Nexus Q Guidebook
 
RF Exposure: To comply with FCC RF exposure requirements 
for mobile transmitting devices, this transmitter should only be 
used or installed at locations where there is at least 20 cm 
separation distance between antenna and all persons.
This device is intended for indoor use only.
Important safety instructions
1.  Read these instructions.
2.  Keep these instructions.
3.  Heed all warnings.
4.  Follow all instructions.
5.  Do not use this apparatus near water.
6.  Clean only with a dry cloth.
7.  Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat  
registers,	stoves,	or	other	apparatus	(including	amplifiers)		
	
 
that produce heat.
8.  Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched,  
 
 
 
9.  Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when    
 
10.	Refer	all	servicing	to	qualified	service	personnel.	Servicing		
 
is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any  
  way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged; liquid  
has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus;  
 
or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture,    
 
 
does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the  
point where they exit from the apparatus.
unused for long periods of time.
Legal & safety information
Copyright © Google Inc. 2012. All rights reserved.
Edition 1.0
Android, Google, Google Play, Nexus Q, and YouTube are 
trademarks of Google Inc. A list of Google trademarks is 
available at http://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.
html. All other marks and trademarks are properties of their 
respective owners.
FCC notice 
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation 
is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may 
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must 
accept any interference received, including interference that 
may cause undesired operation.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply 
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide 
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a 
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and 
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and 
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful 
interference to radio communications. However, there is no 
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular 
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference 
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by 
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to  
try to correct the interference by one or more of the  
following measures:
•	
•	
 
•	
 
•	
 
Reorient	or	relocate	the	receiving	antenna.
Increase	the	separation	between	the	equipment	and		
receiver.
Connect	the	equipment	into	an	outlet	on	a	circuit	different		
from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult	the	dealer	or	an	experienced	radio/TV	technician		
for help.
	
Warning:	Changes	or	modifications	not	expressly	approved	by	
Google may void the user’s authority to operate the device.
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Adjust settings   
  Manual factory data reset 
  Forget Nexus Q 
Audio calibration 
 
Specs 
 
Warranty 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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For additional help and support,
visit support.google.com/nexus
Nexus Q User Guide
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
About Nexus Q   
4
 
Get ready 
 
5
 
  Before purchasing 
5
 
  Before it arrives 
5
Compatibility  
 
6 
  Compatible Android phones & tablets  
6
 
  Compatible routers 
6
 
Network requirements 
7
 
Hardware & cabling 
8
  Speakers (banana plug cables) 
 
8
  AV system or audio receiver (optical audio)  9
10
  TV or audio receiver (HDMI cable) 
Set up Nexus Q  
11
11
  Unpack carefully 
11
  What's in the box 
12
Run the Nexus Q app 
 
LED colors 
13
14
Volume controls 
14
  Remote & direct controls 
14
  Fixed volume output   
Play music 
 
15
16
  Change or add to the queue 
 
17
  Select rooms  
 
  Combine rooms 
18 
19
Play YouTube videos 
 
20 
Play movies & TV shows 
21
 
Invite guests 
  Before the party 
 
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  When your guests arrive 
21
  Turn off guest access 
About Nexus Q collections 
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About Nexus Q
Nexus Q lets you instantly stream music, HD 
movies, and videos from Google Play to your 
home, using your Android phone or tablet and 
Wi-Fi to control what plays in which rooms. 
You can use Google Play and YouTube apps as 
you normally would. Except now you can choose 
to stream entertainment through one or more 
Nexus Qs and the equipment attached to them.
Each Nexus Q is designed to function as a media 
source	for	one	room:	speakers,	AV	systems,	TVs,	
and more. Each room shows up on your Android 
phone or tablet, where you can control what's 
playing and at what volume, or stream to multiple 
rooms at the same time.
And when friends come to visit, they can stream 
any of their own music or movies from Google 
Play through your Nexus Qs, using their own 
Android phones or tablets.
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Get ready
Before purchasing
To play music, videos, and movies through a 
Nexus Q, you need:
Before it arrives
After you've ordered your Nexus Q and any other 
equipment you need, start preparing for its arrival:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the right kinds of cables. For details, see  
the application, and follow the instructions. 
1.  If you don't already have a Google  
  Music account, set one up at  
  play.google.com/music.
2.  If you haven't yet uploaded your music to  
 
your Google Play music library, download  
  Music Manager to your computer, open  
 
3.  Decide where you want to keep your   
  Nexus Q and what equipment you want to  
  use with it, and make sure you have    
 
  Hardware & cabling.
4.  Download and install the Nexus Q app on  
  one of your compatible Android phones  
  and tablets.
5.  Make sure you know the name and  
  password of the Wi-Fi network you want  
 
 
  Wi-Fi. The Nexus Q can optionally use Ethernet  
 
  network. For practical purposes with most  
  home networks, this means the Ethernet should  
  be plugged into the same router that's  
  providing the Wi-Fi.
 
to use with your Android device and  
your Nexus Q. The Android device must use    
that's on the same subnet as the Wi-FI  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
to set up your Nexus Q. Where available, an  
1.  A compatible Android device. See		
	
  Compatible Android phones & tablets.
2.  An active Wi-Fi network with a reliable  
  connection to the Internet and a strong  
  signal at the location where you plan   
 
  Ethernet connection may provide a more  
 
  still required. See	Network	requirements.
3.  A compatible router for your Wi-Fi network.
4.	 Compatible	stereo	and	TV	equipment		
  and the cables required to connect it.  
  See	Hardware	&	cabling.
reliable experience, but a good Wi-Fi network is  
	
 
 
 
 
 
	
To purchase Nexus Qs, speakers, cables, and 
other equipment, go to Google Play — Devices.
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Compatibility 
Compatible Android phones & tablets 
To operate your Nexus Q, you can use any  
Android phone or tablet that supports Gingerbread 
(Android 2.3.3) or higher. Here are a few examples:
running	Ice	Cream	Sandwich	(Android	4.0)		
•	 Galaxy Nexus phone or Nexus 7 tablet  
	
  or higher.
•	 Xoom or Galaxy tablet running Honeycomb  
 
•	 Nexus	S	phone	running	Gingerbread			
 
(Android 2.3.3) or higher.
(Android 3.2) or higher.
 
	
 
	
You also need the Google Play app, so you can 
download and install the latest Nexus Q app. If 
your phone or tablet supports Android Beam, just 
hold the back of the device near the top of your 
Nexus Q after it arrives. After a moment, Google 
Play opens to the page where you can download 
the app. (It's free.) 
Or go to Nexus Q app.
Menu icons: This guide sometimes refers to the 
menu available on an Android screen. Because 
Nexus Q supports so many Android devices, the 
location and appearance of the menu icon varies. 
Here are a couple of examples:
looks like this:
•	 On a Galaxy Nexus phone, it may be located    
  at the top or the bottom of the screen, and  
 
 
•	 On	a	Nexus	S	phone,	it's	one	of	the		
  permanent navigation buttons built into  
  bottom of the phone, and looks like this:        .
	
	
 
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Whenever you need to choose something from    
this menu, this guide uses text like this:  
Menu > Q settings.
Compatible routers
Most modern routers for home Wi-Fi networks 
should work with Nexus Q, as long as they 
produce a strong signal at the locations where 
you plan to use each device.
However, some routers and networks can be 
configured	in	a	way	that	prevents	Nexus	Q	from	
operating correctly. Here are some examples:
Nexus Q MAC addresses: If your router is locked 
to	specific	MAC	addresses,	you'll	need	to	add	the	
Nexus Q's MAC address to the list. During setup 
from your phone or tablet, you'll see a message if 
Nexus Q can't connect with Wi-Fi. The message 
includes that Nexus Q's MAC address, which you 
can then add to your router.
	
 
•	 Routers	configured	for	some	form	of	guest		
  mode (to prevent guests from reaching  
  sensitive parts of the network) won't work with  
  Nexus Q.
•	 Routers	configured	for	isolation	mode	(to		
	
  prevent Ethernet and Wi-Fi controlled by the    
  same router from communicating) won't work  
  correctly if you're using Ethernet with any of    
 
•	 Wi-Fi	networks	in	hotels,	coffee	shops,	airports,		
  and other public spaces often include security  
 
features that prevent Nexus Q from working.
your Nexus Qs.  
Nexus Q is intended for home use, with  
home networks.
If you've already set up a Nexus Q but it shows    
up in the Nexus Q app as "Not available," touch   
its name and follow the on-screen instructions    
to troubleshoot.
For more information, see Troubleshooting Routers. 
to your router's list. 
•	 If your router is locked to specific MAC  
  addresses, you'll see a message during  
  setup that Nexus Q can't connect with  
  Wi-Fi. The message includes that Nexus  
  Q's MAC address, which you can then add  
 
•	 If your router is locked to specific IP    
  addresses, you may need to reconfigure it.
•	 Restart your router.
•	 If the signal remains weak at the Nexus Q's  
 
  better signal. Use a phone or tablet to check  
 
the strength of the Wi-FI signal at a potential  
  new location.
location, set it up somewhere else with a  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Network requirements
Your Android phone or tablet controls Nexus Qs in 
your home via a local Wi-Fi network. You need 
Wi-Fi with a strong signal in each room where you 
want to set up a Nexus Q.
Bluetooth
During setup only, Nexus Q requires Bluetooth. If 
your device has Bluetooth turned off, you'll have a 
chance to turn it on.
You also need a reliable connection to the 
Internet. Nexus Q can use either Wi-Fi or Ethernet 
to stream music and videos directly from Google 
Play. It uses Wi-Fi by default. To use Ethernet for 
this purpose, connect an Ethernet cable to the 
Ethernet port. 
Ethernet
Ethernet can't entirely replace Wi-Fi. When your 
Nexus Q is connected to an Ethernet network, it 
uses that network to stream music from your 
Google Music library, but your Android phone or 
tablet must use Wi-Fi to communicate with the 
Nexus Q. When a Nexus Q is connected to 
Ethernet, the Android device needs to be in range 
of a Wi-Fi access point rather than within range of 
the Nexus Q.
For Ethernet to work with Nexus Q, it must be on 
the same subnet as the Wi-FI network. For 
practical purposes with most home networks, this 
means it should be plugged into the same router 
that's providing the Wi-Fi.
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If	your	device	still	can't	find	a	Nexus	Q	to	pair	with:
 •	 Make sure you're in the same room with  
  your Nexus Q. Bluetooth works best over  
  short distances.
•	 Confirm that Bluetooth is turned on. For  
  example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or  
	 higher,	open	Settings	and	make	sure	the		
  Bluetooth switch is turned On.
 
 
 
 
	
Wi-Fi 
Nexus Q uses Wi-Fi to communicate with your 
Android	device	and,	via	your	router	and	ISP,	with	
the Internet. The Wi-Fi network must support 
802.11 a/b/g/n at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. To minimize 
interference from other devices, use 5GHz.
If your phone or tablet has Wi-Fi turned off, you'll 
have a chance to turn it on during setup.
If	your	device	still	can't	find	a	W-Fi	network:
 
•	 Confirm that Wi-Fi is turned on. For  
  example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or  
  higher, open Settings and make sure the  
  Wi-Fi switch is turned On.
•	 Make sure your Wi-Fi is functioning  
  correctly and has a strong signal at the  
  Nexus Q's location.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hardware & cabling
You	can	connect	a	pair	of	speakers,	an	AV	system,	
a	TV,	or	all	three	to	a	single	Nexus	Q.
The following pages describe some of the most 
common	configurations.	Others	are	possible,	
depending on the equipment you have available.
Because HDMI and optical audio can connect  
to a variety of equipment, their output may be  
delayed by a perceptible amount compared to the 
analog output directly to speakers. For information  
about synchronizing output from different ports  
(also known as delay compensation), see  
Audio calibration.
Speakers (banana plug cables)
What you need:
•	 Two	speakers	rated	15	watts	RMS	or	higher		
  @ 8 ohms.
•	 Speaker	cables	with	banana	plugs	on	at		
least one end for connecting the cables  
 
 
to your Nexus Q (and on both ends if your  
  speakers use banana jack connectors).
 
Banana plugs are labeled R and L and color  
coded with a black or red dot.
	
	
 
 
 
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