Resetting your Google speakers and display models takes a few seconds.
The Google Home Mini has already been around for almost nine years and the company even discontinued it, but the devices are still in perfect working order. However, there are situations that require a factory reset. Whether the speaker stops responding to commands, there are Wi-Fi connectivity issues, you’ve tried to change your Google account, or you’re just ready to send it to another owner, you need to know how to reset it.
The good news is that resetting your device does not require any technical expertise or special tools. Frankly, no matter which Google speaker or display you have, the reset process only takes a few minutes, and that’s exactly the case for the original Home Mini. This is especially nice because if you try to set it up again it will take you even longer, and none of us have too much of that.
We’ll go through the entire process of resetting the original Google Home Mini, explain how to do the same for the company’s other devices, and discuss what happens once the process is complete.
How to factory reset a Google Home Mini
Nathan Ingraham for Woozad
Earlier this year, Google introduced a new smart home speaker, which took the wraps off both the Nest Home Mini and Nest Audio. The company confirmed to Woozad that it will no longer make new units for these models, but will continue to support them with regular software updates, security patches, and customer service.
One thing to be aware of if you need to perform a factory reset on any of these devices is that this process cannot be triggered via voice commands or the Google Home app. You will need to use the physical speaker controls.
If you own the Google Home Mini (1st generation), you need to flip the device over and locate the reset button at the bottom. Just below the power cord, a small circle will be etched into the base. You need to hold the button for about five seconds until the reset process begins, then continue to hold it for another 10 seconds until you hear a confirmation chime.
If you have the Google Nest Mini (2nd generation), which looks pretty much the same as the original, you need to find the microphone on/off switch on the side of the device and turn it off. This will cause the LED lights to flash orange. Next, press and hold the center of the device, where the top lights are located, for about five seconds to initiate the reset. Hold for another 10 seconds until a chime confirms the process is complete.
For display models like the Nest Hub, the reset process requires pressing and holding both volume buttons on the back of the device simultaneously for about 10 seconds. The screen will indicate that the reset is in progress. Give it a few moments to fully reboot before attempting any setup.
What happens after a factory reset and how to restore it
A factory reset cleans your Google Home Mini and restores it to the exact state it was in when you took it out of the box. All your personal data, Wi-Fi credentials, and associated Google accounts are permanently deleted, and the device is disconnected from everyone in your household. You can’t undo this action, so make sure you don’t actually need a simple reboot, which you can do by unplugging the device for a minute to fix minor issues without erasing anything.
If you want to reconnect your device, you need to open the Google Home app, tap the “+” icon and select Configure the device. From there, follow the app prompts to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and associate the speaker with your Google account. If your Google Home Mini isn’t connecting, there are plenty of troubleshooting tips available on Google’s support pages.
