Google Assistant is a useful part of the Android ecosystem. It helps you set reminders, make calls, and even search for that weird song. But at the same time, it is something that competes for your attention. If you end up activating Google Assistant from time to time by accident, or you just don’t feel like using it, there’s a way to turn it off.
There are two ways to do this. You can turn off the full voice search feature in the Google Assistant, or you can turn off the activation word “Hey Google” or “OK Google”. This way, the Google Assistant will be available, but not accidentally activated.
Before disabling the Google Wizard, make sure that all Google reminders have been backed up or moved to another device. Once you turn off Google Assistant, you’ll also lose access to the reminder feature (not the same as Google’s Keep app).
To turn off the feature completely, open the Google app on your smartphone and tap the Profile icon. Go to Settings> Google Wizard> General. Here, disable the “Google Assistant” button. From the pop-up window, tap the “Shut Down” button and you’re done.
If you just want to turn off the activation word, open the Google app, tap your profile icon, and choose the “Settings” option. Here, go to Google Assistant> Google Hey and Voice Match. Then turn off the “Ok Google” feature.
Disabling Google Assistant doesn’t mean you lose all of the smart features in Google Apps. You’ll find that your Discover feed is intact and you can tap the Search app’s microphone button (or home screen widget) to start a voice search in the Google app (instead of answer via the Wizard).