This guide shows you how to have Nest Doorbell on 2 phones so multiple people can receive alerts and view live footage. You’ll learn how to add users, manage permissions, and troubleshoot common issues—all in simple steps.
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Key Takeaways
- Multiple users can access one Nest Doorbell: You can share your doorbell with up to 10 people using the Google Home or Nest app.
- Each phone needs the right app: Both users must install either the Google Home app or the Nest app (depending on your doorbell model) and sign in with their Google account.
- Home sharing is the key feature: Use Google Home’s “Home” sharing option to invite others to your smart home setup, giving them control over your doorbell.
- Permissions matter: You can choose whether guests can view only or also manage settings like motion zones and alerts.
- Notifications work on both phones: Once added, both users will get doorbell rings, motion alerts, and person detection notifications.
- Troubleshooting is simple: Common issues like delayed alerts or login problems are usually fixed by checking Wi-Fi, app updates, or re-inviting users.
- Privacy remains protected: Only invited users can see your doorbell feed—no one else gets access unless you approve them.
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How to Have Nest Doorbell on 2 Phones: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
So you’ve installed your Nest Doorbell and love getting instant alerts when someone’s at your door—but what if you want your partner, roommate, or family member to see those same alerts on their phone too? Good news: you can easily have your Nest Doorbell on two phones (or even more!) without buying a second device.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about sharing your Nest Doorbell with another person. Whether you’re using a wired Nest Doorbell (2nd gen), a battery-powered model, or an older Nest Hello, the process is nearly identical. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to:
- Add a second user to your Nest Doorbell
- Ensure both phones receive live video, motion alerts, and doorbell rings
- Manage who can view or control your doorbell
- Troubleshoot common connection or notification issues
Best of all? It’s free, secure, and takes just a few minutes. Let’s get started!
Understanding How Nest Doorbell Sharing Works
Before diving into the steps, it’s helpful to understand how Nest allows multiple users to access the same doorbell. Unlike some security systems that require separate accounts or paid subscriptions for extra users, Google’s ecosystem makes sharing simple through something called “Home” sharing.
When you set up your Nest Doorbell, it’s added to a “Home” in either the Google Home app or the Nest app (depending on your model). This “Home” acts like a digital household—a container for all your smart devices. As the home owner, you can invite others to join this Home. Once they accept, they gain access to all devices within it—including your doorbell.
There are two main ways users interact with your doorbell:
- Viewer access: They can see live video, review event history, and receive notifications—but can’t change settings.
- Manager access: They can do everything you can: adjust motion zones, turn off alerts, view recordings (if you have a Nest Aware subscription), and even delete events.
You control these permissions when you send the invite. Most people choose “Manager” for trusted family members and “Viewer” for guests or less tech-savvy users.
Note: If your doorbell was set up after October 2021, it likely uses the Google Home app. Older models may still use the Nest app. Don’t worry—we’ll cover both scenarios below.
Step 1: Make Sure Both Phones Have the Right App Installed
The first step to having your Nest Doorbell on two phones is ensuring both devices have the correct app. Here’s how to check:
For Newer Nest Doorbells (Battery or Wired, 2nd Gen)
These models integrate directly with the Google Home app. If you’re not sure which app your doorbell uses, look at your phone:
- If you set it up using the Google Home app (the one with the colorful house icon), you’re in the right place.
- If you used the Nest app (blue icon with a white “N”), see the next section.
To confirm, open the Google Home app and look for your doorbell under “Devices.” If it’s there, great! If not, you may need to migrate your device (we’ll explain how later).
For Older Nest Doorbells (Nest Hello, 1st Gen)
These typically use the Nest app. However, Google is gradually moving all devices to the Google Home app. If your doorbell still appears in the Nest app but not in Google Home, you might need to enable “Works with Google” integration.
Pro Tip: Even if your doorbell currently uses the Nest app, we recommend installing the Google Home app anyway—it’s where future updates and features will live.
Download Instructions
On the second phone (the one that doesn’t currently have access):
- Open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).
- Search for “Google Home” or “Nest” (depending on your doorbell model).
- Download and install the app.
- Open the app and sign in with the second user’s Google account (not yours!).
Important: Each person must use their own Google account. You cannot share one account across multiple phones and expect separate notifications or privacy controls.
Step 2: Add the Second User via Home Sharing
Now that both phones have the right app, it’s time to invite the second user to your Home. This is done through Google Home’s sharing feature.
Open the Google Home App (on Your Phone)
- Launch the Google Home app.
- Tap the Home tab at the bottom (it looks like a house).
- In the top-right corner, tap your profile picture or the “Settings” gear icon.
- Select Home settings.
- Tap Invite (or “Add person to home”).
Enter the Second User’s Email
Type in the email address associated with the second user’s Google account. Make sure it’s correct—Google sends the invite to that exact address.
Choose Permissions
You’ll see two options:
- Manager: Can control all devices, change settings, and manage other users.
- Viewer: Can only view devices and receive notifications.
For most couples or family members, choose Manager. For kids, elderly relatives, or temporary guests, Viewer is safer.
Send the Invite
Tap “Send.” The second user will receive an email and/or notification in their Google Home app.
Accept the Invite (on the Second Phone)
- Open the Google Home app on the second phone.
- Look for a banner or notification saying “You’ve been invited to a home.”
- Tap it, then select Accept.
- The doorbell (and any other shared devices) will now appear in their app.
That’s it! Both phones now have access to the same Nest Doorbell.
Step 3: Test Notifications and Live View
After sharing, it’s crucial to test that everything works as expected. Here’s how:
Test Doorbell Ring Alerts
Ask someone to press your physical doorbell button (or simulate a ring if you have a battery model with a test feature). Both phones should receive a push notification saying “Someone is at your front door” along with a snapshot.
Test Motion Alerts
Walk in front of the doorbell to trigger motion detection. Both phones should get an alert like “Motion detected at your front door.”
Test Live View
On the second phone, open the Google Home app, tap the doorbell, and select “View camera.” You should see a live video feed within a few seconds.
If any of these fail, don’t panic—we’ll troubleshoot in a later section. But in most cases, everything works instantly after accepting the invite.
Step 4: Customize Settings for Each User (Optional)
Once shared, you might want to tailor the experience for each user. Here are some common customizations:
Adjust Notification Preferences
Each user can choose what alerts they receive:
- Open the Google Home app.
- Tap the doorbell > Settings (gear icon).
- Go to Notifications.
- Toggle on/off options like “Doorbell rings,” “Motion,” or “Person seen.”
This means your partner can get all alerts, while your teen only gets doorbell rings—no need to bother them with every squirrel that passes by!
Set Up Activity Zones (Manager Only)
If the second user has Manager access, they can create or edit activity zones:
- Go to doorbell settings > Activity Zones.
- Draw zones where you want motion alerts (e.g., driveway but not sidewalk).
- Save changes.
Note: Activity zones apply to all users—you can’t have different zones per person.
Manage Nest Aware Recordings
If you subscribe to Nest Aware, both users can view event history—but only Managers can delete recordings or adjust recording schedules.
What If Your Doorbell Is Still in the Nest App?
If your doorbell appears in the Nest app but not Google Home, you’ll need to migrate it first. Here’s how:
Check Compatibility
Most Nest Doorbells (including Nest Hello) can be moved to Google Home—but only if they’re connected to a Google Account (not a legacy Nest Account).
Migrate to Google Home
- Open the Nest app.
- Go to Settings > Account > Migrate to Google.
- Follow the prompts to link your Nest Account to your Google Account.
- Once migrated, your doorbell will appear in Google Home.
- Now you can share it using the steps above.
Warning: Migration is one-way. You can’t go back to the Nest app after moving to Google Home. But don’t worry—Google Home offers all the same features (and more).
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with perfect setup, sometimes things go wrong. Here’s how to fix the most common problems when trying to have your Nest Doorbell on two phones.
Problem: Second Phone Isn’t Getting Notifications
Solution:
- Check that notifications are enabled in the Google Home app (Settings > Notifications).
- Ensure the phone’s system-level notifications for Google Home are turned on (go to phone Settings > Apps > Google Home > Notifications).
- Make sure “Do Not Disturb” mode is off.
- Restart the app and phone.
Problem: Live View Won’t Load on Second Phone
Solution:
- Verify both phones have a strong Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
- Check that the doorbell itself has good Wi-Fi signal (look for the Wi-Fi icon in the app).
- Force-close and reopen the Google Home app.
- If using a battery doorbell, ensure it’s charged above 20% (low battery can limit streaming).
Problem: Invite Was Sent But Not Received
Solution:
- Confirm the email address was entered correctly.
- Ask the second user to check their spam/junk folder.
- Have them open the Google Home app and look for a pending invite under “Home settings.”
- Resend the invite if needed.
Problem: Second User Can’t See the Doorbell at All
Solution:
- Ensure they accepted the invite while signed into the correct Google account.
- Ask them to pull down to refresh the Home screen in the Google Home app.
- Check that you granted “Manager” or “Viewer” access (not just “Guest,” which has limited device access).
- Try removing and re-inviting the user.
Problem: Delayed Alerts on One Phone
Solution:
- This is often a phone-specific issue. Check for app updates.
- Clear the Google Home app cache (Android: Settings > Apps > Google Home > Storage > Clear Cache).
- On iPhone, restart the device.
- Ensure both phones are running the latest OS version.
Privacy and Security Tips
Sharing your doorbell doesn’t mean sacrificing privacy. Follow these best practices:
- Only invite people you trust. Anyone with Manager access can see your video history and change settings.
- Use two-factor authentication on your Google Account to prevent unauthorized access.
- Regularly review who has access. Go to Google Home > Home settings > People to see all users. Remove anyone who no longer needs access.
- Disable “Familiar Face” alerts if you don’t want others to see who’s been at your door (this requires Nest Aware).
- Never share your Google password. Always use the invite system instead.
Can You Add More Than Two Phones?
Absolutely! Google allows up to 10 people in a single Home. That means you can have your Nest Doorbell on your phone, your spouse’s phone, your teen’s phone, your parent’s phone—you get the idea. Just repeat the invite process for each person.
However, keep in mind:
- More users = more potential for accidental setting changes.
- Notifications may become overwhelming if everyone gets alerts for minor motion.
- Consider using “Viewer” access for less critical users.
Final Thoughts
Having your Nest Doorbell on two phones isn’t just possible—it’s surprisingly easy. With Google’s Home sharing feature, you can keep your whole household informed and secure without any extra cost or complicated setup.
Remember: the key steps are installing the right app, sending a Home invite, choosing the correct permissions, and testing notifications. If something goes wrong, the troubleshooting tips above will get you back on track in minutes.
Now go ahead—share that doorbell with your loved ones. Whether it’s so your partner can see who’s at the door while you’re in the shower, or so your college kid can monitor packages while you’re at work, dual-phone access makes life a little safer and a lot more convenient.