Google Assistant is on by default — here's how to stop it from listening
Google Assistant is a voice tool built into most Android phones that listens for commands like "Hey Google, what's the weather?" By default, it's always listening for that phrase, even when your screen is locked. You can turn it off entirely, disable just the voice set up, or keep it but remove its access to certain information. The steps depend on which version of Android you have and whether you want to disable it completely or just limit what it can do.
Most people disable Google Assistant because they don't use it, find it intrusive, or want to reduce how much data Google collects about their voice and location. Turning it off won't break your phone — it just removes a feature you can access by holding the power button or swiping from a corner of your screen.
Key Takeaways
- You can disable Google Assistant entirely through Settings, or turn off just the "Hey Google" voice set up while keeping the feature available through button presses.
- The exact steps vary slightly depending on your Android version and phone manufacturer, but all routes go through the Google app or your phone's Settings.
- Disabling Google Assistant does not affect other Google services like Search or Maps, and you can turn it back on anytime.
- If you want to keep Google Assistant but limit what it knows about you, you can revoke its access to your location, contacts, and calendar without fully disabling it.
Disable "Hey Google" voice set up in the Google app
The quickest way to stop Google Assistant from listening for "Hey Google" is to turn off voice set up in the Google app itself. Open the Google app on your phone (the one with the colorful "G" icon), tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then go to Settings. Look for "Voice" or "Voice and speech" — the exact name varies by Android version. Tap it, then find "Voice Match" or "Voice set up" and toggle it off.
This method keeps Google Assistant available if you want to use it — you can still hold down the power button or swipe from the bottom corner to open it — but it stops the phone from constantly listening for the wake phrase. This is the least disruptive option if you occasionally use Assistant but don't want it always on.
Fully disable Google Assistant through Settings
To remove Google Assistant entirely, go to your phone's main Settings app, then search for "Google" or "Google apps." Tap Google, then select "Manage your Google Account." Go to the "Data and privacy" tab, scroll down to "Web and app activity," and make sure it's toggled off — this prevents Google from recording your voice commands. Then go back and look for "Google Assistant" in Settings, tap it, and select "Turn off."
The exact path varies by phone manufacturer. Samsung phones, for example, may have a separate Bixby assistant that you'll need to disable separately. If you can't find a direct "Turn off" option, you can disable the Google app itself by going to Settings, then Apps, finding Google, and tapping "Disable" — though this may affect other Google services on your phone.
Disable Google Assistant on specific devices
If you have multiple devices connected to your Google account — a phone, a tablet, a smart speaker — you can disable Assistant on just one of them without affecting the others. In the Google app, go to Settings, then "Google Assistant," then "Devices." Select the device you want to change, and toggle off "Google Assistant" for that device only.
This is useful if you want to keep Assistant on your home speaker but turn it off on your phone, or vice versa. Changes made here explore only to the device you select.
Limit what Google Assistant can access without disabling it
If you want to keep Google Assistant but reduce what it knows about you, you can revoke its permissions without turning it off completely. Go to Settings, then Apps, find Google, and tap "Permissions." You can toggle off access to your location, contacts, calendar, call logs, and photos. Assistant will still work for basic commands like weather and timers, but it won't be able to tell you about your upcoming meetings or find a contact's phone number.
You can also manage what data Google stores about your voice commands. In the Google app, go to Settings, then "Voice and speech," then "Voice Match." Tap "Delete voice model" to remove the voice sample Google uses to recognize you. This doesn't disable Assistant, but it means Google won't be able to identify you by your voice.
What happens when you disable Google Assistant
Disabling Google Assistant does not affect Gmail, Google Maps, Google Search, or any other Google service. You can still use all of those apps normally. The only thing that stops working is the voice assistant feature itself — you won't be able to say "Hey Google" or access Assistant by holding the power button or swiping from a corner.
If you change your mind later, you can turn Google Assistant back on by reversing the same steps. Go back to Settings or the Google app and toggle it back on. Your phone will ask you to set up voice recognition again if you want to use "Hey Google."
Why Google Assistant is on by default
Google includes Assistant on Android phones because it's a core part of how Google collects data about user behavior and preferences. The more you use voice commands, the more Google learns about what you search for, where you go, and what you care about. This information is valuable for advertising and for improving Google's services. You're not required to use it, but Google makes it the default because most people don't bother to turn it off.
Disabling it is a straightforward privacy choice — it doesn't break anything, and it's one less service constantly listening to your home or pocket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Google Assistant slow down my phone?
No. Turning off Google Assistant may actually free up a tiny amount of memory and battery, since the phone won't be constantly listening for the wake phrase. You won't notice a difference either way, but there's no downside to disabling it.
Can I disable Google Assistant but keep other Google services?
Yes. Disabling Google Assistant does not affect Gmail, Maps, Search, YouTube, or any other Google app. You can use all of those normally. Only the voice assistant feature itself is turned off.
What's the difference between disabling voice set up and disabling the whole Assistant?
Disabling voice set up stops "Hey Google" from working, but you can still open Assistant by holding the power button or swiping from a corner. Disabling the whole Assistant removes it completely. Choose voice set up off if you use Assistant occasionally; choose full disable if you never use it.
If I delete my voice model, will Google forget my voice?
Deleting your voice model removes the sample Google stored to recognize you by voice. Google may still have other voice recordings in your account history, which you can delete separately through your Google account's "Web and app activity" settings. Turning off "Web and app activity" prevents new recordings from being saved.
Do I need to disable Google Assistant if I'm concerned about privacy?
It depends on your comfort level. If you never use it, disabling it removes one source of data collection. If you do use it, you can limit its permissions instead — turn off location access, contact access, and calendar access so it can't learn as much about you. Both approaches reduce what Google learns, but full disabling is more complete.