Nest owners can finally migrate to a Google account

Smart home devices have proven to be a godsend for homeowners. Not only can things like smart thermostats, cameras, and lights make your life easier, but when paired with a voice assistant, they can help people with physical handicaps to act more independently.

One of the best makers of smart home devices is Nest. The Google-owned company (now known as "Google Nest") became popular thanks to its iconic round smart thermostat, but it has since branched out to cameras, smoke alarms, security systems, and more. Today, Google announces that Nest owners can finally migrate their Nest account to a Google one -- something the search giant previously promised.

"You'll receive an email invitation from Nest to migrate, but if you’d like to migrate now, you can select the 'Sign in with Google' option in the most recent version of the Nest app. If you already have a Google Account that you use to sign into Google Home, just select that account when migrating your Nest Account. If you don't, it’s easy to create one. If you're a first-time Nest user, you can use your existing Google Account to sign in," says Gilles Drieu, Engineering Director, Google Nest.

Drieu further says, "We've worked with Amazon on an updated Nest skill that will work with Google Accounts, so if you want to enable the Alexa integration with your Nest Thermostat or Nest Cam, you can click here to activate the updated skill. If you're using Works with Nest with other partners, we suggest waiting to migrate your account until you receive an email invitation. If you decide to migrate before receiving your email, your Works with Nest integrations will no longer work and you won’t be able to get them back."

But wait -- why would you want to switch from a Nest account to a Google one? The search giant shares the benefits below.

• Automatic security protections such as Suspicious activity detection, 2-Step Verification and Security Checkup.
• Your Google Nest devices and services will work together. For example, if you have a Nest Cam and a Chromecast, just say, "Hey Google, show me the backyard camera" to cast your camera stream to your TV without any additional setup.
• One account to sign into both the Nest and Google Home apps.
• Your homes and home members will be aligned across the Nest and Google Home apps.

While some folks will be wary of having their smart home devices linked to a Google account, let's be honest -- the search giant is a reputable company that is capable of securing your data. True, the advertising company has a history of using user data, but if you are that paranoid about it, you probably shouldn't be connecting your home to the internet in the first place. Oh well.

Before you migrate, you should make sure none of your "Works with Nest" connections will be broken as a result. While Amazon Alexa support is there, other devices aren't. In other words, don't rush into anything.

Photo Credit:  Luis Molinero/Shutterstock