Google Home / Nest Pulsing Yellow Light
Google Home or Nest speaker pulsing yellow light — what it means, what notification is waiting, and how to hear it.
Slow Blink
yellow
Quick info
Visual description
A slow, gentle pulsing yellow-gold light on your Google Home or Nest speaker. On cylindrical models (Google Home, Nest Audio), an orange-yellow glow pulses from the top. On flat models (Nest Mini), four dots pulse softly in yellow. The pattern is a smooth fade in/out rather than a hard blink.
What it means
Google uses yellow pulsing to indicate a waiting notification from Google Assistant — most commonly a reminder you set, a broadcast message from another Google Home device in the house, or a briefing update.
Unlike Amazon Alexa's yellow (which is mostly for shopping/package alerts), Google's yellow pulse is typically for reminders and broadcasts. Just say 'Hey Google, what's up?' or 'Hey Google, what are my notifications?' and it will read the notification aloud.
Brand & model variations
The same light pattern can mean different things across manufacturers.
| Brand / Model | What yellow slow blink means | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
Nest Audio | Yellow pulse = pending notification. Orange = device in setup mode. White pulsing = listening for voice command (brief — only when active). | Ask 'Hey Google, what are my notifications?' |
Nest Mini (2nd gen) | Four dots around the top pulse yellow = pending notification. Four dots white = listening. Four dots pulse teal = processing. Solid white dot = microphone muted. | Same: 'Hey Google, what are my notifications?' |
Google Home (original) | Base ring light pulsing orange/yellow = notification waiting. This model is older and more limited in notification type range. | 'OK Google, what are my notifications?' |
Diagnose your issue
Answer a few questions to narrow down the cause.
Did you recently set a reminder or use a Google Home routine?
Safe next steps
Ordered from least to most involved. Check each step as you go.
Say 'Hey Google, what are my notifications?' — clears immediately after reading.
If no notifications are read: open the Google Home app → Activity → see if there's a pending item.
To reduce recurring yellow blinks: Google Home app → Settings → Notifications → disable unwanted notification types.
When it resolves on its own
Condition: After notification is acknowledged
Expected time: Clears immediately when notification is read or dismissed via app.
When to escalate
Stop troubleshooting and contact your ISP or manufacturer if:
- Yellow pulse persists after asking for notifications and Google confirms none — possible firmware display bug. Unplug the device for 30 seconds to restart.