Every latest smartphone comes with Google Assistant, but many people don’t use it often. Sometimes, it gets triggered accidentally during a conversation. Not to mention, it’s quite helpful. However, suppose you don’t want to use Google Assistance. In that case, you can also disable it on your Android phone, tablet, Google Home, or Google Nest Smart speaker.
This gives you easy access to do stuff like playing music, controlling your smart home device, playing music, scheduling tasks, finding flight tickets or restraints, and much more. Google Assistance is a great tool, but it is annoying when there is a command activation error. Also, many people are disabled because of privacy concerns since it has become the subject of a lawsuit in the U.S.
Google Assistance
This was first introduced by Google, powered by artificial intelligence for phones, tablets, computers, and smart home devices. It also started integrating with third-party services. However, Google Assistance runs on various platforms, including Android, iOS, Wear OS, Chrome Books, Pixel Buds, Android Auto, Android TV, Smart Speakers, and Display.
Google is listening to you on Android.
Yes, Google actively records your voice on your Android device. That’s how it is known when you say hot words like Hey Google or OK Google. Companies use this to make a profit, and it is designed to track your activities. Continuously recording and starting to use target ads later to show ads of your interest.
It is legal for the phone to listen to you. This is because we, as users, often give consent to devices while accepting terms and conditions. Not to mention, phones can also listen to us illegally.
Why does Google store your voice data?
It stores data to help you understand your sounds and phrases better, improve speech recognition, and recognize your voice. Google notes that only users can access this data unless there is some breach at Google or the user account has been compromised.
Check the voice recording stored in Google Assistance.
Google does have a transparent panel that allows viewing voice recordings stored by Google Assistance.
- Open Google My Activity, and then there it has everything Google product data used by you.
- Now apply the filter, filter by date, and product from the upper-top menu that appears under the search bar.
- It will list accordingly; choose Voice and Audio to check voice recordings used by apps.
- Click on Details, and then select View to start listening to a recording.
- To erase, click on the X button in the upper-right corner.
- That’s it!
Disable Google Voice History.
After this, if you don’t wish Google to store your voice data, then here is how you can turn off Google Voice History.
- Open the Google Activity Control page and Web & App Activity.
- Uncheck the checkbox for the sub-settings.
Delete your Google Voice history.
If you also want to remove Google Voice history, here is how you can do it.
- Open the Google My Activity page and then click on Delete Activity in the display’s left corner.
- Select all times, then click delete to delete everything Google has stored.
Automatically delete Google History after a specific period.
If you want your activity to be removed within a particular period, then here is what you can do:
- Open Google My Activity and head over to Web & App Activity.
- At the bottom, choose a period according to your performance.
- That’s it!
OK, Google: Command activation error
It is a hot word to function, which triggers Google assistance. There are two hot words: “Hey, Google” and “OK, Google.” Similarly, other manufacturers like Apple, Amazon, and Samsung have used them in their voice assistants, Siri, Alexa, and Bixby.
These are false acceptances due to software recognition, which results in launching Google Assistance on your smartphone or Smart Speaker.
Disable Google Assistance on an Android phone.
This feature can’t be uninstalled. Here is a quick guide to disabling the Google Assistance feature on your smartphone from the system settings. With this, you can automatically disable Google Assistance.
- Open the Google app on your Android phone, and head to your profile in the upper-right corner of the display.
- Tap on Settings, and then go to the Google Assistance option.
- Next, click the Google Assistance toggle to turn it off.
- It will pop up a warning that Google Assistance will not work once disabled.
- Click on Turn off.
Disable OK Google Command on an Android Smartphone
If you want to use Google Assistance but don’t want to use voice assistance, you can use the user button to trigger Google Assistance. Most Android smartphones with Android 11 or higher versions come with this functionality.
With this functionality, you can still use Google Assistance on your driving apps, like Android Auto and Google Maps. This only disables the functionality of voice activation. To disable OK Google or Hey Google, here are the following step-by-step instructions mentioned below:
- Open Device Settings and head over to Google.
- From there, go to Google Apps and then Search.
- Tap on Assistance & Voice and choose Voice.
- Choose Hey Google and tap on Voice Match.
- Toggle the Hey Google menu to disable Hey Google.
Disable Google Assistance in Android Auto
If you don’t wish to use Google Assistance on your maps or Android Auto.
- Open the Android Auto app and go to General.
- Head over to Hey Google Detection, and then from there toggle to disable.
Disable Google Assistance in Google Maps
- Open Google Maps, and then tap on Profile in the upper-right corner.
- Tap on Settings, and then choose Navigation Settings.
- Select navigation settings and then Google Assistant settings.
- Tap on Hey Google detection and toggle to disable while driving, Hey Google, or both accordingly.
Disable the Google Assistance activation button and gesture for Google Assistance.
Android 12 comes with an activation button and gestures to activate Google Assistance. To avoid the unintentional trigger of Google Assistance, you will still be able to use Google Assistance in the Google app or search box.
- Open Device Settings and head over to Apps.
- Then, in Default Apps, tap on the Digital Assist app.
- Next, tap on Default Digital Assistance and choose None.
Options might be different based on the Android version installed on your Android phone.
Disable Google Assistance on Google Home Speaker
These are designed for Google Assistance, which means you won’t be able to disable Google Assistance for Google Home or Nest Speakers. However, you can mute the microphone on the Google Home Speaker by pressing the microphone button on the speaker.
Disable Google Assistance on Chromebooks and Pixel Book
Google Assistance is also a significant part of ChromeOS, Chromebook, and Pixel Book.
- Open Device Settings, and then head to Search and Assistance by scrolling down.
- Select Google Assistance, and then toggle to disable Google Assistance on your Chromebook and Pixel Book.
Disable Google Assistant on Android TV
Similarly, Google does have integrated Google Assistance on Android TV, and here is a quick rundown.
- Press the Google Assistance button on the remote to open Google Assistance Settings.
- Tap on Settings, and then, from there, disable Google Assistant.
- Done
This is how, in different ways, you can silence your Google Assistant if it annoys you in any way.