compareeHub

TAKE YOUR NEST THERMOSTAT BACK FROM GOOGLE

Google cut Gen 1 and Gen 2 Nest Learning Thermostats off from its apps on 25 October 2025. NoLongerEvil, a FULU bounty-winning firmware, brings their smart features back.

by Cody Kociemba / Hack House

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

HomeAutomation

difficulty
●●●○○
time
an evening
license
license not specified
repo
repo ACTIVE1,864 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
Jump to section

COMPAREE VERDICT

If you own a Gen 1 or Gen 2 Nest Learning Thermostat, Google ended app support on 25 October 2025. It still works as a basic thermostat on the wall, but the smart, remote features are gone. NoLongerEvil, a FULU bounty winner, brings them back. You flash new firmware over USB from a Mac or Linux computer, and then control the thermostat from a web dashboard or Home Assistant. By default it talks to the nolongerevil.com hosted service. If you want everything to stay local, the self-hosted server and the Home Assistant add-on are MIT-licensed and run in your home. Gen 2 is the easy one: no opening the case, 15 to 30 minutes per the docs. Gen 1 means opening the thermostat and bridging two contacts with tweezers, 30 to 45 minutes. The main repository has no declared license yet, and the README says the firmware images and backend server code will be open sourced soon, so for now you are trusting their builds. The cost is basically a USB data cable. For comparison, a new 4th gen Nest Learning Thermostat regularly sold for 280 dollars (9to5Toys, January 2025).

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Pre-built firmware is in the repo, plus a Docker script to rebuild it yourself.
  • —GUI installer for macOS and Linux; Windows (including WSL) is not supported for flashing.
  • —Self-hosted server (MIT) and Home Assistant add-on (MIT) are in separate repositories.
  • —Main repository has no declared license; the README says the firmware images and backend API server code will be open sourced soon.
  • —Step-by-step installation guide at docs.nolongerevil.com, plus a video walkthrough by Cody Kociemba.
  • —Built on earlier open work: omap_loader (grant-h / ajb142) and the Nest DFU attack (exploiteers / GTVHacker).

BUILDS OF THE WEEK

Five open-source builds worth your weekend, every week.

Checked like this one: what’s really in the repo, what it costs, how hard it is. One email, unsubscribe anytime.

Can I build this?

Printnothing required
Buya data-capable USB cable if you do not have one: Mini USB for Gen 1, Micro USB for Gen 2
ToolsmacOS or Linux computer; for Gen 1 also a Phillips screwdriver or prying tool and metal tweezers; Node.js and npm only if you build the installer yourself, Docker only if you rebuild the firmware
Skillstaking the thermostat off its wall plate and following steps exactly; Gen 1 also needs careful electronics disassembly; self-hosting needs Docker or Home Assistant OS
Timean evening: the docs say 15 to 30 minutes for Gen 2 and 30 to 45 minutes for Gen 1, plus server or Home Assistant setup if you self-host
Cost$: just the USB cable; you already own the thermostat
SafetyOnly flash a thermostat you own. The README warns improper firmware can brick it. Charge it to at least 50%, use a data USB cable and do not unplug during flashing. By default it uses the nolongerevil.com server; self-host to keep it local. Flashing works only from macOS or Linux, only on Gen 1 and Gen 2. Some firmware and backend code is still to be open sourced per the README.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

How to flash your Nest to NoLongerEvil3:47

January 2026, Cody Kociemba. Shown on a Gen 2 Nest: take it off the wall, connect by USB, hold the display to enter flash mode, flash, boot with the NLE logo, then control it from a web dashboard and Home Assistant.

More builds like this

All projects
Tasmota: replace the cloud firmware in a smart plug so it runs entirely on your own networkHomeThe Spotify Car Thing that was remotely bricked becomes a wall panel for Home AssistantHomeSwap the manufacturer's wifi dongle for an ESP8266 and the appliance runs on your networkHome

Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Confirm your Nest generation (Only Gen 1 and Gen 2 are supported. Settings > Technical Info shows the display model.)
  2. 2.Download the installer or follow the installation guide (The guide walks through each step; the installer is also on the GitHub releases page.)
  3. 3.Watch the video walkthrough (Cody Kociemba shows the whole process on a Gen 2.)
  4. 4.If self-hosting, set up the server or Home Assistant add-on first (If you pick self-hosted without a running server, the setup wizard cannot connect.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Only Gen 1 and Gen 2 work. Check Settings > Technical Info on the thermostat: a display model starting with 1 or 2 is supported, 3 is not.
  • Windows is not supported, and the docs say WSL2 and virtual machines do not work either. You need a real macOS or Linux computer.
  • The README warns that improper firmware can brick your device. Only flash a thermostat you own, charge it to at least 50% first, use a data USB cable (not charge-only) and do not unplug it while flashing.
  • Gen 1 needs a teardown: you open the case, disconnect the battery with a non-conductive object, and bridge two contacts with metal tweezers to enter flash mode.
  • By default the thermostat talks to nolongerevil.com. If you want it fully local, set up the self-hosted server or the Home Assistant add-on before you run the installer. The add-on needs Home Assistant OS and the Mosquitto broker add-on.
  • Not everything is open yet. The main repository has no declared license, and the README says the firmware images and backend server code will be open sourced soon.

Does this work on Gen 3 or Gen 4 Nest thermostats?

No. Only Gen 1 and Gen 2 are supported. The docs say Gen 3 uses different hardware and support is still in development.

Can I undo the flash and go back to Google's firmware?

The project FAQ says yes, you can reflash the original Nest firmware. But they do not provide Google's firmware, so you would need to get it yourself. And Google has ended app support for these models anyway.

Do I need the cloud server, or can I run everything locally?

The default firmware points to the nolongerevil.com hosted service. If you want everything to stay in your home, run the MIT-licensed self-hosted server or the Home Assistant add-on, and set it up before you run the installer.

What is the risk of bricking?

The README warns that improper firmware can brick your device, and the FAQ says the worst case is an unresponsive thermostat. The docs also say that picking the wrong generation or a failed flash can usually be fixed by running the installer again. Charge the battery to at least 50%, use a data USB cable and do not unplug during flashing.

Is the firmware open source?

Not all of it yet. The main repository has no declared license, and the README says the firmware images and backend API server code will be open sourced soon. The self-hosted server and the Home Assistant add-on are MIT-licensed.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Google cut Gen 1 and Gen 2 Nests off on 25 October 2025, and this firmware brings them back with a hosted or fully local server. Would you flash your own?

CompareeTEAM12h ago

Practical notes from our verification: the docs are clear, the installer walks you through it, and the video shows it working on a Gen 2. The main repo has no declared license yet, and the README says the firmware images and backend server code will be open sourced soon. The self-hosted server and Home Assistant add-on are MIT and in separate repositories. The biggest decision is hosting: the default firmware talks to nolongerevil.com, so if you want nothing to leave your home, set up the self-hosted server or Home Assistant add-on first. FULU lists Cody Kociemba and Team Dinosaur as joint bounty winners. Only flash a thermostat you own, and remember the README warns it can brick the device.

Cody Kociemba / Hack House

Cody Kociemba of Hack House built NoLongerEvil after Google ended app support for Gen 1 and Gen 2 Nest Learning Thermostats on 25 October 2025. FULU declared Cody Kociemba and Team Dinosaur joint winners of its bounty for reviving these thermostats, and Cody's solution was released publicly. The project builds on earlier open work by grant-h / ajb142 (omap_loader) and exploiteers / GTVHacker (the Nest DFU attack).

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo