Older Nest cameras are getting the Google Home app treatment

What you need to know

• Google Home's public preview now brings Nest Cam IQ (2017) models into the smart home app, uniting all Nest cams from 2015 onward.
• In the Public Preview, switch from the Nest app to the Home app and get features like video history, camera settings, and more in one place.
• Access advanced features like live streams via the Favorites tab, sync Nest cams with smart lights, and view feeds on Pixel Watch 3 or Google TV Streamer.

Google's public preview for the Home app now supports Nest Cam IQ indoor and outdoor models from 2017, bringing all Nest cams since 2015 under one roof.

In late 2023, Google started moving Nest cameras over to the Google Home app in phases. This slow-and-steady rollout has now expanded to include older Nest camera models. With the latest update, you can manage all your Nest Cams in one place using the Google Home app—making the old Nest app pretty much a thing of the past.

Assuming you've already joined the Public Preview program, you can switch from the Nest app to the Home app and enjoy features like event and timeline video history, camera settings, and more all in one place, no app-hopping required, as per Google's community post.

Users can also tap into advanced features like quick access to live streams through the Favorites tab, setting up automations to sync Nest cameras with smart lights, and viewing Nest camera feeds right on their Pixel Watch 3 or Google TV Streamer.

You can join the Public Preview program through the Home app or at home.google.com. If you're already in the program, you'll see prompts in both the Nest app and the Home app's Favorites tab with easy steps to move your Nest cameras over.

The rollout kicks off this week, and Google assures users they can switch their Nest Cam IQ indoor and outdoor cameras back to the Nest app if they change their minds.

On the other hand, the Nest Hub Max isn’t as flexible—once it’s moved to the Home app, you can't send it back to the Nest app.

However, the Supersight close-up tracking from Nest Cam IQ isn’t available in the Home app yet. Google has promised to bring over the best features from the Nest app, but it’s unclear when—or if—this one will make the cut.