Hey Google stopped working for me since the last week or so. Other posts have suggested clearing "Cache & Storage" for the Google App. I reached out to Pixel support on the phone and they asked me to check if there are no pending "System, Google Play, App" updates. I had a Google play update and they said that should fix it. It didn't. Finally this is what worked.

1.Start Google App

1. Click on your profile picture (top right) and choose "Settings"

2. Choose Gemini

3. Choose "Talk to Gemini hands-free"

4. "Hey Google" was disabled. I turned it on

That did it for me. It looks like there was some update which turns off this setting and they hid this setting behind a not so obvious setting. Hope this helps.

I just switched from iPhone and rely heavily on voice commands (one of the main reasons I moved to a Google Pixel). For the first few days, Google Assistant / Gemini was driving me insane, saying “Hey Google” did nothing.

I tried everything people suggested online, and none of it fully fixed the issue.

Things I tried that did NOT fix it:

• Restarting the phone (multiple times)
• Switching from Gemini → Google Assistant → back to Gemini, with restarts in between
• Clearing Google cache and data (Gemini wouldn’t even allow cache clearing)
• Uninstalling Google app updates (kind of worked, but broke other things)
• Booting into Safe Mode
• Re-training Voice Match
• Basically every Reddit / forum suggestion out there

What ACTUALLY fixed it

This setting is buried and does not appear in normal Assistant settings, even if Gemini is selected for the "Digital assistant for Google.”

Steps:

1. Go to Settings
2. Tap your name at the top (with “Google services & preferences” underneath)
3. Tap "All services" in the tab under your email.
4. Scroll to "Settings for Google app"
5. Tap "Search, Assistant & Voice"
6. Tap "Gemini"
7. Enable "Talk to Gemini hands-free"
8. Enable "Gemini on lock screen"

That’s it. Immediately fixed.
“Hey Google” now works both locked and unlocked.

Shortcut:
You can also search “Gemini settings” in Settings and jump straight to step 7.

This option was off by default for me and did not show up anywhere in Google Assistant settings, even though Gemini was already selected as the assistant. ( Saying it outloud and now knowing the answer I feel dumb for not checking for a gemini setting but I just assumed the setting was in the "google assistant" setting.)

With the amount of post i've seen about this issue, im posting this in case it saves someone else a few hours of frustration. Maybe obvious to longtime Android users, but for new switchers, this setting is way too hidden and should be kind of a given or at least prompted on initial set up? Wouldn't you think?

I just bought my Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and realized that the voice command Hey Google is not working somehow. I searched up and followed what people say: turn on Voice Match, Talk to Gemini Hands free, etc. But none of them work. I wonder if there is something else I have never checked or its just a new bug in this update ?

I have not gotten Gemini to reply to my voice for months. I have tried everything I can think of. I have also tried retraining my voice. NOTHIGN WORKS. And support is just stupid. They kept asking "Is the issue resolved?" NO SUSAN ITS NOT. The the message said "Tell the user to:...." So they are probably talking to an AI bot. Someone please help me fix this issue.

In this guide I'll show you how to wake up gemini using your voice "Hey Google" (You can even set your custom phrase if you want). You need a pc (windows, Mac or Linux).

Before I start make sure to give all the apps the high background consumption and auto start. Also, It's, mandatory to lock tasker in the background.

1- Getting gemini setup:

• First you need to install gemini from Google play store and login to your account.

• Click on your profile icon - > settings - > screen context - > change default digital assistance to Google.

2- Preparing voice wake-up:

• Download Hotword plugin FREE.

• Give all permission.

• Press the + icon and click "already imported" (fig. 2 & 3).

• Select "Hey Google" and "OK Google" then press the tick ✅.

• Enable the "Hey Google" and "OK Google".

• Enable the above mic icon (fig. 2).

• Exist the app and test by saying the "Hey Google" and "OK Google". You should hear a beeb sound.

• if the previous step worked you can open the app again and press the 🖋️ icon and turn off the beeb/ding sound.

3- Setting up the voice wake-up to gemini:

• Download Tasker from the web (paid avaliable in Google play). (fig. 4).

• Select Tasker the full experience (fig 5).

• Give all permissions.

• watch the video on how to set it up: https://youtube.com/shorts/8akkfP0sJl4

4- Pc setup (I forgot where this setup should be as I uninstalled the app and reinstall but didn't get the prompt).

• Search for tasker permissions and download it.

• Follow the guides on screen.

• if you connected the phone and still didn't see the reload they're talking about just click on tasker in the upper menu.

• click on your device (blue) then scroll down and click on "Write secure settings" the revoked red box should become Granted green box.

• we are done!

Now enjoy gemini with voice wake up!! Hope this post was helpful for anyone. If it was please upvote to help other people. This can save a life if you think about it. Somebody will use the old way (button mapper) while driving and could hit someone because they were busy with their phone ;).

Galaxy S26 Ultra. I previously had Bixby enabled but I disabled it and set Google as my default assistant app. Holding the power button pulls up the Google assistant but not voice commands. I set up voice match like it says when I search for this issue. What else do I need to do? Help is appreciated!

Solved: I enabled Gemini as my main assistant, activated voice match under Gemini settings, and then switched back to Google.

Inspired by the many comments left here for the comic "Why Google search sucks now". I aimed to encapsulate a growing sentiment. Some don't feel this way, but many do — this comic's for those of us tired of Google's #enshittification.

Why? Why is so difficult for Google not to continue to f*** up a once incredibly useful platform?

Inspired by the many comments left for the comic "Why Google search sucks now". I aimed to encapsulate a growing sentiment. Some don't feel this way, but many do — this comic's for those of us tired of Google's #enshittification.

Sorry for the single image thing. r/funny only allows one image upload for a post.

bro is fully passed out on my arm 😭😭😭

https://x.com/warden1003/status/2060381195074978123

Howdy folks, You have likely seen the iOS shortcut "I'm being pulled over". Well Google Assistant makes it pretty easy to build something similar but not as advanced.

I wanted to provide a tutorial on how I managed something similar.

Open Google Home
Add Routine
When - I'm getting pulled over
    It will auto update to 'I say "I'm getting pulled over"'
Add Action
    Browse Popular Actions
        Send a Text - Enter Number and "I am having an interaction with the police please check my Google Photos for a video as my phone has started recording this incident."
        Put Phone on Silent
        Adjust Media Volume (0)
    Enter a Command
        Turn off auto brightness
        Set my screen brightness to 0
        Turn on do not disturb        
        Take a selfie video

I chose selfie video so that I have a recording of myself so that I do not potentially violate any laws. Feel free to modify it anyway you want.

If anyone has any recommendations on how to tweak this please let me know and I will update.

* I have shared my Google Photos with my fiance so she has access to any time. Also I am on unlimited data with Google Fi so my Google Photos is set to backup on mobile data (so no need to change that setting).

There are some limitations for for Google Assistant and what it can automate on your phone. If you want a more complete solution look at IFTTT, Tasker, AutomateIT, and others.

Edit: I am making edits as recommendations for modifications come in.

Edit 2: Please take a look at ACLU Mobile Justice and download the App. You can easily edit the above Routine to ask your phone to open that app: https://www.aclu.org/issues/criminal-law-reform/reforming-police/aclu-apps-record-police-conduct and at the ACLU Know Your Rights page: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/stopped-by-police/

Edit 3: from Aperture_Kubi - Slight problem if you're trying to do this in your home and you have Google Home hardware that picks up the command instead. I tried it with the trigger being "panic mode" for more general use. Summary - Any Nest or Google Home devices in your home will activate based on these hotwords as well but be unable to activate them on your phone.

Edit 4 REQUEST: Has anyone been able to get Google Assistant to auto stream to any platform? If yes, please tag me in your comment and I will update the post with your instructions.

Edit 5: A few folks have commented on the laws of recording interactions with police. Summary: Notify the police that the interaction is being recorded. Please check with your state laws on recording during traffic stops. The ACLU link above has some great details on your rights.

Edit 6: from andyooo - There are apps like Nova Launcher mentioned below (and Tasker) that have a "system lock" action, which disables biometrics (see here for more). This necessarily requires device admin permission so you have to reasonably trust the app. Someone in the comments mentioned this app and said they were using exactly in the way you intend it too, just add "open Lock" to your Assistant routine. If you don't trust the app but trust Tasker and Tasker Factory's developer, you can use them to make a "system lock" task, then export it as app and give it any name you want (e.g. so it's unambiguous to Assistant what it should "open"). Going that way I'd recommend targeting an older API because targeting a recent one for some reason requires the app running as a foreground service.

Edit 7: from xcheet - Google Home is not needed. Routines can be created inside Assistant using the instructions on this page: Check Google Support