Google Nest Wifi Not Saving Settings — Fix DNS, Guest Wi-Fi & Port Forwarding Reverting Fast

Hey! We’ll fix why your Google Nest Wifi is not saving settings in the Google Home app (changes revert, “Something went wrong”, settings won’t apply). Quick questions so we don’t waste time on the wrong fix:
• Are you using Nest Wifi, Nest Wifi Pro, or older Google Wifi? Do you have a Nest Wifi router + Wifi points?
• Which setting refuses to save: network name/password, guest network, DNS (custom DNS), port forwarding, DHCP/IP reservation, device prioritization, or something else?
• What exactly happens when you tap Save: error message, spinner that never finishes, or it “saves” then reverts after you reopen the screen?
• Phone OS: iPhone/iPad (iOS) or Android? Any VPN/ad-blocker profiles, Private DNS, or battery restrictions on the Home app?

The reason I ask: Nest Wifi settings are saved through Google’s cloud + your Home structure, so the root cause is often app permissions/account/home mismatch, cloud sync, or double NAT in the upstream modem/router.

Got it — this is a common “settings not saving in Google Home app” pattern. Nest Wifi settings (DNS, guest network, port forwarding, DHCP reservations) are written to the router via the Home app, but the save can fail when:
• The Home app isn’t fully synced to the correct Home / household (people with multiple Homes see settings “revert”).
• The phone blocks background sync (battery optimization, app permissions), so the save request never completes.
• A VPN / Private DNS / content filter interferes with Google Home cloud calls → “Something went wrong”.
• The Nest Wifi router is behind an ISP gateway doing NAT and the network is unstable (double NAT / modem-router combo issues can cause weird behavior).

We’ll fix this fast using a “clean path” approach: confirm the right account/home, refresh the app, confirm router online, then re-apply DNS/guest settings. If needed, we’ll do a quick network refresh (not a full factory reset unless absolutely necessary).

Yes — those are two of the biggest causes of “Nest Wifi changes not saved”. Let’s do the fastest high-success steps first.

Step 1 — Ensure you’re editing the correct Home (account/home mismatch fix)
1) Open Google Home → tap your profile icon → confirm the correct Google account.
2) At the top, switch to the Home that contains your Nest Wifi router (not your parents’ Home).
3) Go to Wi-Fi → make sure you see your network name and your router/point listed under devices.

Step 2 — Remove blockers that break “Save”
1) Temporarily turn OFF your VPN.
2) Temporarily disable the iOS DNS profile / ad-blocking profile (these can intercept Google Home calls).
3) Close Google Home completely and reopen it (force close).

Step 3 — Confirm the router is online and synced
In Google Home → Wi-Fi → look for anything like “offline”, “checking connection”, or “needs attention”. If the router is flapping online/offline, settings like guest Wi-Fi and custom DNS often fail to apply and then revert.

Great — that confirms the core issue was app/cloud interference, and we already improved it. Now for the Google Nest Wifi DNS not saving case. This usually comes down to one of these: the Home app cache is stale, the router is mid-sync/firmware update, or the upstream ISP gateway is doing DNS filtering that makes the change “bounce back.”

Step 4 — Apply custom DNS the clean way
1) Google Home → Wi-Fi → Settings (gear) → Advanced networking → DNS.
2) Choose “Custom” and enter DNS servers carefully (example: primary + secondary). Make sure there are no extra spaces/characters.
3) Tap Save and wait 30–60 seconds on that screen (don’t switch apps immediately).

Step 5 — If DNS still reverts, refresh the Home app state
• Update Google Home from the App Store (outdated app versions are notorious for “won’t save settings”).
• Toggle Airplane Mode ON/OFF (forces a clean network session), then reopen Google Home and try again.
• If you have iCloud Private Relay enabled, try temporarily disabling it (it can complicate DNS-related behavior).

One more key question: is your Nest Wifi connected behind an ISP modem/router combo (gateway)? That’s where we often see DNS changes “snap back” due to upstream settings.

That’s a huge clue. When Nest Wifi sits behind an ISP gateway doing routing/NAT, you can hit two related problems:
1) Double NAT / upstream router conflict → settings changes can behave oddly, and anything “advanced” (DNS, port forwarding, device priority) can be inconsistent.
2) Port forwarding rules “won’t work” unless the target device has a stable IP (DHCP reservation), and the upstream gateway isn’t also blocking it.

Step 6 — Quick Double NAT check (fast, no changes yet)
1) Google Home → Wi-Fi → Settings → Advanced networking → look for notes/warnings about NAT or upstream router.
2) If you have an ISP “gateway” (modem + router), you have two clean options:
  • Put the ISP gateway into bridge mode so Nest Wifi is the only router (best for stable settings + port forwarding).
  • OR keep the gateway as router, and put Nest Wifi into a simpler topology (not always ideal).

Step 7 — Make port forwarding save reliably
1) First set a DHCP reservation (aka “reserved IP”) for the device you’re forwarding to (PC, console, server).
2) Then add the port forward rule in Google Home → Wi-Fi → Settings → Advanced networking → Port management.
3) Save and wait; then reopen the rule list to confirm it persists (this confirms “settings saved” rather than “ghost save”).

If you want, tell me your ISP gateway brand (e.g., Comcast/Xfinity, AT&T, Vodafone, Movistar, etc.) and I’ll suggest the safest way to enable bridge mode without breaking internet.

Totally fair — we can still stabilize “Nest Wifi not saving settings” without touching bridge mode right away. Here’s the quickest safe set of fixes that often makes saves “stick”.

Step 8 — Force a clean sync between Google Home app and Nest Wifi
1) Update Google Home app (App Store) and reboot your iPhone.
2) In Google Home, go to Wi-Fi → your router → run a quick “restart network” (if available). This refreshes cloud sync without wiping anything.
3) Wait 2–3 minutes, then try the setting again (DNS, guest network, port forward) and keep the app open until it completes.

Step 9 — Remove common save blockers
• Make sure Google Home has full permissions it needs (local network access on iOS is key for reliable device control).
• Temporarily disable Private Relay / VPN / DNS profile while saving changes (you can re-enable after).
• If you’re on cellular or a different Wi-Fi while attempting to edit, switch to your Nest Wifi network first — saves are most reliable when the phone is on the same LAN.

If after these steps DNS still flips back to “automatic”, that strongly suggests the upstream gateway is enforcing DNS or the Nest router can’t commit the config consistently due to the current topology. In that case, bridge mode becomes the clean long-term fix, but we can still walk you through it safely if you decide.

Yes — if the Home app consistently can’t commit changes and settings keep reverting, the “clean slate” fix is a factory reset of the Nest Wifi network. This often fixes corrupted configuration states after firmware/app updates, especially when settings appear to save but don’t persist.

Step 10 — Fast “last resort” recovery (factory reset network)
1) In Google Home → Wi-Fi → Settings → choose Factory reset network (or factory reset the router/point tiles).
2) Reset the router first, then the points if you have them. (This prevents mesh pairing confusion.)
3) Recreate the network in Google Home, then test ONE setting right away (e.g., enable Guest Wi-Fi). If it saves, then add DNS and port forwarding afterward.

How to avoid downtime:
• Have your ISP gateway Wi-Fi enabled temporarily so you still have internet while resetting Nest Wifi.
• Keep the phone on stable power, stay near the router, and don’t switch apps mid-setup.

If you want maximum speed, I can guide you step-by-step in chat with the exact taps in the Google Home app so you don’t get stuck mid-reset.

Awesome — that combination (account/home match + removing blockers + reserving IPs) is the most reliable fix for “Google Home app not saving settings” on Nest Wifi.

Prevent it from coming back (quick best practices)
• Keep Google Home app updated; outdated builds often cause “Save failed” and “Something went wrong.”
• When changing advanced settings (DNS, guest Wi-Fi, port forwarding, DHCP reservation), temporarily disable VPN/Private Relay/DNS profiles, apply the change, then re-enable them.
• Use DHCP reservations for any device that needs stable rules (port forwarding, device priority). This prevents “rules break after reboot” issues.
• If you keep the ISP gateway routing, expect more quirks. For the cleanest long-term stability, consider bridge mode on the ISP gateway so Nest Wifi is the only router (reduces double NAT and makes saves more consistent).

If any setting starts reverting again, tell me which one (DNS vs guest network vs port management) and we can pinpoint the exact trigger in minutes.

Summary: when Google Nest Wifi is not saving settings, the fastest fix is usually (1) choose the correct Home/account in Google Home, (2) disable VPN/Private Relay/DNS profiles while saving, (3) force-close/reopen the app and keep it updated, and (4) restart the network so the router re-syncs. For port forwarding not saving, reserve an IP first (DHCP reservation) so rules persist. If settings still revert, check for double NAT with an ISP gateway and consider bridge mode, or as a last resort perform a factory reset. Need help doing it without downtime? Open the chat and I’ll guide you step by step.