Smart home technician helping fix Google Home firmware update problems

Steve H.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Google Home & Nest speakers/displays, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, router firmware, mesh systems, Google Home app issues, account & device recovery

Google Home firmware update failed or stuck — Nest Mini, Nest Audio & Nest Hub recovery

Technician avatar Technician
Hey! Let’s get your Google Home firmware update failed issue fixed so the speaker or display works normally again. A few quick details so we don’t guess:
• Which device is it — Google Home, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, or another Nest speaker/display?
• What exactly do you see: “update failed”, “Something went wrong”, stuck on “updating” in the Google Home app, or an endless progress bar on the screen?
• Did anything change recently — new router, changed Wi-Fi name/password, moved to a different network, or updated your phone/Google Home app?
• Is the device plugged into the original power adapter and close to your Wi-Fi router?
With this we can walk through a full Google Home firmware update failed recovery instead of random resets that don’t stick.
Customer
It’s a Google Nest Mini and a Nest Hub. The Google Home app said there was an update. It sat on “updating” for a long time, then showed a firmware update failed message. Since then, the Nest Mini keeps saying “something went wrong, try again later”, and the Hub is stuck on an updating screen that never finishes. I’ve already unplugged them a few times.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it, thanks — that’s a classic Google Home update failed / stuck on updating scenario.
A firmware update on Google Home or Nest devices can fail for a few reasons:
• The device briefly loses Wi-Fi or internet during the download → the firmware update gets stuck at 0% or 99%.
• Router firmware, DNS, or firewall rules change mid-update and block Google’s update servers.
• The speaker isn’t getting stable power from the wall adapter (extension cord, USB hub, etc.).
• The Google Home app or your phone is outdated and can’t complete setup or recovery properly.

We’ll go step-by-step to:
1) Check power and Wi-Fi so the device can actually finish an update.
2) Use the Google Home app to retry and verify the current Google Home firmware version.
3) If needed, do a safe factory reset and full recovery so the update installs cleanly.
That usually fixes a Google Home firmware update failed loop without bricking the device.
Customer
The router is new, dual-band mesh Wi-Fi. Internet seems fine for everything else. The Nest Hub shows the “updating, this may take a few minutes” screen for hours, then sometimes shows a network error. In the Google Home app the Nest Mini says it needs an update, but it keeps failing and says “can’t connect, try again”.
Technician avatar Technician
Perfect, let’s stabilise the basics first — a lot of Google Home update failed errors disappear once power and Wi-Fi are rock solid.
Step 1 — Give the Nest devices stable power
1) Make sure both the Nest Mini and Nest Hub are plugged directly into a wall outlet using the original power adapters (no USB ports on TV, no power strips with loose switches).
2) Unplug each device for 60 seconds, then plug back in and wait until they fully boot or show the updating screen again.

Step 2 — Check Wi-Fi for firmware updates
1) On your phone, stand near the router and run a quick speed test — even 5–10 Mbps is fine, we just want to confirm there’s no massive packet loss.
2) In the router or mesh app, confirm that a 2.4 GHz network is enabled and that you don’t have aggressive client isolation or parental controls active for the Nest devices.
3) If your mesh has a “guest” or “IoT” network, make sure the Google Home devices are on the main network that has full internet access.

Once power and Wi-Fi are stable, we’ll walk through retrying the Google Home firmware update from the app.
Customer
Both are on the main network, not guest. Signal is good. I’m using the original power adapters. After rebooting the router and devices, the Nest Mini connects for a bit, then the app says it needs an update again, and the update fails. The Nest Hub still sits on the “updating” screen with spinning dots.
Technician avatar Technician
If updates keep failing on multiple devices, the router is very often the “silent” cause of a Google Home firmware update failed loop.
Step 3 — Optimise the router for Google Home updates
1) Log into the router/mesh app and look for:
  • “Client isolation”, “AP isolation”, or similar → turn this off for the main network.
  • Firewall/parental control profiles → make sure the Nest devices are not restricted.
  • DNS: if you use very aggressive filtering (Pi-hole, custom DNS block lists), temporarily switch to your ISP’s DNS or Google DNS (8.8.8.8) while we run the update.
2) Save changes and reboot the router/primary mesh node once more.

Step 4 — Retry the update from the Google Home app
1) Open the Google Home app on your phone (make sure it’s updated to the latest version from the App Store or Play Store).
2) Tap the Nest Mini, then the gear icon → scroll down and choose Reboot. After it comes back online, if the app offers a firmware update, let it run again while the phone stays on the same Wi-Fi.
3) For the Nest Hub stuck on “updating”, we’ll likely need a controlled reset if it doesn’t move past that screen after all of this.
Customer
I don’t see any big firewall rules, but I did have some ad-blocking DNS set up. I changed it back to automatic/ISP and rebooted everything. The Nest Mini update actually went through this time and it works. The Nest Hub is still stuck on the updating screen though.
Technician avatar Technician
Great news about the Mini — that confirms the network side is good now. For the Hub, we’re looking at the “stuck on updating” variant of a Google Nest firmware update failed problem.
Step 5 — Try a soft recovery first
• Leave the Nest Hub plugged into the wall and powered on for at least 20–30 minutes to be certain it’s not still downloading in the background.
• If it’s frozen for longer than that with no progress, unplug it for 1 minute, plug it back in, and watch whether the update progresses or instantly jumps back into the same loop.

Step 6 — Factory reset the Nest Hub (safe recovery)
If it keeps looping:
1) With the Hub powered on, press and hold both volume buttons on the back of the display for about 10 seconds until you see the reset confirmation.
2) Confirm the reset on the screen. This doesn’t downgrade firmware; it just wipes settings so the device can finish setup and updates from scratch.
3) When it restarts and shows the setup screen, go back to the Google Home app and add it like a new device on the same Wi-Fi network.
In most cases, this breaks the Google Home stuck on updating loop and lets the latest firmware install during setup.
Customer
I did the volume button reset on the Nest Hub, and it came back to the setup screen. I re-added it in the Google Home app and everything finished without errors. How do I check that the firmware actually updated and that it won’t fail again next time?
Technician avatar Technician
Nice work — that’s exactly how you recover from a Google Home firmware update failed loop on a Nest Hub.
Step 7 — Confirm the current Google Home firmware version
1) In the Google Home app, tap your Nest Hub → tap the gear icon (Settings).
2) Scroll down to “Device information” and check the Firmware version and “Cast firmware version”.
3) Compare it with the latest versions listed on Google’s help pages (they often note current firmware builds for Nest speakers and displays).

If the Hub works normally, responds to “Hey Google”, streams music, and shows no more “update failed” messages, you’re effectively on the latest working firmware. To keep future Google Home update failed errors away, we’ll harden your setup a bit more.
Customer
Firmware versions look current now, and both the Nest Mini and Hub are responding to commands. Is there anything I can change so I don’t end up in another failed update loop after the next Google Home or router update?
Technician avatar Technician
Definitely. A few habits greatly reduce the chance of another Google Home update keeps failing situation.
Best practices to avoid Google Home firmware update issues
• Keep your router/mesh stable: avoid constant SSID or password changes, and keep 2.4 GHz enabled.
• Don’t unplug Google Home or Nest devices while they show “updating” or spinning dots on the LEDs/screen.
• Keep the Google Home app and your phone OS updated — older app versions can have trouble completing setup and recovery flows.
• Avoid very aggressive DNS/ad-blocking rules specifically for Nest/Google devices; if you need those, test updates after you enable new filters.
• If you ever change routers again, set the new Wi-Fi name and password to match the old one so your Nest devices don’t all need to be re-added at once.
These steps also help prevent connection issues on your other smart devices like Wi-Fi mesh systems that freeze or lag or Samsung TVs that stop discovering devices.
Customer
What if next time the Google Home update fails and the device never gets past the initial setup? Is there a “full recovery” option if it just keeps looping on the update screen?
Technician avatar Technician
Great question. Worst-case, you still have a few options before the device is truly “bricked”. Think of this as the Google Home full recovery guide:
1) Safe factory reset — for speakers, press and hold the mic mute button until you hear the reset confirmation; for Nest Hub, hold both volume buttons. This clears settings but keeps the latest firmware that successfully installed.
2) Fresh setup on a clean network — temporarily set up the device on a simple, unfiltered 2.4 GHz network (standard WPA2, no captive portal, no VPN). Once it’s updated and stable, you can move it back to your main network if needed.
3) Test with another outlet/room — rare, but bad power strips or surge protectors can cause random reboots during updates.
4) If the device still shows a firmware update failed or endless updating screen after several attempts, collect the error text and time and contact Google Nest support for a warranty or replacement check.
If you want, we can also compare your setup to other smart devices you have — like Roku TV apps that won’t load or smart doorbells that keep disconnecting — to make sure the whole network is tuned for updates.
Customer
Got it. After changing DNS, rebooting, and factory resetting the Nest Hub, both devices updated and are working fine. No more “firmware update failed” messages in the Google Home app. Thanks for walking me through the full recovery.
Technician avatar Technician
Summary: when a Google Home firmware update failed message appears or your Nest device is stuck on “updating”, stabilise power and Wi-Fi, remove any aggressive DNS/firewall rules, and reboot from the Google Home app. If the update is still stuck, do a factory reset and set the device up again so it can download the latest firmware cleanly. Still seeing update errors or strange behavior after setup? Open the chat and an expert will walk through advanced recovery step by step.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when a Google Home firmware update failed or gets stuck on “updating”: keep the device on its original power adapter, make sure it’s on a stable 2.4 GHz-capable Wi-Fi network without strict DNS/firewall blocking, then reboot from the Google Home app and let the update run again. If it stays stuck or loops, perform a factory reset (using the device’s button combo), set it up again in the Google Home app, and allow the firmware to reinstall during setup before changing other settings.

Why Google Home firmware updates fail or get stuck

Most Google Home update failed or “stuck on updating” problems are caused by connectivity or configuration changes while the device is downloading firmware. Router updates can change DNS, firewall rules, or band steering, which temporarily blocks access to Google’s update servers. Mesh systems might move the device between access points mid-update. If the device is on an overloaded or filtered network, the firmware update can stall at 0% or 99% and show an error. Less often, a buggy firmware build causes reboots until a fixed version is installed via a factory reset and fresh setup.

How to tell if your Google Home firmware update is really fixed

After recovery, the best test is simple: use the device normally for a day. If your Google Home or Nest speaker responds quickly, streams music without random stops, and the Google Home app shows it as online with no more “update required” or “firmware update failed” messages, then the Google Home firmware update likely completed successfully. If it goes offline again after a few hours, or the app keeps prompting you to update and failing, revisit your router DNS/firewall settings and consider another factory reset on a basic, unfiltered Wi-Fi network before re-enabling more advanced features.

Google Home firmware update failed — quick troubleshooting tips

Most failed updates are fixed by stabilising Wi-Fi/DNS and doing a clean reset and setup.

Quick path: keep your Google Home or Nest powered from the original adapter, connect it to a simple 2.4 GHz-capable network, update the Google Home app on your phone, and reboot the device from within the app. If the firmware update keeps failing or the device is stuck on an updating screen, perform a factory reset using the device buttons, then set it up again as a new device in the Google Home app. Avoid heavy DNS/ad-blocking during this process. Once the update succeeds and everything is stable, you can re-enable your usual network tweaks.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your Google Home or Nest model, router brand, and firmware version, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.

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FAQ

How long should a Google Home firmware update take?

Most Google Home or Nest firmware updates complete in about 5–10 minutes, but they can take longer on slow networks. As long as the LEDs or screen show an updating animation and the device is connected to the internet, let it run. If it’s stuck for more than 30–40 minutes with no change, follow the steps above to reboot, check Wi-Fi/DNS, and, if needed, factory reset.

What should I do if the Google Home firmware update failed?

If you see a Google Home firmware update failed message, keep the device on its original power adapter, make sure it’s on a stable 2.4 GHz-capable Wi-Fi network, remove aggressive DNS/ad-blocking, then reboot from the Google Home app and let the update run again. If it still fails, factory reset the device and set it up again as new in the app so it can download the latest firmware cleanly.

Can I manually update Google Home firmware?

You can’t manually download firmware files for Google Home or Nest devices, but you can force a fresh update by rebooting the device, making sure the Google Home app and your phone OS are up to date, and connecting the device to a simple, unfiltered Wi-Fi network. During setup or shortly after, the latest firmware is installed automatically.

Will a factory reset remove a failed Google Home firmware update?

A factory reset doesn’t roll back firmware to an older version. It wipes your settings and forces the device to go through setup and update steps again. This is often the fastest way to fix a Google Home update keeps failing loop, as long as your network allows the device to reach Google’s update servers.

Sources

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