thermostat should stop any schedules you have set to prevent Eco Mode from being enabled.

Reset Your Nest Thermostat

If all else fails, it’s probably best just to reset your Nest Thermostat. There are so many settings that I’m sure I may have missed one, but this one should do the trick as a last resort.

This will be done at your physical Nest Thermostat with the steps below:

1. Tap on your Nest Thermostat to show the display.
2. Select “Settings.”
3. Turn your Nest until you see “Reset,” then select it.
4. Select “All Settings.”

You can also reset your Nest Thermostat in the Nest app. Just follow these steps:

1. Open the Nest app.
2. Select your Nest Thermostat.
3. Tap the gear icon to open the settings menu.
4. Select “Reset.”

Warning: You will need to add your thermostat to the Nest App again and will lose all data the thermostat has learned about you, including personal settings.

FAQ: How Do I Stop Nest From Going into Eco Mode? 

Why Does My Nest Keep Switching to Eco?

Eco Temperatures are designated temperatures designed to cool and heat your home to make it more comfortable while reducing energy costs. 

One of the biggest selling points of Nest Thermostats is that they can help you lower your energy bill. Eco Temperatures are the top reason why these savings are possible.

As a result, the Home/Away mode is always enabled on the Nest app. Consequently, the thermostat can sense when you’re not home and automatically switch to Eco Mode.  

These temperatures range between 40-70°F for heating and 76-90°F for cooling. Nest gives a lot of wiggle room with these temperatures because a lot of factors go into deciding which is best for your home.

When you enable Eco Mode, it will only kickstart your heating or cooling system when the temperatures go below the heating temperature or higher than the cooling temperature you’ve set. 

Should You Use Eco Mode On Nest?

The primary reason Nest Thermostats have Eco Mode is to save on energy costs. But are the savings worth it? Should you allow your thermostat to go into Eco Mode automatically? 

The answer depends on individual circumstances. Some people find that the savings are not worth it and prefer to run the thermostat without Eco Mode. Others prefer the automatic switch to cut back on costs when they’re away.

Take the time to analyze your thermostat and compare energy bills over a period of time, then decide the best settings for your needs.

Can You Turn Off Eco Mode on Nest without the App?

If you don’t want to access the Nest app to turn off Eco Mode, you can do so on the thermostat itself. Here’s how: 

1. Tap the thermostat’s touch bar to bring up the menu. 
2. Choose the “Mode” icon.
3. Select a mode other than Eco Mode (Heating, Cooling, or Off).

If you choose Heating or Cooling, adjust the thermostat by sliding your finger up or down to increase/decrease the temperature.

Can Nest Get Stuck in Eco Mode?

If your Nest Thermostat won’t come out of Eco Mode even when you’re home and walking past it, try disabling it in the Nest app. If that doesn’t work, try:

• Disabling Presence Sensing
• Deleting Routines tied to Eco Mode
• Disabling Auto-Schedule

If all else fails, reset your Nest Thermostat. Still not coming out of Eco Mode? There’s a chance your Nest Thermostat is bad and needs to be replaced.

Can You Permanently Disable Eco Mode? 

Some frustrated Google Nest users may want to prevent their home thermostat from “leafing out,” or going into Eco Mode, altogether. 

While you cannot permanently disable Eco Mode (the device will always allow this capability), you can disable automatic switching to Leaf Mode. 

Here’s how to disable it: 

1. Open the Nest App.
2. Select “Routines.”
3. Under “Household Routines,” tap “Home.”
4. Under “Actions,” toggle off Eco/Away.

This will keep the thermostat from activating the leaf icon. However, you can always enable this mode again if you so choose.