Hey Google Not Working? 12 Simple Fixes

Google's voice assistant is one of the most useful there is—which makes it all the more frustrating when it stops working on your Android phone. Fortunately, there are a variety of fixes that can get it back up and working when this happens. These include:

• Ensure Google Assistant is Enabled
• Retrain Voice Model
• Make Sure Your Microphone is Turned On and Working
• Update Google Assistant
• Check Google Assistant’s Language
• Turn Off Battery Saver and Adaptive Battery
• Disable Other Voice Assistants
• Update Your Device

In this article, we'll detail each of these, so you can get "Hey Google" back up and working on your device.

Before You Start

Before you start, you'll need to make sure you have a good data connection, whether via WiFi or cellular signal. When in doubt, we suggest restarting your phone to reset your connection, as this can solve many issues related to triggering the "Hey Google" feature.

Why Is Hey Google Not Working?

Hey Google may not be responding for many reasons: losing an internet connection, running low on power, or competing with background noise and interference from other voice assistant apps. We’ll go through them one by one, starting with the most common and easiest fixes and working our way through to more complex suggestions.

Ensure Google Assistant is Enabled

We don’t want to overlook the obvious – let’s make sure  Google Assistant is installed on your device. To do this, take the following steps: 

• Open the Google app.
• Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top-right corner.
• Go to Settings > Voice > Voice Match.

From here, you can ensure that Hey Google is turned on.

Retrain Google Voice Model

Sometimes retraining Google's voice model can get "Hey Google"working again. Here's how to do it: 

• Open the Google app.
• Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top-right corner.
• Go to Settings > Voice > Voice Match.
• select Retrain voice model.
• Follow the instructions to re-record your voice.

Make Sure Your Microphone is Turned On and Working

It's important to make sure that your "Hey Google" woes aren't related to your microphone. The first thing to do is to check your microphone permissions.

• Go to your device Settings.
• Navigate to Apps & Notifications > Google > Permissions.
• Ensure the Microphone permission is enabled.

Next, test Your Microphone: 

• Open a voice recorder app and test your microphone to ensure it works.
• Clean the microphone area of your device if your voice isn’t being picked up properly.

Update Google Assistant

Sometimes, after completing the steps above to confirm the app is installed on your device, you’ll notice an “Update” button instead of “Open.” Developers always find ways to improve their applications, and Google is no exception.

An out-of-date app can cause issues with performance and reliability, so it’s always worth checking for updates when Hey Google isn’t working as you expect. Once you switch to the latest version of your favorite Google app, you might be pleasantly surprised that Hey Google responds faster and has more features than before.

Check Google Assistant’s Language

According to communications expert George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” While it has much broader applications, it’s also true when dealing with your Google Assistant. If we don’t speak and understand the same language, we can’t communicate, and neither can Google Assistant. 

Open the settings in Google Assistant and click the language settings. From there, you can select your desired language. Make sure it’s the same one you’re speaking and hasn’t been swapped over to another language by mistake.

Turn Off Battery Saver and Adaptive Battery

Phones are smarter than we give them credit for sometimes. If your battery is low, your phone might have switched to power-saving mode to help it last longer. Or, you inadvertently turned it on yourself. Power-saving mode restricts functions to save power and can affect Hey Google.

You can check whether your phone is in power-saving mode on either the Android Quick Settings pull-down menu bar or in your phone’s main Settings application. From either location, find the Battery section and deselect power saving. 

Disable Other Voice Assistants

When it comes to voice assistants, we live in a world of plenty. You may have other virtual helpers installed on your phone, such as Amazon Alexa, Bixby from Samsung, and many others.

If you have downloaded and activated another voice assistant, it may interfere with some of the functions of Hey Google. We recommend clearing the slate – disable all other voice assistants until Hey Google is back up and running normally.

To disable a voice assistant, open the Settings menu and look for the section for voice assistants or voice commands. From there, find the voice assistant app you want to disable and toggle it off. You can also delete the app if you no longer wish to use it.

Update Your Device

Manufacturers of our favorite Android devices are always working on new features, fixing bugs, and patching security risks. They roll out updates to ensure our devices function at peak performance for as long as possible.

Some users choose to have the latest updates automatically installed, but it’s always best to make sure a vital software update isn’t missing on your device. Some updates are rolled out to patch security issues, and if that’s the case, Hey Google may not work until you have the latest update installed, just to ensure that your information isn’t being exposed to a potential security risk.

To check for software updates, in your phone’s Settings app, click Security & Privacy. Scroll down to Updates, which will list any recommended actions.

Perform a Factory Reset (Last Resort)

If none of the above works, you may want to consider backing up your data and performing a factory reset of your device. However, this will wipe your data. so this should really be a "last resort" type of measure. Here's how to do it:

• Go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase All Data (Factory Reset)

The Bottom Line

At the panicked moment of Hey Google not working, one thing is clear: it has become a helpful and valuable resource. Google Assistant truly does enable you to be more productive and efficient, giving you hands-free leeway to do other things. 

When Hey Google doesn’t respond as reliably as you expect, it can be frustrating and disruptive to your everyday life.

The troubleshooting steps listed above will hopefully get Hey Google back up and running the way you need it to. If not, you may have a new phone in your immediate future. Our free and unbiased Phone Deal Finder can help you find the best deals on mobile devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn Hey Google back on?

To turn "Hey Google" back on, open the Google app, go to settings, and enable Voice Match under the Voice section. Follow the prompts to activate it if needed.

How do I restart Google Assistant?

To restart Google Assistant, disable it in the Google app's settings and then re-enable it. This refreshes the service and ensures proper functionality.

Why did Google Assistant stop talking?

Google Assistant might stop talking due to muted media volume, a setting disabling voice responses, or connectivity issues. Ensure the device isn't in "Do Not Disturb" mode, and check Google Assistant's settings under "Assistant voice & sounds" to re-enable spoken feedback.