Learn about internet bandwidth & speed requirements for Nest cameras

When you pick video quality and bandwidth settings, you set the maximum video quality for your camera. Your camera will automatically adjust video resolution and compression according to how much bandwidth is available.

Refer to the table below to learn how much bandwidth your Nest camera or doorbell might use.

Maximum upload bandwidth for Nest cameras and doorbells

1 Your camera will automatically adjust video bitrate based on available bandwidth where possible.

Maximum resolution for Nest cameras and doorbells

1 Your camera will automatically adjust video bitrate based on available bandwidth where possible.

If you experience bandwidth issues when your camera uploads video to the Nest service, you can lower its quality and bandwidth in its settings. This will help your network run smoother and prevent slowdowns.

Important: Your camera will upload video to the Nest service based on your camera's connection to the internet and the quality and bandwidth you set for your camera.

In general, you only use download bandwidth when you watch video in the app over Wi-Fi. This typically requires the same amount of bandwidth it takes to upload the video.

If you're connected to a cellular network, the app compensates for the slower connection if you lower the quality of the video stream. This helps reduce disconnections, pauses, and stuttering.

Your camera also uses a small amount of bandwidth to download software updates and other information from the Nest service.

Some internet providers limit how much data you can use per month, or they charge an extra fee if you go over the limit. This is different from the upload and download bandwidth described in the sections above.

Check with your internet provider for details about your data plan, including any monthly data limitations.

Your camera's data usage can vary

The total amount of data used by your camera over a month depends on:

How much activity your camera sees

If there's a lot of motion in your camera's view such as people moving, cars passing by, or leaves rustling, your camera will use more data than when it's relatively still and quiet.

How Nest cameras detect sound and motion

When your camera streams live video

Some Nest cameras stream video and use bandwidth whenever it's turned on.

However, newer Nest cameras and doorbells, like the Nest Cam (wired), Nest Cam (battery), or Nest Doorbell (battery), only stream video when you're watching the live feed or when the camera records detected events. This means your data usage will likely be lower. You can expect less data consumption compared to the examples provided below.

The quality and bandwidth setting you choose

The higher the video quality setting, the more data your camera uses.

• Cameras set up in the Google Home app:
  • The High video setting will balance video quality with data usage.
  • Max setting will prioritize high video quality.
• Cameras set up in the Nest app:
  • Low quality uses the smallest amount of bandwidth but impacts video quality.
  • Medium quality balances bandwidth use and video quality.
  • High quality uses more bandwidth to get a higher video quality.

Change your camera's video quality

Because these factors vary, here are high-end estimates of monthly data usage for each Nest camera, to help you plan.

Quality and bandwidth setting

Typical monthly data usage with 24/7 video recording for Nest cameras and doorbells.

Important: Monthly data usage for your cameras and doorbells may vary.

Monthly data usage with Event based recording (EBR) Nest cameras and doorbells

Important: Monthly data usage for your doorbell may vary.

If you need your camera to use less data over the course of a month, you can try to:

• Lower the video quality and bandwidth settings. This ensures your camera won't use as much data to upload video to the cloud.
• Use presence-based automations (Home app) or Home/Away Assist (Nest app). They turn your camera on and off automatically. This is useful if your camera has 24/7 video history, so that it doesn't constantly upload video to the Nest service.
• You can set up camera schedules for some camera and doorbell models. These schedules turn devices on and off automatically to help reduce the amount of data used.

Tip: It's not recommended to stream camera video with a mobile hotspot.

Common activities that can take up a lot of the available bandwidth of your home internet internet connection include:

• Streaming HD movies
• Video chatting
• Online gaming
• File sharing

If you watch camera video and it pauses or stutters, try to turn off other internet-connected devices and check if this frees up some bandwidth.

If you use an app or device that's competing with your camera for bandwidth, you can schedule your camera to turn off when you're more likely to use your bandwidth for other things.

Nest camera schedules