Troubleshoot watching Nest camera video on a computer

If you're experiencing issues watching your Google Nest camera's video from a computer, you may see one of the following:

  • The Nest app says "Your camera is off."
  • The Nest app says "Your camera is not connected."
  • The video shows a spinning circle or the video doesn't load.

Select the issue below to troubleshoot watching your Nest camera's video on a Mac or Windows computer at home.nest.com.

Note: You can also find instructions to troubleshoot watching Nest camera video on a phone or tablet in our help center.

"The camera is off"

This message means that your camera is online but turned off.

To turn the camera on, tap the On/Off switch below "Your camera is off."

"The camera is not connected"

Web app camera not connected

This message can be caused by the following:

  • The camera is unplugged from the power outlet.
  • There was a power outage.
  • The camera lost its Wi-Fi connection.

To troubleshoot:

  1. Make sure your camera is plugged into a power outlet and that your home has power.
  2. If it's still not working, you may need to troubleshoot Wi-Fi connection for your Nest camera. You can find instructions to troubleshoot when Nest camera disconnects or is offline in the Nest app in our help center.

The video shows a spinning circle or the video doesn't load

This could mean that your computer isn't receiving enough of the video to begin playback, or there's an issue with your browser and its settings. This is usually caused by one or more of the following:

  • Limited bandwidth
  • Wireless interference
  • Firewall settings
  • Older browser
 Nest cam spinning icon

Fix limited bandwidth

Your camera needs enough bandwidth to stream video 24/7.A connection with at least 2Mbps of upload bandwidth is recommended for one camera, and more if you have multiple cameras.

You may want to run an internet speed test to check on how much available bandwidth your internet connection currently has.

If you have limited bandwidth, you can change your Nest camera's video quality to save bandwidth.

Troubleshoot wireless interference

Different materials from things such as walls and ceilings in your home can weaken your Wi-Fi signal. In addition, some wireless devices and appliances (cordless phone, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, microwave ovens, etc.) can cause wireless interference, even if they don't use Wi-Fi.

To help lessen wireless interference, you can try the following:

  • Move your router and camera closer together to minimize the number of walls and ceilings between them.
  • Make some minor adjustments to your Wi-fi network or router settings.

For more help, you can read our Learn about wireless interference and how to troubleshoot it article in our help center.

Change firewall settings

Although this can happen at home, firewall settings are more likely to cause issues with watching Nest camera video from a computer in a work environment or somewhere with public or shared computers.

  • If you're trying to watch your camera's video from the office, contact your network admin or IT department.
  • If you're at home, check your Wi-Fi router's settings (see the router's manual for specific instructions), or contact the person who set up your network and internet connection.

Note: As you check your router settings, you should refer to Recommended Wi-Fi router and access point settings for use with Nest products.

Update an older browser

You should make sure your web browser is updated to the latest version. If you're using an older version of your web browser, it might not load your camera's video stream.

Watching Nest camera's video from a computer works with Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox browsers. Your browser may automatically update itself, or you may need to do it manually. The support site for your specific browser can show you how to check the version and update it if needed.

  • Google: Update Chrome
  • Microsoft: Update Internet Explorer
  • Apple: Update Safari
  • Mozilla: Update Firefox

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