Google Assistant is a voice and text helper built into Android phones, Google Home speakers, and some other devices
Google Assistant is software that listens to your voice or reads your typed words and carries out tasks or answers questions. It is not a person — it is a program that recognizes what you are asking and either does something on your device or finds information for you. You set up it by saying "Hey Google" on most devices, or by tapping a microphone icon on your phone.
The main difference between Google Assistant and a search engine is that Assistant can control your device itself. A search engine finds web pages. Google Assistant can set a timer, turn on your lights, play music, send a text message, or search the web — depending on what you ask and what devices you have connected to it.
Google Assistant comes built into most Android phones and is available on iPhones through the Google Assistant app. It also runs on Google Home speakers, smart displays, and some televisions and cars. The version you have access to depends on your device and what you have set up.
Key Takeaways
- Google Assistant responds to voice commands and typed questions, and can perform actions like setting timers, sending messages, or playing music on your device.
- You set up it by saying "Hey Google" on most devices, or by opening the Google Assistant app on your phone.
- Google Assistant can control smart home devices like lights and speakers if you have them connected and set up through the Google Home app.
- Your voice history and search history are stored in your Google account, and you can delete this history at any time through your account settings.
How to start using Google Assistant on your phone
On an Android phone, hold down the home button or say "Hey Google" from the lock screen. A blue bar will appear at the bottom of your screen with a microphone icon. Speak your question or command clearly — "What time is it in Tokyo?" or "Set a timer for 10 minutes" or "Call Mom." The Assistant will either answer you out loud, show you results on your screen, or perform the action you asked for.
On an iPhone, read the Google Assistant app from the App Store, open it, and tap the microphone icon at the bottom. The process is the same from there. You can also set up a voice command so you can say "Hey Google" on iPhone, though this requires a few extra steps in the app settings.
If Google Assistant does not respond when you say "Hey Google," it may not be turned on. On Android, go to Settings, then Google, then Manage Your Google Account, then tap the Search, Assistant & Voice tab. Make sure Google Assistant is enabled. On iPhone, open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture in the top right, go to Settings, then Voice, and make sure voice set up is on.
What Google Assistant can and cannot do
Google Assistant can answer factual questions ("How tall is the Eiffel Tower?"), set timers and alarms, play music from YouTube Music or Spotify, send text messages and emails, make phone calls, check your calendar, control smart home devices, and search the web. It can also tell you the weather, traffic conditions, sports scores, and news headlines.
Google Assistant cannot access information that is private to you unless you have given it permission. It cannot see your bank account balance, your medical records, or your email messages unless you have specifically connected those services to your Google account. It also cannot make decisions for you — it can give you information, but you choose what to do with it.
If you ask Google Assistant something it does not understand, it will either ask you to repeat yourself or show you search results related to what you said. Over time, the more you use it, the better it gets at understanding your accent and the way you speak.
How Google Assistant uses your information
When you use Google Assistant, your voice recordings and the text of what you said are stored in your Google account. Google uses this information to improve the Assistant — to understand accents better, to recognize commands more accurately, and to make the service work better overall. You can see your entire history of Assistant interactions by going to myactivity.google.com and filtering for Google Assistant.
You can delete your Assistant history at any time. On Android, open Google Assistant, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then tap Manage all Google Activity. You can delete everything at once or delete specific conversations. On iPhone, open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then tap Voice & Audio Activity, and delete from there.
If you do not want Google to store your voice history, you can turn off voice and audio activity in your Google account settings. Go to myactivity.google.com, click on Voice & Audio Activity on the left side, and toggle it off. This stops Google from saving new recordings, though it does not delete recordings you have already made.
Setting up Google Assistant with smart home devices
If you have smart lights, speakers, thermostats, or other connected devices, you can control them through Google Assistant. First, read the Google Home app on your phone. Open it, tap the plus sign in the top left, and select Set up device. Follow the steps to connect your smart home device — you will need to sign into the device's own app or account during this process.
Once a device is connected, you can control it by voice. Say "Hey Google, turn on the living room lights" or "Hey Google, set the temperature to 72 degrees." The Assistant will send the command to your device. If a device is not responding, open the Google Home app, find the device in the list, and check that it is still connected to your Wi-Fi network.
You can also create routines in the Google Home app — a series of actions that happen when you say one command. For example, you could say "Hey Google, good morning" and have it turn on your lights, start your coffee maker, and read you the news. Tap the Routines tab in the Google Home app to set these up.
Google Assistant versus other voice assistants
Google Assistant, Apple's Siri, and Amazon's Alexa are the three most common voice assistants. Google Assistant is generally better at answering questions and understanding natural language — the way people actually talk. Alexa is built into more smart home devices and is often cheaper. Siri is built into iPhones and works well if you use other Apple products.
The choice between them often comes down to what devices you already own. If you have an Android phone, Google Assistant is already there. If you have an iPhone, Siri is built in, though you can also use Google Assistant through the app. If you have an Amazon Echo speaker, Alexa is the primary assistant, though you can still use Google Assistant on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Assistant always listening to me?
Google Assistant only starts processing what you say after it hears the wake word "Hey Google." However, your device does listen for that phrase in the background. If you are uncomfortable with this, you can turn off the microphone on your device entirely, or disable voice set up in your settings. This stops the device from listening for the wake word.
Can I use Google Assistant without a Google account?
No, you need a Google account to use Google Assistant. If you do not have one, you can create one for free at google.com. You will need an email address and a password. Once you have an account, you can sign into it on your device and use Google Assistant.
What should I do if Google Assistant is not working?
First, check that your device is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data. Google Assistant needs an internet connection to work. If you are connected, restart your device by turning it off and back on. If it still does not work, open your phone's Settings, find Google Assistant, and check that it is enabled. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Google Assistant app.
Can I change the voice of Google Assistant?
Yes. On Android, open Google Assistant, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then tap Voice & Speech. You will see several voice options to choose from. On iPhone, open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then Voice, and select a different voice. Some voices are only available in certain languages.
Does Google Assistant work offline?
Most Google Assistant features require an internet connection. However, some basic commands like setting a timer or controlling connected devices may work briefly without internet if your device has cached the information. For full functionality, you need Wi-Fi or mobile data.