Use a Google Nest Smart Speaker and Video Doorbell to Greet Visitors Contact-Free

Open the Google Home app on your smartphone and connect your doorbell by tapping the “+” button at the top left of the screen, then “Set up device,” then “Have something already set up?” and use the search button at the top right of the screen to search for “Nest.” Once you find it, tap it and follow the prompts to log into your Nest app account and link your doorbell to your smart display.

To use your smart speaker as a doorbell chime for your Nest Hello, enable visitor announcements by opening the Nest app and tapping on your doorbell in the app’s devices list, followed by “Settings” and “Visitor Announcements.” Then, follow the app’s prompts to finish enabling the chime. (Note: The Google Assistant doesn’t support other chime sounds like Amazon Alexa. The only exception is around the holidays, when you can get temporary holiday-themed tunes.) Once the chime is enabled, you’ll also be able to speak to visitors at your door.

To enable the automatic live view feature, open the Google Home app, tap on your smart display from the list of devices, tap the Settings button in the top-right corner, and scroll down to the “More” section of the settings. In this section, enable “Personal results” and “Home screen & notifications.” to receive alerts when your doorbell is pressed and see who’s at your door.

To pull up a live feed of what’s outside your front door, say, “Hey Google, show the [doorbell name].” To speak to the person at your door, tap the Talk button on the touchscreen to turn on the microphone.

Here's a quick look at how the Google Nest Hub Max and Google Nest Hello Video Doorbell perform in our tests. If you're a CR member, click on each model name to see detailed ratings and reviews.