Our lives wouldn’t be the same without the Google Assistant. Practically limitless in its utility, it also acquires new abilities over time. Google Assistant can serve as a personal assistant by answering any wacky questions you might ask, scheduling things for you, playing music you enjoy, and managing your smart home devices. Nonetheless, it also has the odd behavior of suddenly appearing out of nowhere. If you want to fix this, turning it off entirely is your best bet. In this article, we will discuss how to disable Google Assistant.
But before we proceed to learn how to disable Google Assistant, let’s take a look at what Google Assistant is all about.
Google Assistant Overview
Google Search is where Google Assistant began its long and illustrious existence. What we now know as Google Assistant had its beginnings as Google Voice Search. Compared to what we have now, this function was rudimentary at best and supported only the simplest of voice commands, like voice searches.
When Google Now debuted in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, things really began to shift. Google Now has always incorporated Google Voice Search, but it now reads the results aloud. This feature, code-named “Majel” after Majel Barrett, wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and voice of the computer in numerous Star Trek series, is a major improvement. Later upgrades would add Gmail support, extending its functionality even further, and it also introduced a notification system that would alert you to upcoming appointments or traffic.
For a long time, Google Now existed separately, but with the introduction of the first Google Pixel, it became integrated into Google Assistant. Google hasn’t stopped expanding Google Assistant since it became available on all Android phones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and newer.
A decade after the initial release of Google Now, the search giant’s vision has partially come true. Despite its limitations, Google Assistant has already made significant inroads into our daily lives, allowing us to manage our vacuums, televisions, music, and much more.
What Is Google Assistant?
The Google Assistant is widely regarded as one of the most useful and innovative features of the Android platform. It is often preinstalled on devices, such as the cheapest Android tablets. Download the Google Assistant app from the Google Play Store to use it on your compatible smartphone. However, it allows you to control your smart home with just your voice, access apps, send messages, set reminders, and automate tasks with routines, just to name a few of its numerous capabilities.
The fact that Google Assistant may be updated to include new capabilities is one of its greatest advantages. As the field of AI and ML develops, Google is able to refine current services and introduce whole new ones. Google Assistant is a tremendous powerhouse thanks to its robust features and widespread availability across multiple devices. If you’re worried about your privacy when using Google Assistant, you may always opt-out.
Features of Google Assistant (Everything it Can Do)
A comprehensive overview of Google Assistant’s features and instructions is a massive undertaking, beyond the scope of this piece. However, we can provide you with a high-level overview of its features so you know what to expect from your AI companion.
#1. General Knowledge Inquiries
Google Assistant can provide broad overviews of specific topics. If you can type your question into Google and get a direct answer from the search page, then the Assistant can read you the answer. It can answer questions regarding the day’s forecast, the time the sun will set, the height of a celebrity, the definition of a term, and much more. It will read a few phrases from a website it thinks might know the answer and then send a link to your device so you can learn more if it is unsure about the question.
- “How’s the weather in [insert location] right now?”
- “When is the next game for [insert team name]?”
- Simply put: “How old is [name]?”
- “Analogy(s) for [insert word here].”
#2. Facilitate Your Schedule and Finances
Depending on how you’ve configured Google Assistant, it can also serve as a more personalized helper. In order for Google to ensure that it is not disclosing any of your private information, most of the more in-depth inquiries will require that you have set up Voice Match.
When you’re all set up, you can ask Google Assistant about your daily commute, when your next appointment is, and even how to adjust your Google account’s privacy settings or delete your data.
- How is my travel time?
- Where is my hotel?”
- Put today’s words in the trash. (Can be used for today, this month, or this year)
- “How far away is [insert place name here]?”
#3. Features Exclusive to Pixels
Google’s Pixel phones contain a variety of features that are unique to the Pixel line because of their close integration with Google Assistant. These are typically AI-driven capabilities that don’t require human input. The Assistant can do things like answer your phone calls or wait in line for you.
Even though other Android phones are likely to gain some of these features eventually, Pixels are the smartphones of choice for Assistant junkies because they usually get new features first.
#4. Manage Your Media and More
Google Assistant can perform a lot of things on other devices, and it’s available on a wide variety of gadgets like phones, tablets, and smart speakers. You may tell it to play a certain show on TV, change your phone’s settings, or even ring your phone.
- “Play some music.”
- “Turn [on/off] [flashlight, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth].”
- “Play The Umbrella Academy on TV.”
- “Find my phone.”
Which Devices Offer Google Assistant?
The Google Assistant was first introduced with the Google Pixel smartphones and Google Home, but it is now compatible with virtually all modern Android devices, such as Wear OS gadgets, Android TV, and Nvidia Shield, as well as cars that support Android Auto and other gadgets like the Nest cameras and the Lenovo Smart Clock.
While Google Nest (previously Google Home) smart speakers feature Google Assistant built-in, the feature is also widely available on smart speakers made by other companies, such as Sony, Sonos, LG, and Panasonic. In a similar vein, headphones generally support it (when paired with an Android phone).
As an example, Google Assistant can be used to manage smart home gadgets like Philips Hue and Ikea’s Home Smart line, and not simply through Google Nest.
Why Does Google Assistant Keep Turning On?
Similar to other software programs. The occasional problem can be encountered when using Google Assistant. The most significant issue is the constant interruption of work by Google Assistant. It can get frustrating when people keep disturbing you while you’re trying to enjoy the latest Netflix box set, whether by picking up the phone or asking if you need anything.
We’ve compiled a brief guide to help users ensure they have the optimal settings in place and that Google Assistant is performing as expected. If people are having problems, maybe one of these solutions will help:
#1. When Listening With Earphones
Is Google Now interfering with your commute music? It’s likely that the user isn’t getting along with Google Assistant since their headphones or earbuds don’t work with it. To stop this from happening, launch the Google app and navigate to More > Settings > Voice, where you must uncheck the box labeled “Allow wired headset requests with the device locked.”
#2. Remove Google Assistant as the Default Voice Assistant
Just remove Google Assistant as the default voice assistant if you don’t like voice assistants or don’t want it to appear when you hit the power button. Under Settings > Apps and Notifications > Default Apps > Assist and Voice Input > Default Assistant App, pick none to fix.
#3. Disable Google Assistant
Disabling Google Assistant entirely is an option if the feature continues to grate on users’ nerves. To disable Google Assistant, open the app and navigate to More > Settings > Google Assistant > General.
#4. Turn off Google Now/OK Features of Google
If you don’t want Google Assistant to respond to your voice commands, or if you use Google in your everyday speech, you can disable this feature. When you open the Google app, disable Voice Match by going to More > Settings > Google Assistant > Voice Match. Google, please.
How to Disable Google Assistant
Disabling this feature is simple, but the appropriate menu is buried in Google’s settings, making it difficult to find. Detailed instructions are provided below.
- Launch the Google app.
- Select your profile picture from the menu that appears in the top-right corner.
- Go to the Preferences menu.
- Select Google Assistant from the menu.
- Toss a General.
- To activate Google Assistant, simply switch the slider to the on position.
This will disable Google Assistant on your device completely, meaning that you will no longer receive “Hey Google” triggers and will also lose access to features that rely on Assistant, such as Snapshot. If that sounds too intrusive, you can disable the “Hey Google” listening feature by returning to the Assistant settings screen, clicking on Hey Google & Voice Match, and then unchecking the “Hey Google” box.
Although turning off Google Assistant on your Google Nest devices essentially turns the gadget into a speaker, we don’t advocate doing so. In any case, if you’re concerned about overhearing everything you say, you may mute it momentarily by toggling the hardware mute switch on each Nest device.
Reasons Why You Might Want To Disable Google Assistant
Though helpful, there are times when disabling Google Assistant is the best option. You may want to disable Google Assistant because of the following issues:
- You don’t use voice assistants. If you never use a voice assistant, there’s no point in having Google Assistant turned on. If you want to save power and stop using resources, disable Google Assistant.
- You want to ensure your personal privacy. You may wish to disable Google Assistant if you’re worried about your privacy. Google uses the information it gathers from your interactions with Google Assistant to make the service more useful to you. Disabling Google Assistant is one way to prevent Google from gathering this information.
- Your kid is using your gadget. If your child is using your smartphone, you may wish to disable Google Assistant to prevent them from accessing inappropriate content or taking unintended actions.
- It’s frustrating for you. When Google Assistant is activated inadvertently when a user is attempting to perform another task on their phone, they may find it bothersome. You can disable Google Assistant if you find it to be a nuisance.
How Do I Disable Google Assistant on Android?
Here are some simple steps to disable Google Assistant on your Android:
- Launch the Google app on your mobile device. Select Settings by tapping the profile symbol in the upper right. If you don’t see this option, select Settings by tapping the three-dot More icon in the upper right.
- Select Google Assistant from the menu. About halfway down the list, you’ll see this.
- Some Android phones now include a switch next to Google Assistant that may be toggled off to disable it.
- If you don’t see the toggle for disabling Google Assistant, go to Settings, then Assistant devices (or Devices on some phones), and then press Phone.
- Google Assistant is pre-installed in the firmware of several Android phones, including the most recent Motorola models and Pixel devices, making it impossible to disable it in the ways described above.
If you get to the Settings screen for Google Assistant and don’t find the toggle described in steps 3 and 4, go to the All Settings section. To disable Google Assistant, go to Settings > General.
To confirm that you wish to totally turn off the feature, tap Turn Off.
Which One Is Better — Siri or Google Assistant?
As two of the most popular AI assistants for smartphones, Siri and Google Assistant are naturally compared to one another. Which is preferable? That’s a complex question that calls for careful consideration.
To sum up, there are many similarities between the two. Both are quick to respond to users’ buzzwords and can accurately retrieve the information they need. Both can be used to operate the features of your smartphone and other devices that are compatible with them. Your experience is likely to go more smoothly on an iPhone because the smartphone controls are a little more limited on Google Assistant and require some additional setup on most devices. However, Google Assistant excels in other Assistant-enabled areas, such as call-screening and queue-waiting capabilities. These are tricks that Siri simply can’t accomplish, so they’re a nice novelty for the Assistant.
Generally speaking, the virtual assistant that comes preinstalled on your smartphone (Siri for iPhones and Google Assistant for Android phones) is the best option. There are some distinctions between their capacities, but in the grand scheme of things, they are probably negligible, and either one should serve you well.
One thing to think about is if you like to switch between different brands. Siri isn’t available on Android, but Google Assistant is (with some workarounds). Unlike Apple’s Siri, Google’s virtual assistant may follow you to a new phone. You won’t have an issue with this if you’re an unwavering Apple fanatic, but if you’re curious about Android and thinking about making the switch, you’ll have to relearn how to use Google Assistant from scratch.
How Do I Turn Off Google Speech Services on Android?
Text-to-speech is a feature of Google Assistant that employs AI to make digital text audible. You can get this kind of software from third-party sites or add it as an add-on to an already-existing app, like Google.
You can use Google TTS on your Android, iOS, or Windows device. Although it has been shown to be useful, not all device owners will wish to enable it.
Google text-to-speech can be disabled on any device. Detailed guides for fixing various gadgets are provided here.
- Access the preferences menu on your Android device.
- Select “Audio and Video” in the drop-down list.
- Click the option labeled “Text-to-speech.”
- To disable it, simply turn the switch.
- Go to the Google Play Store.
- Go to the navigation bar and look for “Text to Speech.”
- Select the app from which you’d like to remove the feature.
- Disable TTS using the main menu option.
Disabling the app’s ability to transcribe spoken commands to text using the Google Speech service can be done in the Settings menu. Here’s what you need to do:
- The app’s “Personal” section can be found within the “Settings” menu.
- Choose “Language & Input” and then “Google Voice Typing.”
- Simply deselecting the “Enable Google Voice Typing” checkbox will turn off the feature.
Bottom Line
Google Assistant is useful, but there are situations in which you might wish to disable it. We’ve covered the scenarios where you would wish to disable Google Assistant, such as when you’re worried about your privacy, your child uses your device, it’s annoying, or you just don’t like using voice assistants.
We hope you found this post helpful in finding out how to disable Google Assistant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if Google Assistant is turned on?
The Hey Google and Voice Match options can be found in the “Common Settings” menu. Turn on the “Hey Google” feature. However, in the event that you cannot locate “Hey Google,” activate Google Assistant.
How to stop Google Assistant from activating with power button?
To disable this feature, open the Settings app and go to the “Gestures” section, where you can turn off the switch labeled “Hold for Assistant.” As soon as you turn off the feature, the power button will take you to the regular “Power Off” and “Restart” menus.
Why is voice control always popping up?
If you accidentally press the Side Button or the Home Button, Voice Control will appear. There may be an issue if Voice Control has been running for a long period or if you have just loaded an app that has a virus or other problems.
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