What Does This Error Mean?

Google Nest Intercom (Home Broadcast) not working is usually caused by one of the Nest devices being offline, Do Not Disturb being active on the receiving device, or the devices not being in the same Google Home. Say 'Hey Google, broadcast hello' to test if the intercom reaches all rooms.

Affected Models

Google Nest Mini
Google Nest Audio
Google Nest Hub
Google Nest Hub Max
All Google Nest devices in a Google Home

Common Causes

Target Nest device offline or disconnected from Wi-Fi — intercom cannot reach an offline device
Do Not Disturb active on the receiving speaker — suppresses intercom broadcasts
Devices in different Google Homes — intercom only works within the same home in Google Home app
Volume too low on the receiving device — intercom audio plays at the device's current volume
Google Home app not updated — older versions have broadcast reliability issues

How to Fix It

Check that all Nest devices are online.

Open the Google Home app and look at each Nest device tile — offline devices show a grey icon or 'Offline' label. An offline device cannot receive intercom broadcasts. If a device is offline, check its power connection and Wi-Fi signal, then restart it by unplugging and replugging.
Disable Do Not Disturb on all devices.

Say 'Hey Google, turn off Do Not Disturb' to each Nest device, or open the Google Home app → each device → Settings → Digital Wellbeing → Do Not Disturb. Do Not Disturb blocks intercom broadcasts on devices where it is active. Also check scheduled quiet time — if a room has a quiet time schedule active, broadcasts may be silenced.
Confirm all devices are in the same Google Home.

Open the Google Home app and check that all Nest speakers you want to use for intercom are listed under the same home. Intercom broadcasts only reach devices within the same home — devices registered to a separate home or a different Google account are not reachable. To move a device, go to its settings → Remove device, then re-add it to the correct home.
Test the intercom with a broadcast command.

Say 'Hey Google, broadcast test' to any Nest speaker. All online Nest devices in the home should immediately play 'Broadcasting... test' out loud. If only some devices respond, the non-responding devices have a Do Not Disturb setting, are offline, or have a volume issue.
Update the Google Home app.

Open the App Store or Google Play Store and update the Google Home app to the latest version. Older Google Home app versions have known broadcast reliability issues that were fixed in later updates. After updating, restart the Google Home app and try the intercom again.

When to Call a Professional

Google Nest intercom is a software feature. If broadcasts consistently fail to reach certain rooms after checking all device connections, contact Google support.