This secret Google feature makes your smart thermostat look like wall art

We’re seeing loads of hidden features appear lately – whether it’s clever lighting that makes it look like you’re home when you’re not, or a secret detail inside your bean-to-cup coffee machine. However, this one is specifically for Google thermostat owners, so if that’s you, you’ll want to pay attention.

Earlier in 2025, Google quietly released a new set of display faces for the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen), designed to make it look more like a piece of wall art than a smart heating controller. These new designs appear on the thermostat’s Farsight screen, which activates when movement is detected from up to 20 feet away. As you move closer, the display then switches to practical info like your target temperature, current room temperature or even the weather.

The standout addition is the new botanical face, which features 12 subtly animated illustrations of fruits and flowers that change each month to reflect the seasons. Created in collaboration with illustrator, animator and filmmaker Mathilde Loubes, they’re available right now via the thermostat’s settings menu.

Whilst we haven’t published a full review of the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) just yet, we’ve tested it extensively since it launch, which is exactly why it sits at the top of our best smart thermostat buying guide. So, if you’re on the fence about upgrading, the new display face could just be the thing to tip you over the edge.

If you're not keen on botanical illustrations, Google has also added three more understated options to the Farsight gallery – a classic Nest face inspired by the original thermostat, a clean minimalist design, and a temperature-focused controller face. That said, if I had to pick just one… the botanical option still steals the show for me.