Your Echo Show or Nest Hub died. You bought a replacement. You want the new one to have your settings, your home screen layout, your routines, your photos. Smart displays do not have a one-tap restore like phones. Restoring takes specific steps and the result is partial.
What is stored where
For Echo Show:
- Account-level settings (Voice ID, preferences, music): in your Amazon account
- Device-level settings (alarms, reminders, home screen layout): on the device only
- Routines and Skills: in your Amazon account
- Photos: in your Amazon Photos library (cloud)
For Nest Hub:
- Account-level settings: in your Google account
- Device-level settings (alarms, do not disturb schedules): on the device only
- Routines: in your Google account
- Photos: in Google Photos (cloud)
Account-level data restores automatically when you sign into the new device. Device-level data does not.
Before disposing the old device
Document everything that is on the device only:
- Active alarms and their times
- Recurring reminders
- Home screen widget configuration
- Display settings (brightness schedule, do not disturb hours)
- Connected Bluetooth speakers or other audio devices
Take screenshots if possible.
Sign out and reset the old device
If the old device is still functional, sign out of your account through device settings before factory resetting. This avoids the device staying associated with your account in the cloud.
If the old device is broken, remove it from your account through the smart home app:
- Alexa: More, Settings, Device Settings, your Echo, Deregister.
- Google Home: your device, Settings, Remove device.
Set up the new device
Follow the standard setup flow:
- Power on the new device.
- Open the smart home app on your phone.
- Add a new device.
- Follow the prompts to connect to Wi-Fi and link to your account.
After setup, account-level data starts to sync. Allow 5-10 minutes for full sync.
Restore device-level settings
Re-enter the device-only settings from your documentation:
- Re-create alarms
- Re-create recurring reminders
- Configure home screen widgets
- Adjust display brightness and Do Not Disturb
This is manual work. Plan for 15-20 minutes depending on how much you had configured.
Verify integrations
Most integrations (calendars, music services, smart home devices) restore automatically because they live in the account. Verify each one works:
- Ask for the weather
- Check the calendar widget
- Control a smart light through voice
- Play music from Spotify or Apple Music
If any integration is broken, re-link in the smart home app.
Re-pair Bluetooth speakers
Bluetooth pairings do not transfer. If you had a Bluetooth speaker paired to the old display, pair it again on the new one.
Re-add to multi-room groups
If the old device was part of a multi-room music group, the group still exists in your account but the new device is not in it. Edit the group to remove the old device (if it is still listed as a placeholder) and add the new one.
The Voice ID retraining
Voice ID profiles are account-level but each new device retrains slightly based on its specific acoustic environment. You may notice the voice recognition is initially less accurate; it improves over the first week as the device samples your voice.
The HomeKit accessories
If the old display was a HomeKit hub, HomeKit fails over to other hubs automatically. The new display, if HomeKit-capable, can also become a hub. Verify in the Home app’s hub settings.
The Apple Music or Spotify reconnect
Music services usually reconnect automatically when you sign into the account. If music does not work, manually re-link the service in the smart home app.
The routines reference check
Routines reference specific devices by ID. The new device has a new ID. Routines that explicitly named the old device may still reference the old ID and not work.
Edit each routine that mentioned the old device. Replace with the new device.
The slow account sync
Account-level data sync is not instant. After setup, give 30 minutes to an hour for everything to propagate. Sometimes a restart of the new device after the initial setup helps complete the sync.
The two devices simultaneously
If you want to run both old and new during the transition, the account supports multiple devices. The new device is added; the old continues to function until you remove it.
This is useful if the old device is still partially functional and you want a smooth handoff.
Recovering data that did not restore
Some data simply does not restore:
- Local skill settings (some Echo Skills store state per device)
- Custom Cast app preferences
- Bluetooth pairings to peripherals
- Local files (none, but custom uploads are not preserved)
Accept these as the cost of replacement. Plan re-entry into your time budget.
The differing model considerations
If your new device is a different model than the old one (Echo Show 5 to Echo Show 8, Nest Hub to Nest Hub Max), some settings may not apply. The Echo Show 8 has different display dimensions, so home screen layout may need adjustment.
This is a setup choice, not a restore failure. Treat the new model as a fresh setup.
The dispose of the old device
Once the new device is fully working, dispose of the old one properly:
- If recyclable, take to an electronics recycler
- If under warranty, RMA to manufacturer
- If somewhat working, sell or donate after wiping
Never throw away electronics in regular trash.
The settings snapshot for next time
Take a screenshot of your smart display’s settings page before any major update or reset. The screenshot becomes your reference for restoration. Sticky home screen widgets, scheduled routines, Bluetooth pairings, and similar local settings are easy to forget about until they are gone.
Store the screenshots in a folder named after the device. Future-you will thank past-you when something breaks. The wider topic of device lifecycle is in our config loss guide.
The first-week settling-in period
New smart displays take a few days to settle. Voice ID accuracy improves with each command, widget caches build up, and recommendations adapt to your patterns. Do not judge the replacement during the first week; what feels off may simply be the device learning. The wider topic of device lifecycle is in our routine button guide.
