Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen) Night Vision Not Working
Is the night vision on your Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen) failing to activate or producing dark, unusable footage after dark? Here are the checks you can carry out before contacting support.
What This Problem Means
The camera’s infrared night vision is not switching on correctly — most commonly caused by the Night Vision setting being set incorrectly, a nearby light source preventing the switch, or a camera restart being required.
Common Symptoms
- Footage is very dark or unusable after dark
- Camera does not switch to black-and-white night vision mode as it gets dark
- Video has a pink, purple or blue tint (common when Night Vision fails to switch at the correct light level)
- Night vision was working previously but stopped after a firmware update
Safe Checks You Can Try
1. Check Night Vision Is Set to Auto
Open the Google Home app, tap your camera, tap More → Settings → Video. Under Night Vision, select Auto. When set to Always On or Off, the camera will not switch automatically based on lighting conditions, causing dark footage or an incorrect tint.
2. Check for Nearby Light Sources
Bright lights shining directly into the camera lens — such as lamps, windows receiving street light or TV screens — can prevent the camera from switching to Night Vision mode. According to Google’s support guidance, moving the camera away from direct light sources resolves this in most cases.
3. Turn Night Vision Off Then Back On
In the Google Home app go to Camera → Settings → Video → Night Vision. Switch it to Off, wait a few seconds, then switch it back to Auto. This resets the night vision sensor and resolves most cases where the setting has become stuck.
4. Restart the Camera
Unplug the power adapter from the wall, wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Per Google’s official guidance, a camera restart resets the night vision state and resolves most firmware-related night vision issues.
5. Clean the Camera Lens
Use a dry lint-free cloth to clean the lens. Even light dust or moisture on the lens can affect the camera’s ability to detect ambient light levels accurately, preventing the correct switch between day and night modes.
When To Contact Support
If you have worked through the checks above and the issue persists, contact Google Nest support at support.google.com/googlenest. Your device serial number is available in Device Info in the Google Home app.
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