Google Assistant is the voice helper that responds when you say "Hey Google" — and you can turn it off entirely, disable just the voice set up, or keep it but remove its access to specific apps and information.

Google Assistant runs on Android phones, iPhones, tablets, smart speakers, and computers. Most people encounter it as a voice service, but it also works through text in the Google app and Google Search. The steps to disable it depend on what device you're using and how much you want to turn off — you might want to keep it for some tasks but stop it from listening for the wake phrase, or you might want to remove it completely.

The most common reason to turn it off is privacy: Google Assistant records audio when you set up it, and that data is stored on Google's servers. Some people also disable it because they accidentally trigger it, or because they prefer not to have a voice assistant at all. The good news is that turning it off is straightforward on every device, and you can always turn it back on later.

Key Takeaways

  • On Android phones, you can disable the "Hey Google" wake phrase in Google Assistant settings without removing the app entirely.
  • On iPhones, Google Assistant is a separate app that you can delete, or you can disable voice set up in the app's settings.
  • On computers, you can turn off Google Assistant in Chrome settings or uninstall it if it came as a separate program.
  • Disabling the wake phrase stops Google Assistant from listening for your voice, but you can still use it by opening the app or saying "OK Google" if you choose to re-enable it.
  • Your Google account and search history remain unchanged when you turn off Google Assistant — this only affects the voice helper itself.

How to Turn Off Google Assistant on Android Phones

On most Android phones, Google Assistant is built into the system. To disable the "Hey Google" wake phrase, open the Google app, tap your profile picture in the top right, select Settings, then Google Assistant. Tap General, then toggle off Google Assistant. This stops the voice set up entirely.

If you want to keep Google Assistant but just disable voice set up, you can instead go to Settings > Google Assistant > Voice and toggle off Voice set up. This way, you can still open the app manually or use it through text, but it won't respond to "Hey Google."

Some Android phones also have a separate Google Assistant button or gesture. If your phone has one, you can disable it in Settings > System > Gestures and look for an option related to Google Assistant. The exact menu name varies by phone manufacturer, but the principle is the same.

How to Turn Off Google Assistant on iPhones

Google Assistant is a separate app on iPhones, not built into the system. The simplest way to stop it is to delete the app: press and hold the Google Assistant app icon, select Remove App, then Delete App. This removes it from your phone entirely, and you won't see it or be able to set up it.

If you want to keep the app but disable voice set up, open Google Assistant, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then Google Assistant. Scroll down and toggle off Voice set up. You can still open the app and type to use it, but it won't listen for voice commands.

Note that Siri is Apple's built-in voice assistant on iPhones, and it works separately from Google Assistant. Turning off Google Assistant does not affect Siri, and vice versa.

How to Turn Off Google Assistant on Computers

If you use Google Assistant through Chrome on a computer, open Chrome and click the three-line menu in the top right. Go to Settings > Search Engine > Manage search engines and site search. Look for Google Assistant in the list and remove it. You can also disable it by going to Settings > Advanced > Accessibility and toggling off Use voice search.

If you have a Google Home device or Google Nest speaker connected to your computer, those are separate from the Chrome version of Google Assistant. To disable those, open the Google Home app on your phone or computer, select the device, tap the settings icon, scroll to Google Assistant, and toggle it off. You can also mute the microphone on the device itself using the physical button on top.

On Windows computers, if Google Assistant appears in your taskbar or search results, you can disable it through Settings > Privacy & Security > Voice set up and toggle off Allow voice set up.

What Happens to Your Data When You Turn Off Google Assistant

Turning off Google Assistant does not delete your Google account, your search history, or any of your other Google services. Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Search all continue to work normally. Only the voice assistant feature stops responding.

Audio recordings that Google Assistant made before you disabled it remain stored in your Google Account. If you want to delete those, go to myactivity.google.com, click the three-line menu, select Delete activity by, choose All time, and filter by Google Assistant. You can then delete those recordings. This step is optional — many people leave them alone.

Turning Google Assistant Back On

If you change your mind later, you can re-enable Google Assistant by reversing the steps you took to turn it off. On Android, open the Google app and go back to Settings > Google Assistant > General and toggle Google Assistant back on. On iPhone, you can read the Google Assistant app again from the App Store. On computers, you can re-enable it through Chrome or Windows settings.

There is no penalty for turning it off and back on — your account and settings remain the same. Some people turn it off temporarily when they're in a noisy environment where accidental set up is likely, then turn it back on when they're home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Google Assistant stop Google from tracking me?

No. Google Assistant is one feature, but Google tracks your activity through many other services — Search, Chrome, Gmail, Maps, and your Google account itself. Disabling Google Assistant only stops the voice helper from listening and recording. If you want to limit Google's tracking more broadly, you can adjust your privacy settings in your Google Account at myaccount.google.com.

Can I disable just the "Hey Google" wake phrase but keep using Google Assistant?

Yes. On Android and iPhone, you can go to Google Assistant settings and toggle off Voice set up or Voice Match. This stops the assistant from listening for the wake phrase, but you can still open the app and use it by typing or by manually triggering it. On Android, you can also still use "OK Google" if you enable it separately.

What's the difference between Google Assistant and Google Search?

Google Search is the search engine you use to find information online. Google Assistant is a voice helper that can answer questions, control smart home devices, set reminders, and perform other tasks. You can disable Google Assistant without affecting Google Search — they are separate services.

If I delete Google Assistant from my iPhone, will it affect Siri?

No. Siri is Apple's built-in voice assistant and works independently from Google Assistant. Deleting the Google Assistant app only removes Google's voice helper. Siri will continue to work as normal.

Does turning off Google Assistant save battery on my phone?

Slightly. Google Assistant uses a small amount of battery power to listen for the wake phrase, especially if you have voice set up enabled. Disabling it may extend battery life by a small margin, though the difference is usually not dramatic unless you have an older phone or a phone with limited battery capacity.