Google warns Nest Hub Max update could break your Nest x Yale Lock

What you need to know

• Google will update the Nest Hub Max in late July to prepare for the Matter over Thread transition.
• This update will remove the smart display's capability to act as a bridge between Nest x Yale Lock and your router. 
• Nest x Yale Lock or Nest Detect owners will need to buy a Nest Connect accessory if they don't already have one.

An upcoming update to the Nest Hub Max will remove its ability to bridge between smart home devices and your Wifi network. For Nest x Yale Lock owners, that means your lock will stop working properly in late July unless you take action. 

Nest x Yale Lock cannot connect directly to your router; instead, it requires a Nest Connect accessory or the Nest Hub Max to bridge between the two. The same also applies to the Nest Detect door/window sensor. 

But according to a Nest Community post, an upcoming update will remove the smart display's bridging capabilities. That means your Nest app will no longer detect your smart lock. You'll no longer be able to lock or unlock it remotely, use Google Assistant to check its status, or receive tamper alerts. You'll only be able to access it directly via the keypad. 

As for Nest Detects, they'll become functionally useless, as they'll have no way to communicate whether someone has opened a door or window while you're away from home.

To solve this issue, you'll need to ensure that a Nest Connect accessory (or Nest Secure hub) is within range of your lock or door sensor — within 50 feet or less depending on your house's layout or any "wireless interference." 

For those with larger homes, that could mean buying a second Nest Connect where the Nest Hub Max and one range extender previously sufficed — or moving the Connect to a more optimal position. For those with smaller homes, this could mean buying your first Connect.

Why is this happening? The upcoming update is designed to make the Nest Hub Max compatible with Matter, so it can communicate with a larger array of smart home devices over the wireless mesh protocol Thread. Evidently, some aspect of supporting this new system means it can no longer support the old one.

We still consider Nest x Yale Lock one of the best smart locks despite its age. But the requirement of a Nest Connect adapter certainly feels like an anachronism, when newer smart locks have no difficulty connecting directly to your network.