Nest Protect Gets Smarter With First Major Software Update

Several months after returning to store shelves following a safety-related hiatus, Nest on Thursday began rolling out a software update that will make its Protect smoke alarm smarter than ever. Nest Protect software 2.0 is the first major over-the-air update for the smart alarm, which brings a host helpful new features.

Perhaps the most innovative new update is a feature called Steam Check, which allows the Protect to avoid false alarms by giving it the ability to distinguish between smoke and steam. It uses new algorithms in conjunction with the the humidity sensor already built into the the device to better understand whether it's sensing smoke or steam. That said, the alarm has to be 100 percent certain there isn't a fire, or the alarm will still sound. Nest estimates that false steam alarms from steam are triggered in 15 percent of homes with various other smoke alarms, and the Steam Check update should cut the number of false triggers for the Protect in half.

Another useful new feature is Safety History, which allows you to check the Nest app to see what caused Heads-Up or Emergency Alarms over the last 10 days. This allows you to see where and when they happened, which can help you avoid setting off any false alarms in the future. This might be my favorite of the new updates, because, even if there aren't any alarms recorded, it still provides you with a daily log that proves your Nest Protect is working. That's a feature we often take for granted with traditional smoke alarms.

In addition to Safety History, Nest will also provide more detailed information on Carbon Monoxide levels. When the Protect sounds an alarm for CO, you can check exactly how much triggered the alarm and how long the levels stayed that high in the Messages or Safety History menus in the app. While you should always evacuate your home no matter what the level, this is helpful information to later share with a doctor or firefighter to help understand health risks and stop leaks in the future.

Nest has also updated its What To Do feature, which now provides you with more information before an emergency. It also lets you customize the notification you get on your phone when an alarm sounds, including quick access to an emergency contact.

Finally, Nest has made an update to the Protect's Pathlight feature. You can now adjust the brightness of the Pathlight from the app itself, and if your Protect is wired, there's an option to keep it on at all times, like a nightlight.

The Nest Protect software update is rolling out now and should reach all active device within the new two weeks. There's no way to trigger a manual download, but you can check to see if you've already received the update in the Settings menu in the Nest app. You should be also to see the new options and settings appear elsewhere in the app itself.