The “OK Google” and “Hey Google” commands can be handy for hands-free tasks, but you might not want to use them. If you’d like to stop your Android device from listening for these Google Assistant hot words, it’s easy to do.
If you have Google Nest/Home speakers in your house, it can be annoying to have your Android phone or tablet wake up for the command every time you talk to a speaker, or maybe you just don’t want your handset recording your voice every time it thinks it hears the command.
Thankfully, it’s very easy to turn off “OK Google” and “Hey Google” detection on an Android device.
RELATED: Is My Smart Speaker Always Listening to Me?
First, open the Google Assistant app. You can simply tap the home screen icon, say “OK, Google,” or swipe in from the bottom-left or -right corner.
Now, tap the Snapshot icon in the bottom-left corner. The UI may look slightly different depending on your device.
Next, tap your profile icon to open the Assistant’s Settings menu.
The setting we’re looking for is “Voice Match.”
This page shows all the Google Assistant-enabled devices that can detect your voice. At the top, you’ll see a section titled “This Phone” (or tablet). Simply toggle off the switch for “Hey Google.”
A pop-up message will appear explaining that you can still use the voice commands in some driving apps, such as Google Maps. Tap “OK.”
That’s all there is to it. Your Android phone or tablet will no longer wake up when you say “OK Google” or “Hey Google.”
RELATED: How to Use the Assistant Driving Mode in Google Maps
