How to Turn Off Google Assistant on Headphones Using Different Devices

Deactivating Google Assistant when using headphones
Deactivating Google Assistant when using headphones

Learn how to stop Google Assistant from constantly interrupting you when you’re using headphones.

Imagine wearing your headphones and listening to a podcast, and Google Assistant pops up out of nowhere. You dismiss it and press play, only for it to happen again a few seconds later. These constant interruptions can be extremely annoying and even ruin your media plans.

To add to your woes, you’re not sure what is triggering Google Assistant. It keeps interrupting your media experience seemingly at random.

We feel your frustration. That’s why we’ve put together all the information you need to ensure that Google Assistant does not interrupt you again. Let’s dive right in!

How to Turn Off Google Assistant on Headphones

Google Assistant is a helpful tool that offers a variety of functions on Android and other Google devices. The default method to trigger Google Assistant on most headphones is to touch and hold the play/pause button on your earbud or ear cup.

Unfortunately, Google Assistant can be too eager to help and pop up without being called on. Some users also find that simply pressing the pause/play button or touching the cable triggers Google Assistant.

To solve this issue, you can disable Google Assistant triggers on your headphones. Usually, there are separate settings to stop wired and wireless headphones from triggering Google Assistant. But, the easiest way to prevent this issue is to disable both triggers.

Here’s how you can disable Google Assistant triggers on your headphones:

  1. Open the Settings App on your Android device and select Google.

    Google
    Google
  2. Next, tap on Settings for Google apps and choose Search, Assistant, and Voice.

    Search, Assistant, and Voice
    Search, Assistant, and Voice
  3. Select Voice.

    Voice
    Voice
  4. Disable these settings: “Bluetooth Audio Recording,” “Allow Bluetooth requests with device locked, and “Allow wired headset requests with device locked.

    Disable toggle switch
    Disable toggle switch
  5. Once disabled, restart your Android device.

    Restart
    Restart

How to Disable Voice Trigger on Google Assistant

You may find that Google Assistant pops up even when you do not touch your headphones.

This issue can happen if you’re traveling on a train or in a crowded space and your microphone picks up sounds that vaguely resemble ‘hey google.’

If you face a similar problem, disabling the voice trigger could solve the issue.

This way, you can still access Google Assistant by pressing the Pause/Play button or the voice assistant button on headphones such as in Bose 700, but not via voice command.

Follow these steps to Disable Google Assistant Voice Activation:

  1. Go to the Settings App and select Google.

    Google
    Google
  2. Press the Settings for Google apps and select Search, Assistant, and Voice.

    Search, Assistant, and Voice
    Search, Assistant, and Voice
  3. Tap on Voice.

    Voice
    Voice
  4. Select Voice Match.

    Voice Match
    Voice Match
  5. Disable Hey Google.

    Hey Google
    Hey Google

How to Completely Disable Google Assistant

Alternatively, you could disable Google Assistant completely to ensure it does not interrupt you.

While this is a convenient option if you do not use the tool, it also means you won’t have access to any Google Assistant features.

Before you decide to get rid of Google Assistant altogether, check out the pros and cons of doing so:

What We Like 😍
  • No more accidental interruptions.
  • Recommended for privacy-conscious users.
  • You can enable it again if you change your mind.
What We Don't Like 🤢
  • Cannot use voice commands to make phone calls or play music.
  • You cannot use Google Assistant Snapshot to track your schedule or receive important reminders.

If you’ve decided to go ahead and fully disable Google Assistant, here’s what to do:

  1. Open the Settings App and tap on Google.

    Google
    Google
  2. Select the Settings for Google apps and choose Search, Assistant, and Voice.

    Search, Assistant, and Voice
    Search, Assistant, and Voice
  3. Next, select Google Assistant.

    Google Assistant
    Google Assistant
  4. Scroll down and tap on General.

    General
    General
  5. Toggle off the slider next to Google Assistant.

    Google Assistant
    Google Assistant
  6. A pop-up window titled “Turn off Google Assistant?” will appear. Select TURN OFF to complete the process.

    Turn off Google Assistant?
    Turn off Google Assistant?

Alternative Ways to Turn Off Google Assistant on Headphones

So far, we have looked at ways to prevent triggering Google Assistant from your headphones.

If it still pops up, you may have to stop specific permissions on your Android device.

Remove Google’s microphone permission

Revoking Google’s access to your microphone will prevent it from detecting voice commands. Therefore, Google Assistant won’t pop up when you say “Hey Google” or “Ok Google.”

Removing Google’s microphone permission means you won’t be able to use the Google app with your voice.

Follow these steps to remove Google’s microphone permission on your Android device:

  1. Open Settings and go to Apps.

    Apps
    Apps
  2. Choose Google from the list of apps.

    Google
    Google
  3. Select Permissions.

    Permissions
    Permissions
  4. Tap on Microphone and Select Don’t Allow.

    Don’t Allow
    Don’t Allow

Disable Google Assistant as a default app

Google Assistant is the default digital assistant application on Android devices. So, you will have to remove it as the default app to prevent it from popping up when you hold down the home button.

Follow these steps to disable Google Assistant as the default assistant app on your Android device:

  1. Open Settings and go to Apps.

    Apps
    Apps
  2. Next, select Choose default apps.

    Choose defailt apps
    Choose default apps
  3. Tap on Digital assistant app.

    Digital assistant app
    Digital assistant app
  4. Select None from the list.

    Select None
    Select None

How to Disable Google Assistant When Using Other Devices

Google Assistant is not just available on mobile devices. It also works on Chromebooks and Smart TVs with the Android TV OS.

How to turn off Google Assistant on Chrome OS

Like Android phones, Chromebooks have Google Assistant as the default digital assistant. Unfortunately, you may experience the same interruptions from Google Assistant when using your headphones. This problem may be due to the voice prompt or when the headphones or the cable are disturbed.

Depending on your issue, you could turn off Google Assistant on Chrome OS or just disable the voice prompt. Follow these steps;

  1. Click the white circle icon at the bottom-left of the screen.

    Going to Chrome OS Menu (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
    Going to Chrome OS Menu (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
  2. Next, click on Settings.

    Click on the Settings icon (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
    Click on the Settings icon (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
  3. Select Search and Assistant. Next, click on Google Assistant.

    Search and Assistant menu options (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
    Search and Assistant menu options (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
  4. Toggle the On switch to Off in the next window. If you want only to disable the voice prompt, click on the drag-down window next to “Hey Google” and set it to Off.

    Disabling Google Assistant on Chrome OS (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
    Disabling Google Assistant on Chrome OS (From: Youtube/Foxy Tech Tips)
Having trouble connecting your headphones? Our detailed guide on how to connect AirPods to your Chromebook has all the information you need.

How to turn off Google Assistant on Android TV

Unlike mobile and Chrome OS devices, you cannot fully disable Google Assistant on Android TV.

However, you can stop it from responding to the “OK Google” voice prompt by turning off microphone permissions on your Smart TV and TV remote.

The steps may differ based on the exact model of your Android Smart TV. But, the process is generally the same.

Here’s how you Turn Off Google Assistant Access to your TV:

  1. Press the HOME button on your remote control.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Find “OK Google” detection and set it to disable. If you do not have that option,
    Select Device Preferences instead and choose Google. Here, set “OK Google” detection to disable.

Follow these steps to Turn Off Google Assistant on your TV remote:

  1. On your Android Smart TV, go to Settings and select Advanced Settings.
  2. Next, Select Apps and choose System apps.
  3. Select Google and go to Permissions.
  4. Toggle off Microphone.
Our foolproof guide is the perfect resource if you’re facing trouble connecting your wireless headphones to your Smart TV.

Conclusion

We hope these suggestions finally end Google Assistant’s pesky interruptions. Now, you can put on your headphones, sit back, and enjoy your podcast or movie without a care in the world.

We’d love to know if you found this guide helpful. Which suggestion worked for you? Is there something we missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

💬 Conversation: 6 comments

  1. All of the steps you recommend were already done on my phone, yet the wired headphones still will affect the playing of Spotify. I unplugged them this morning, and Spotify started playing. I plugged them in this afternoon, and Spotify stopped playing—on another device! While I was poking around in the general Settings, Spotify started playing through the headphones. What other settings could control playing of Spotify (that has no permissions)?

  2. This hasn’t worked for me. I went through all of the methods, including completely disabling Google Assistant. She still pops up to tell me the time, or that “something went wrong”.

  3. I tried everything, but it doesn’t work: The only solution is to buy an aux-bluetooth device and plug it in my auto. So I can hear podcast or audiobook by bluetooth without annoying messages from assistant(qhich I’ve already unistalled, and there is no more in my phone)

  4. This helped immensely as where to start! In order to get Assistant to completely stop talking to me, I had to search for “headphones” to find the setting where you disable voice-assistant completely. Apparently whenever I change headphones that new pair has the default setting of letting Google say the time (even with all the settings being properly set).
    Thank you for putting this together for us, it has been very helpful!!

Leave a Reply