Hey Google Not Working on Android: 10 Ways to Fix the Issue

Once you explore all the features of Google Assistant, chances are you may depend on it to accomplish several tasks on your smartphone. But what if – due to a misconfiguration or a glitch the command “Hey Google” is not working?

If you’re currently facing the problem – we’re here to help you. In this article, we want to show you all the ways by which you can fix all the problems you are facing with launching Google Assistant. It might be due to poor internet connectivity, problems with voice recognition, or the lack of permissions for the Google app. We’ll explore all of the above reasons, and help you fix the problem at the earliest.

Also Read: How to delete all of your Google Assistant history

Google Assistant Not Responding to ‘Hey Google’: How to Fix It

Here’s everything you can do if the Google Assistant voice command is not working.

1. Enable Hey Google

If you haven’t enabled the ‘Hey Google’ command detection, you will not be able to launch Google Assistant every time you say the phrase out loud. Here’s how you can do it.

Step 1: Open the Google app. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap on Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Google Assistant. Select ‘Hey Google & Voice Match’.

Step 3: Turn on the toggle for Hey Google.

2. Check Microphone Permissions

If the Google app does not have access to your microphone, it will not detect your voice and you will find that ‘Hey Google’ is not working. Here’s how you can check microphone permissions.

Step 1: Long tap on the app icon. Select the info button.

Step 2: Tap on Permissions.

Step 3: Tap on Microphone. Select ‘Allow only while using the app’ to provide permission.

3. Force Restart Google App and Restart Phone

Force closing the Google app shuts down all related processes, including any bugs affecting voice detection. Once you open the app once again, it is unlikely the bug will appear again and you can use the ‘Hey Google’ command without problems.

Step 1: Long tap on the app icon. Select the info button.

Step 2: Tap on Force Stop. This shuts down the Google app.

Additionally, you can also restart your phone to fix the issue. Since the Google app is a built-in application, restarting your device and all the system processes afresh can get rid of any bugs.

4. Check Internet Connectivity

Make sure your Android device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or cellular data. Further, make sure you have an active internet plan. If you haven’t enabled offline voice detection, ‘Hey Google’ will not work to launch Google Assistant without the internet.

5. Enable Offline Voice Detection

You can also launch the assistant with the “Hey Google” command without the internet. Here’s how you can enable offline voice detection.

Step 1: Open the Google app. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap on Settings.

Step 3: Tap on Voice. Select ‘Offline Voice Recognition’.

Step 4: Make sure that your primary language is downloaded for offline voice recognition. You can go to the All tab and download more languages for offline recognition.

6. Add New Language for Google Assistant

Google Assistant may have trouble recognizing your language, or your dialect. Make sure to select the appropriate language so that your command is easily detected.

Step 1: Open the Google app. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap on Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Google Assistant. Select Languages.

Step 3: Select ‘Add a language’. Select the language you want to add from the list.

7. Retrain Voice Match Model

There’s also a chance that the voice model that helps Google detect your “Hey Google” command is corrupted. Here’s how you can retrain Google to detect your voice.

Step 1: Open the Google app. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap on Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Google Assistant. Select ‘Hey Google & Voice Match’.

Step 3: Tap on ‘Retrain Voice Match Model’.

Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to let Google record your voice samples and retrain the voice match model.

Also Read: How to fix Google Assistant voice match not working.

8. Enable Google Assistant from Lockscreen

If “Hey Google” is not working from your lock screen, you need to enable the option that lets you launch the assistant without unlocking your phone. Here’s how you can do it.

Step 1: Open the Google app. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap on Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Google Assistant. Select Lockscreen.

Step 3: Turn on the toggle for ‘Assistant responses on lock screen’.

9. Clear Google App Cache

Clearing out the junk files within the Google app can help you fix the problem. Here’s how you can clear the cache present in the Google app on your device.

Step 1: Long tap on the app icon. Select the info button.

Step 2: Tap on Storage Usage.

Step 3: Tap on Clear Cache.

10. Update Google App

If several users complain that “Hey Google” is not working to launch Google Assistant, an update will be released in due time to fix the issue. Therefore, check for updates and make sure you are using the latest version of the Google App.

Visit the Google app page on the Play Store using the link below. Tap on Update to install the latest version, if available.

Update Google

If you have any further questions, you can take a look at the FAQ section below.

FAQs: Hey Google (OK Google) Not Working

Say Hey Google, and Get Going!

We hope this article helps you resolve the issue of ‘Hey Google’ not working to launch the assistant. If you are still facing problems – drop your query in the comment section below, and we will get back to you at the earliest!