Ok Google command no longer works? Google Assistant is arguably the best personal assistant around, at least when it's working. There is indeed nothing worse than repeating desperately “Ok Google” in public only to end up handling your smartphone manually. Language, hardware problem, S-Voice or Bixby… let's look at the causes together to find solutions and finally repair Google Assistant!
Tired of not being able to say 'Ok Google' anymore? Several causes can prevent the detection of the shebang (the technical name of the famous Ok Google which triggers the opening of Google Assistant). There are usual suspects: bad configuration, limited internet connectivity… but also more obscure causes, even conflicts with the assistants that some manufacturers include in their flagship.
Summary
- Ok Google: first of all, check your internet connection and your Google Assistant settings
- Check that your microphone picks up when you say Ok Google
- Ok Google: what if it was a language or an accent problem?
- Ok Google on Samsung smartphones: turn off S-Voice or Bixby
- Ok Google on Huawei / Honor smartphones: how to use it instead of Ok Emy?
- Comments
Ok Google: first of all, check your internet connection and your Google Assistant settings
The simplest causes are too often ignored. This is why we suggest you start this tutorial by checking if Google Assistant is activated, just like the detection of Ok Google, and that your internet connection is working correctly. Google Assistant indeed depends on network connectivity to be able to function.
Check your internet connection
To work Ok Google absolutely needs a working internet connection. Check the connection of your WiFi network: are you able to connect to the internet? Is there a firewall? Usually Google Assistant is fine with firewalls, but you can try to turn it off and try again. If you are connected to a public WiFi network, however, there is a good chance that Google Assistant will not be able to access the internet on its own.
Also check that you have enough data left if you are using 4G and that this connection is working normally. If necessary, contact your operator.
Check that Google Assistant is there and that 'Ok Google' is correctly configured
Another very silly cause to check before going any further: are you 100% sure that Google Assistant is present on your smartphone and that Ok Google is correctly configured? Not all smartphones are compatible with Google Assistant (you need Android 6 or 7 minimum, 1,5 GB of RAM, and a resolution of at least 720p). Google Assistant is generally present in the smartphones with which it is compatible.
On the other hand, the voice command 'Ok Google' is not activated by default. To activate it, you must:
- Go to the app Google
- At the bottom right, tap ☰ > Settings> Voice> Voice Match> Say 'Ok Google' at any time
The 'Ok Google command is therefore available even when the Google application is closed.
Check that your microphone picks up when you say Ok Google
What if the problem was hardware? Open your sound recorder, record, then play your voice: is the sound clear? You should also know that your voice recognition works best when you are in a quiet place. The extraneous noises around you can interfere with the recognition of the shebang. Another source of error: have you paired bluetooth devices with your smartphone? Try turning them off - the mic input may have accidentally shifted to another device.
Ok Google: what if it was a language or an accent problem?
One of the common problems with the 'Ok Google' command can come from incorrect language settings, a language pack bug, or even poor recognition of your voice.
Check that the language is correct
Go to the language settings and check the language or even change it for French if necessary:
- Go to the app Google
- At the bottom right, tap ☰> Settings> Voices> Languages
- Select French (our country)
Force the update of the language pack
- Return to the change language menu
- Uncheck French and choose another language
- Once installed, uncheck this language and switch back to French
Reset your voice detection
- Go to the app Google
- At the bottom right, tap ☰> Settings> Voice> Voice Match> Re-register voiceprint
Ok Google on Samsung smartphones: turn off S-Voice or Bixby
On Samsung smartphones, Ok Google may conflict with S-Voice or Bixby. To put an end to the problem, it must therefore be deactivated!
How to turn off S-Voice
- Go to Settings> Applications> Application manager> S-Voice
- touch deactivate
How to turn off Bixby
Bixby Voice is not yet available in French. We'll update this section as soon as we do! In the absence of voice commands there should be no conflict with Ok Google at this time.
Ok Google on Huawei / Honor smartphones: how to use it instead of Ok Emy?
As with Samsung, Huawei / Honor smartphones have their own assistant, named Emy. You can use Ok Google at the same time, but Ok Emy is the only shebang that allows you to unlock your smartphone with the screen off. There are methods to completely replace the rather limited Emy with Google Assistant. But these require you to root your smartphone. The total replacement has other drawbacks: when voice control is activated, the smartphone tends to drain its battery more quickly. It is therefore rather inadvisable.
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