Google partnered with Yale to develop a tamper-proof, internet-connected lock to improve home security. The Nest X Yale Lock also enhances access to your home through your door. You can use it to remotely unlock or lock your door and schedule guest access to your property. The device also records the time and names of people who opened your door.
Yale is reputable for its extensive experience in developing, testing, certifying, and launching quality home locks. Google brought them on board to develop the hardware for the Nest X Yale smart lock. The device relies on Google’s Nest technology and software to keep homes protected from burglary and intrusion.
How the Nest X Yale Lock Works?
Google and Yale designed the Nest X Yale smart lock for easy DIY installation. It will take you less than an hour to get the device up and running. You’ll need a head screwdriver to install the lock and a mobile device (with the Nest app installed) to connect your phone to the lock.
The Nest X Yale Lock is an ideal replacement for the traditional deadbolt locks on doors or any height and width. When buying one, you should consider your door’s backset and thickness. The lock fits doors that are 2 to 2 ¼ inch, 1 ¾ inch, and 1 3/8 inches thick. Your door should also have fiberglass, metal, or wood as its primary building material for the device to work.
The term backset relates to the distance between the center of the deadbolt hole and your door’s edge. Nest X Yale Locks are only compatible with doors with a backset of less than 2 ¾ inches (70 millimeters). It also won’t work on sliding or glass doors. The device isn’t compatible with multi-point locks or Mortise locks.
Since it doesn’t rely on a physical key to work, the Nest X Yale Lock comes powered with a keypad. You can control it from the Google Home app by tapping on a keypad instead of inserting a key to a keyhole. The device automatically sends alerts to your phone to inform you about the people who are entering and leaving your house. You can assign or schedule access to your home and even activate the automatic lock feature.
Getting Your Nest X Yale lock to Work with Google Home
The Nest X Yale lock is compatible with any device from Google Home, including Google Home Mini, Google Home, and Google Home Hub. It can also work with the Google Assistant on your phone to allow remote access even when there’s no smart speaker present.
Ever since Google acquired Nest, the partnership initiated the integration between Nest and Google products. The only virtual assistant supported by the Nest security system is the Google Assistant app.
Setting Up Nest X Yale Lock to Google Home
Start by installing the lock in your home and then set it up from the Nest app. Ensure that the device is functioning properly before proceeding with the following steps. The next step is to install Google Assistant and Google Home apps on your phone and sign in or sign up to your Google account. Both apps are available on iOS and Android.
Click the menu icon on the upper left corner of the screen once you sign-in on the Google Home app. You should then click the “Home Control” button. When the Home Control menu appears, click the plus (+) symbol on the lower right corner.
Search for “Nest” on the search bar at the top section of the app and select the Nest app. A pop-up screen will appear prompting you to log in with your credentials. Press “Allow” to finish this step.
Controlling Your Nest X Yale Lock Through the Google Home App
You can control your Nest X Yale Lock with the Nest app and Google Home app. Simply launch the Google Home app and tap “Lock” or “Unlock” under the Lock icon. The app will indicate the current state (locked or unlocked) of your Nest X Yale Lock. Tapping of the Lock icon will display the lock’s exact location, locking date, and name.
The Google Home app also allows you to change the settings on your Nest X Yale lock. Launch the app, choose your lock and then click on “Settings.” Through the “Settings” menu, you can assign your Nest device to a different room and change its name. This menu also allows you to lock the tone volume, set an Auto-Lock Timer, and activate One Touch Locking.
From the “Settings” menu on the Google Home app, choose the volume setting (off, high or low) you prefer. Since the Nest X Yale Lock doesn’t automatically lock itself, you can activate the automatic locking feature from the Google Home app. This Auto-Lock timer feature allows you to select the amount of time it will take for the Nest device to lock itself automatically.
The One Touch Locking feature makes it easier to lock your door from the outside. You can enable it on the Google Home app. Once enabled, touch the lock keypad to lock your door. You won’t have to enter a passcode when using this feature.
What You Need to Make the Lock Work with Google Home
Since the Nest X Yale Lock won’t connect directly to your home Wi-Fi, it relies on Weave to connect to a Nest Guard or Nest Connect. You need to have either Nest Connect or Nest Guard installed and connected to the dedicated Nest app. Once the device meets this criterion, it will connect to the Google Home app.
Google Nest Connect or Google Nest Guard directly connect to your home Wi-Fi to allow the lock to communicate with the Nest servers and your phone’s Nest app. If you buy the lock from a Google-certified retailer, it will come with Nest Connect included in the package. However, if you buy the lock from the Nest website (store.nest.com), you can choose to have it shipped with or without the Nest Connect.
You can buy the Nest X Yale Lock without Nest Connect and get it to work if your home has an existing Google Nest Secure alarm system installed. It’s advisable to use one Nest Connect on your locks if you’re installing them in plenty. However, you may need multiple Nest Connect if the doors are far apart from each other. Install the Google Nest Connect about halfway between your lock and router for the best results.
Nest X Yale Lock Wi-Fi Bandwidth Consumption
The Nest X Yale Lock uses less than 50 MB bandwidth in a week, depending on how frequently you use it. That’s because it doesn’t connect directly to your home’s Wi-Fi. Instead, it uses Weave to connect to a Google Nest Guard and Google Nest Connect, which connects to the Wi-Fi network and transmits signals to the Nest app. This type of communication uses relatively little bandwidth.
What Notifications Does the Lock Send to Your Phone?
The Nest X Yale Smart Lock sends different notifications to alert you of intrusions or other vital issues. You’ll receive an alert when someone locks or unlocks your door. This notification will include the name you assigned that person in the Nest app and the specific time they locked or unlocked your door. The app will notify you when the lock’s battery runs low or when a person enters a wrong passcode five times.
You will get alerts on your phone when the lock goes offline for over ten minutes. The notifications may also come when the deadbolt can’t retract or extend. Besides sending your alerts, the app will display a 10-day lock usage history. This type of information will let you know the instances in which you or someone else unlocked your door.
Why You Need Google Assistant and Google Home for the Lock?
Google Assistant gives you unlimited control of your Google-powered devices through the “Okay, Google” function. You don’t need a smart speaker for this functionality to work. Google Home, on the other hand, makes it easier to manage the Nest X Yale Lock from your Google devices.
Once you set up your Nest X Yale Lock, you can prepare voice commands to lock or unlock your door. Examples of the voice commands include “Hey Google, can you lock my door,” “Hey Google is my door locked” and “Hey Google, unlock my door.” The Google Assistant will respond by telling you the current status of your door. You can then give other voice commands depending on the response you get.
You can include your smart lock in your Google Assistant routines. These routines will cover the times you’re going to sleep, leaving your house, or going to work. With the right voice command, the virtual assistant will automatically lock your door.
Can You Unlock Your Door Using Google Home?
Though Google Home allows you to lock your door remotely, you can’t use the app to open the lock. You’ll have to open your door manually for security purposes. Voice commands are easy to manipulate that’s why Google Home only allows you to use them to lock your doors.
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