Can You Use a Nest Thermostat Without WiFi? Complete Guide

Do you wonder – Can You Use a Nest Thermostat Without WiFi? Is your Wi-Fi dead?

It’s never a good feeling when you’re stuck in a too hot or cold room.

But, with the convenience of controlling your Nest thermostat remotely, many have forgotten that Wi-Fi is not always necessary for your thermostat.

To use Nest thermostat without Wi-Fi and remotely, first, go to the Settings, and turn off the Auto Scheduler/Planner. Next again, go to Settings and press Restart – find Schedule and Clear it. Lastly, navigate back to Schedule and enter the preferred temperature set periods.

Don’t fret!

Although there are a few different ways to answer the question, can you use your Nest thermostat without Wi-Fi, we’ve found that the easiest one, and you will learn about them in this article.

If you want to learn how to, read below!

So, Can You Use a Nest Thermostat Without WiFi?

Yes, your nest thermostat can work perfectly fine without Wi-Fi.

The internet connection to your thermostat only allows you to enjoy the remote and intelligent features which the device has.

The most basic functions can work well without the internet.

Although the thermostat works automatically – based on your settings when there is a Wi-Fi connection, you can stay assured that it will work completely fine and without it.

The Nest thermostat’s most essential and most likely needed features can be operated manually from the small screen display on the thermostat.

Examples of these features are:

• The temperature sensors – simply allow you to program what temperature you want in the rooms of your home.
• The “Nest Eco” feature enables the device to set eco-friendly temperatures in the rooms.
• Lastly, the temperature planner feature – is also known as a scheduling feature. It allows you to plan what temperature you want the room to have at a specific time.

With these features, you can easily set the thermostat to heat or cool your house even without the internet.

How Does Nest Thermostat Work Without Wi-Fi?

There are only two ways to use the Nest thermostat without Wi-Fi. The first is to let it run the daily Schedule it has input.

Or to simply control the heating and cooling by yourself – manually.

Both options can be a great choice. But in most cases, it will be preferred to leave the schedule planner to run the cooling and heating.

That is because many families have the temperatures set beforehand.

Like when no one is at home, the temperature will be one; when the owners are back, it will be different, and when the family falls asleep, it will be a third.

Note: The Schedule can also be cleared and changed manually!

How to Use It Manually?

When it comes to using it manually, there are not many tweaks you need to know.

First, you have to go to your thermostat and check if the heating mode is on. If it is working, you will see a green light – if not, it will be off.

You simply have to press the Heating Link button to turn it on or off. That mainly goes for the Nest E and the Learning model.

If you want to edit the temperature:

• You have to go to: “Menu View.“
• Choose a temperature – you can also use the Eco-friendly feature.
• Confirm the input info.

It is best to use the Eco-Friendly Feature. But if you prefer to have more control – insert selected by your one. After you are done, press “Confirm.”

Nest Thermostat – Best Alternative When Wi-Fi is Off

When you have no Wi-Fi connection, the best thing to do is turn on the Schedule – planner maker on your thermostat.

As mentioned above, this is probably the best option when you have no internet connection and can not control the thermostat from a distance.

To enable the schedule setting of choice, you first have to turn off the Auto-Schedule feature of your Nest thermostat.

Doing it is easy as all you have to do is navigate to the Settings menu and turn the feature off.

After you are done with it, all left is to clear the old settings and input the new ones you have in mind.

• Again go to “Settings.”
• Find the “Reset” option and clear the old schedule settings.
• Now go back to the thermostat and find the “Schedule” again.

All that is left is to set new settings for the Schedule as you please.

By doing so, you will be able to control the thermostat even without Wi-Fi and still even when you are not at home.

Note: The schedule feature can be used with or without Wi-Fi and is one of the most valuable ones - it is your best option.

How do I update my Nest thermostat without Wi-Fi?

As seen above, the Nest thermostat can work without Wi-Fi by already existing settings that you have input before.

Now arise the question: Can you update the device’s software or any other new updates that came out?

Well, to put it simply, you can not do it without Wi-Fi. That is because any new security update, for example (or any other), needs to be downloaded from the internet.

So you can’t simply get it on your app and update it.

Now, if you already have downloaded it or have everything ready. All you have to do is update manually. It will not take long and can be done quickly in a few steps.

How To Update My Thermostat Manually

Now know that you need to have the update ready – downloaded. All you have to do to update manually is to access your settings.

To do it, follow these steps:

• Go to the home screen.
• Look for Settings and open them.
• Find and select “Version Update.”

Based on your model, these can vary – in case you use a version like Nest Thermostat E or learn one, the path will look differently.

But, first, you have to access Quick View > Settings > Software Update.

Does the Nest Thermostat Work if Power Goes Out?

Sometimes having no Wi-Fi is due to a blackout or another situation. Many people wonder if their thermostat will continue to operate at such a moment.

Yes, your Nest thermostat will work even without power or Wi-Fi. In fact, the device has a reserve battery – which will allow it to operate for hours even without electricity.

Unfortunately, the batteries will not last you forever. Usually, after they drain, your thermostat will cease to operate.

Luckily the settings and everything like your auto planner will be saved for when you have power again.

Alert: If you experience problems with the electricity often due to unchangeable reasons it will be a good idea to invest in a power generator.

My Wi-Fi is Back – How to Reconnect Nest Thermostat

First, having your Wi-Fi back is excellent. Now you will be able to use all of your thermostat features and even control them from afar easily.

All you have to do is go to the Nest thermostat and restart it to reconnect.

Doing so will not be complicated – just do this:

• Access the “Quick View” menu of your thermostat.
• Navigate to “Settings” and press “Reset.”
• Lastly, press “Restart” on your thermostat, and tap ok.

That will reset your device and prepare it for reconnection. 

After you complete restarting it, wait a few moments and go back to “Settings.” From there, find “Networks” and look for your Wi-Fi – connect to it.

Read Next: Why Is Nest Camera Not Detecting Motion?

Bottom Line:

As you can see, the question to – Can you use a Nest thermostat without Wi-Fi Is YES.

You can easily input a new schedule or control the temperature manually, even without Wi-Fi.

Showing you the two best options, you can easily control the thermostat when you are at home or away. Making a choice to which option is picked is all up to you.