Digital voice assistants are an integral part of our daily lives. You’d be correct to assume that Google Assistant has the best intuitive interface.
This guide will help you set up Google Assistant on an Android or iOS device. Let’s get started.
Google Assistant Device Requirements
Before you start using Google Assistant like a professional, make sure your device or phone can run it. To check if your Android device or iOS device can run Google Assistant, take a look below at the requirements.
For Android:
- Android 5.0 and higher
- 1GB RAM available or more
- Google app running app version 6.13 or higher
- Resolution of 720p or greater
- Google Play Services
iOS
- iOS 11 and higher
- Google Assistant app
Use Google Assistant Go if you have an entry-level smartphone with less than 1GB of memory. This is a simplified version of the regular Google Assistant. It doesn’t have hands-free control and has fewer features, but it can still be useful for simple tasks.
How to download Google Assistant for Android and iOS
You don’t have to download the Google Assistant app if you own an Android phone. The feature is already pre-installed on all Android phones. If your device does not have the feature, you can download it from Google Play Store.
Google Assistant is not pre-installed on iPads and iPhones, as Apple prefers that you use Siri, its native voice assistant. You can still download Google Assistant for iOS from the Apple App Store. The feature is not as effective on iOS devices than it is on Android.
How to enable Google Assistant on Android
Google Assistant is turned on by default on most Android devices. Long-press the Home button to check if Google Assistant is active on your Android device. If the assistant is active, it will begin listening to you. If not, it will prompt you to turn it off via a small prompt at your bottom.
You can activate the prompt in the Google Assistant settings if it doesn’t show.
- Start the Google App.
- Click on your profile photo and choose Settings.
- Go to Google Assistant > All.
- Turn on the Google Assistant toggle.
Your Google Assistant will turn on automatically and be able to answer any questions you may have, follow your commands, and provide relevant search results. Just long-press the Home button to speak. You can use gesture navigation instead buttons. Swipe your finger diagonally from the bottom corners to the center of your screen.
The assistant should say “Hi, how can you help?” Once that happens, it’s time to start talking. You can ask questions like “How old are Tom Holland?” Or “Set a reminder to March 17, 10 am”, or “Play Bohemian Rhapsody” on Spotify.
How to make Google Assistant recognize your voice
You can launch Google Assistant by using gestures or a long-pressing home button.
Google Assistant can also provide personalized results through Voice Match. This is in addition to the generic results. Before you can start to experiment with this, however, you need to first train Google Assistant to recognize your voice.
Follow these steps to do this:
- To launch Google Assistant, long-press the Home button.
- Say “Open Assistant settings”.
- Tap Hey Google & Voice Match.
- Allow the Hey Google toggle.
- Follow the steps on screen and then tap End.
You can retrain your Google Assistant later if it is still unable to recognize your voice under Hey Google and Voice Match > Voice model > Restrain voice model. You can also use Google Assistant to say “Open voice match settings” and “Recognize me voice” for faster navigation.
Tip: Make sure you don’t have headphones or earbuds attached to your phone. Instead, you can use the microphone on your phone to speak the trigger words naturally and without having to make any effort.
How to enable Google Assistant on iPhone or iPad
You don’t need to set up Google Assistant for iPhones or iPad. Voice Match isn’t available on iOS or iPadOS. You can’t wake Assistant from your device automatically. You can simply open the Google Assistant app every time you need it.
How to activate Google Assistant on Android or iOS
You can speak to Google Assistant in multiple ways on your Android or iOS device. However, activating it on Android or iOS is slightly different.
On Android:
- Hold the Home button down while you tap it.
- Tap diagonally on either side of the corners of the button until you reach the center of your screen.
- Speak “Hey Google” and “Ok Google”
- Open Google Assistant and tap on the mic icon (or keyboard icon) to access text.
- Tap the mic icon in the Google Search widget.
- For Pixel 2, 3a, or 4, press the bottom half.
- Hold the Power button on the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro.
Android version 8.0 and higher allows you to access Google Assistant from your lock screen. This is a great feature that can be used for cooking or driving. If you give it a command, such as to open YouTube, it will ask you to unlock your phone first.
iOS:
- Open the Google Assistant app, and say “Hey Google” (or “Ok Google”)
- Open Google Assistant and tap on the mic icon (or keyboard icon) to access text.
- Tap the mic icon in the Google Search widget.
After you are done setting up Google Assistant, you can use it in many ways like asking questions, changing device settings, opening apps and calling friends.
Google Assistant – Get More Done in a Shorter Time
Google Assistant, regardless of your smart device, is in many ways the best voice assistant. It is intuitive and better at understanding context. This means that it can maintain continuous conversations and respond more naturally to questions and commands.
