Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Every year for a few weeks, the Nest video doorbells get a little more exciting. During holidays like Halloween and Christmas, you can switch up your Nest video doorbell to play different sounds when someone presses it.
If you have the Nest Doorbell (wired) – formerly known as Nest Hello – you need to do this through the Nest app and you only get access to the different themes at specific times of the year. The Nest Doorbell (battery) and the newer Nest Doorbell (wired) in the US are a little different, offering access to different tones throughout the year, in addition to special ringtones during Halloween and Christmas.
We’ve covered how to change the ringtone of all of the Nest video doorbells below, so whether you have the Nest Doorbell (wired), Nest Doorbell (battery) or the older Nest Hello video doorbell, here’s how to get spooky this Halloween.
- A Nest video doorbell
- The Google Home or Nest app
- Your smartphone or tablet
- Open the Nest app.
- Tap on your Nest Doorbell.
- Tap on the settings cog in the top right corner.
- Scroll down to Doorbell Theme.
- Select Spooky Sounds.
- Open the Google Home app.
- Tap on your Nest doorbell.
- Tap on Settings.
- Tap on Doorbell.
- Select Doorbell Theme.
- Choose Halloween.
Google first released special ringtones on its Nest Hello doorbell back in 2019. They arrived in the middle of October and lasted through to November, allowing you to change the ringtone to a cackling witch, a ghost, a vampire or a scary monster. Google has since announced the Nest Doorbell (battery) and new Nest Doorbell (wired), both of which are controlled through the Google Home app and allow for different ringtones throughout the year.
The Nest Hello is still available to buy in some regions, and it can be controlled through the Nest app or the Google Home app, but you can’t change its ringtone all the time – that privilege is only granted during special holidays like Halloween. You also need to change the ringtone through the Nest app, rather than the Google Home app. Don’t ask us why, it is baffling.
We’ve covered off how to change the ringtone of both the Nest Hello through the Nest app, and the other Nest video doorbells through the Google Home app below though so whichever one you have, we have you covered. The Nest app is pictured on the left, and the Google Home app on the right, with the steps below covering both.
The spooky sounds will finish on November 3. If you have a Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max and you turn on Visitor Announcements, you will also get the spooky sounds playing on those smart displays too.
