The only reliable way to get past a Google Wifi or Nest Wifi pause is to unpause it from the Google Home app, using an account that manages the network. Open the app, tap Wifi > Family Wi-Fi, and tap Unpause under the group, or tap Wifi > Devices, choose the device, and resume it. If a schedule caused the pause, you can delay it, skip it, or end it early. This guide covers every option, plus what to do if you paused your own phone by accident.
How Google Wifi pause works
Pausing is part of Family Wi-Fi, the parental-control features for Google Wifi, Nest Wifi, and Nest Wifi Pro. The network manager can:
- Pause a group of devices, such as all of a child’s devices, on demand.
- Pause a single device for a set amount of time.
- Schedule pauses for routines like bedtime or homework time.
A paused device stays connected to the Wi-Fi network but can’t reach the internet. The router enforces the pause, so restarting the device, forgetting the network, or reconnecting doesn’t lift it. If you don’t manage the network, the right step is to ask the person who does.
Unpause a Family Wi-Fi group
- Open the Google Home app with an account that is an owner or manager of the Wi-Fi network.
- Tap Home > Wifi > Family Wi-Fi.
- Under the group’s name, tap Unpause. Swipe left if you have more groups than fit on the screen.
With a Nest Wifi system and a Google Assistant speaker, you can also say “Hey Google, unpause Wi-Fi for” followed by the group name.
Unpause a single device
- In the Google Home app, tap Home > Wifi > Devices.
- Tap the paused device.
- Tap Paused device to resume its internet access.
Stop or change a scheduled pause
If the pause turns on at the same time every day, it’s a schedule. Go to Home > Wifi > Family Wi-Fi, then:
- End it early: next to the schedule, tap More > End schedule. Internet access returns now, and the schedule runs again at its next start time.
- Delay it: tap More > Delay 30 min.
- Skip the next one: tap More > Skip.
- Change it permanently: tap the schedule, edit its name, times, days, or groups, and tap Done.
Paused the phone you use to manage the network?
It happens. Google suggests a few ways back:
- If the phone has a cellular data plan, turn off its Wi-Fi, open the Google Home app over mobile data, and resume the device.
- Use another phone or tablet that has the Google Home app and a manager account to unpause it.
- Wait for the pause period to end if you set one.
When a device stays paused (or won’t pause)
- Private or randomized MAC address: Google notes that Family Wi-Fi doesn’t work correctly with devices that use a private Wi-Fi address. Because the device can show up under a different identity, it may not match the group you edited. Turn off the private address for your home network in the device’s Wi-Fi settings, then check which entry in the Devices list is paused.
- The device appears twice: look in Wifi > Devices for duplicate entries and resume each one, or remove old entries from the group.
- App changes don’t apply: close and reopen the Google Home app, then make sure your Wifi points are online. If needed, restart the main router from the app.
- You don’t see Family Wi-Fi: your account may not be a manager. An existing manager can add you to the home in the Google Home app.
For parents: making a pause stick
If kids are getting around a pause, the usual causes are mobile data, a second device that isn’t in the group, or a device that changed its Wi-Fi address. Add every device the child uses to the group, check the Devices list for new or unknown entries after a pause starts, and use the phone’s own parental controls (such as Google Family Link or Apple Screen Time; see our tips for parents on Screen Time workarounds) to manage cellular data. Pairing these with Family Wi-Fi schedules works better than relying on the router alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I unpause Google Wifi without the app?
Not directly. Pauses are managed in the Google Home app or, on Nest Wifi, by voice with Google Assistant. A device on the network can’t lift its own pause.
Does restarting the router remove a pause?
No. Pauses and schedules are saved in your network settings and apply again after the router restarts.
How do I add another Wifi point?
See our guide on adding a Google Wifi point.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.