How can I keep Google Assistant always on?

Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant developed by Google that allows users to interact with their devices and access services via voice commands. One of the key features of Google Assistant is its ability to be “always on”, meaning it can listen for its wake word (“Hey Google” or “OK Google”) even when the phone screen is off or the device appears idle.

With always-on capabilities enabled, users can say “Hey Google” at any time to activate Google Assistant without having to manually launch it or press a button. This allows for a more natural, conversational experience with the virtual assistant. When activated, Google Assistant can answer queries, provide information, set reminders and alarms, control smart home devices, play media, and perform various other tasks through voice interactions alone.

However, the always-on feature requires allowing Google to continuously listen for the wake word in the background, which can raise privacy concerns. Users must also consider potential impacts on battery life. Overall, always-on access to Google Assistant provides hands-free convenience but users should weigh the benefits and downsides.

Enabling Always On

Google Assistant can stay active and listen for voice commands even when your Android or iOS device is locked. This “Always On” feature allows you to access Assistant hands-free without having to manually launch it.

Here are the steps to enable Always On for Google Assistant:

On Android devices:

Open the Google Assistant app.
Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
Select “Settings” and then “Assistant.”

Toggle on “Assistant corner swipe.”
You can now swipe up from the bottom left or right corner to activate Assistant when your phone is locked.

On iOS devices:

Open the Google Assistant app.
Tap the Explore icon in the bottom right.
Select “Settings” and then “Siri & Search.”

Toggle on “Listen for ‘Hey Google’.”
You can now say “Hey Google” to activate Assistant from the lock screen or anywhere on your iOS device.

Enabling Always On allows hands-free access to Assistant for quick commands, information, or help. However, it does have some battery and privacy implications that users should consider.

Continuous Conversation

One way to keep Google Assistant always on is to enable the Continuous Conversation feature. This allows you to have natural back-and-forth conversations with Google Assistant without having to say “Hey Google” before each command or question.

With Continuous Conversation enabled, you can say your initial command such as “What’s the weather today?” and after Google Assistant responds, you can simply follow up with statements like “What about tomorrow?” or questions like “Will it rain this weekend?” without needing to re-invoke it each time. Google Assistant will stay active for about 8 seconds after responding, allowing it to listen for potential follow-ups.¹

The key benefit of Continuous Conversation is that it makes interactions with Google Assistant feel more natural and conversational, almost like you’re speaking with a real person. It enables you to quickly ask multiple questions or clarify commands without constantly pausing to say “Hey Google.”

To enable the feature, open the Google Home app, go to Assistant settings, select Continuous Conversation and turn it on. It is supported on Google Nest and Home smart speakers and displays. Once enabled, you’ll see “Continuous Conversation On” confirmed under your device name.² With Continuous Conversation, Google Assistant can stay active and listening, allowing for an always-on experience after your initial invocation.

Battery Usage Concerns

One of the biggest potential downsides of having Google Assistant always on is increased battery drainage. Since Google Assistant is actively listening for the wake word, having the feature on all the time can use more battery than when it is only listening intermittently.

Many users have reported noticeable battery drain after enabling the always on feature, with some seeing their battery life reduced by 1-2 hours per charge^[1]. Samsung Galaxy Watch users in particular seem prone to battery issues, with reports of 25-45% battery drain coming from the always on Google Assistant^[2].

To minimize battery impact, try muting Google Assistant during times you won’t need it as much, like at night. You can also restrict battery consumption in the Assistant settings. Using a routine to toggle Google Assistant on and off during certain hours can also help limit unnecessary drainage.

Privacy Considerations

Having an always-on virtual assistant like Google Assistant listening at all times does raise some privacy concerns. Google states that “Your data, like your conversations with Google Assistant, is private and secure. It’s encrypted when it moves between your device, Google services, and our data centers.” However, some experts warn that you should still be cautious about what sensitive information you reveal within earshot of a smart speaker or device with Google Assistant enabled.

To increase privacy, you can go into your Google Assistant settings and turn off features like storing audio recordings. You can also mute the microphone when you don’t want Google Assistant listening. Some privacy-focused users recommend only using Google Assistant for certain tasks, like getting weather reports or setting alarms, rather than having it always passively listening.

It’s a balance between convenience and privacy. With some tweaks to your settings and smart practices, you can still benefit from an always-on assistant while limiting privacy risks. Being judicious about what information you share out loud around a listening device gives you more control over your privacy.

Customizing for Always On

There are a few ways to customize Google Assistant to work better with always-on mode enabled. One option is to adjust the sensitivity so Assistant doesn’t activate too easily or miss your requests. You can modify this in Assistant settings by going to “All settings” > “Preferences” > “Sensitivity” and adjusting the slider. Lower sensitivity means Assistant will only activate for clearer utterances, while higher sensitivity will pick up more requests but may cause accidental activations.

You can also customize the audio cues Google Assistant uses in always-on mode. Go to “All settings” > “Preferences” > “Voice responses” to toggle between brief and full voice responses. Brief responses will provide shorter confirmations when you make requests, which may be preferable if you don’t want to draw too much attention to Google Assistant while it’s in always-on mode.

Additionally, consider muting or lowering the volume of audio cues if you want Google Assistant to stay quieter while still listening for follow-up requests. You can set the overall volume lower in “All settings” > “Preferences” > “Volume.” Just keep in mind that if audio cues are too quiet, you may miss important confirmations or notifications from Assistant.

Finally, take a look at the device settings for “Hey Google” sensitivity if you find the assistant is activating too often on its own. You may be able to adjust the mic sensitivity specifically for the wake words. Go to “Settings” > “Google” > “Account services” > “Search, Assistant & Voice” > “Voice Match” and adjust “Hey Google” sensitivity as needed.

Using Routines

One way to keep Google Assistant always listening is by using Routines. Routines allow you to automate certain actions and tasks by using voice commands or triggers. For example, you can create a “Good Morning” routine that will turn on your lights, tell you the weather, play the news, and more just by saying “Good morning.”

Within Routines, you can enable the “Continued conversation” option which allows Google Assistant to stay active for follow-up questions without needing to repeat the wake word. So after you trigger your routine by saying “Good morning,” the Assistant will keep listening for 8 seconds for any additional commands before shutting off again automatically. This allows you to have brief conversations with the Assistant hands-free to accomplish multiple tasks after initiating a routine.

Routines can be customized in the Google Home app with various actions, voice commands, and other settings. Setting up the right triggers and Conversation continuation can allow Google Assistant to stay active for certain situations without having it listening continuously. See Google’s guide on setting up Routines to leverage this hands-free functionality.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having issues with Google Assistant not staying active or draining your battery, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure you have the latest version of the Google app and Google Assistant. Go to the Play Store and check for any available updates. Installing the latest updates can help fix bugs and optimize battery usage (source).

Check that you have Hey Google detection enabled in your Google Assistant settings. Go to Settings > Google > Account Services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice > ‘Hey Google’ detection and make sure it is turned on (source).

Consider limiting background usage of Google Assistant to help preserve battery life. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special App Access > Assistant and toggle off ‘Use screen context’ and ‘Suggestion chips’ to disable background activity.

Try disabling battery optimization for the Google app if you are having issues with Google Assistant stopping when the screen is off. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special App Access > Battery optimization and select ‘Don’t optimize’ for the Google app.

As a last resort, uninstall any recent app updates that could be causing problems. You can also try resetting app preferences in Settings to see if that helps resolve any battery drain or background activity issues.

Alternative Wake Words

Unfortunately, Google does not currently allow users to change the wake words for Google Assistant away from “Hey Google” or “Ok Google.” This limitation is likely due to technical voice recognition constraints, as Google’s system is specifically tuned to recognize these phrases in a wide variety of voices and accents.

However, there are some indications that more customizable wake words may be coming in the future. Google has hinted at a new feature called “Quick Phrases” that would allow summoning Assistant without a wake word at all. According to reports, this could allow users to program custom phrases like “Hey Assistant” or even names like “Computer” to activate Google Assistant.

While not official yet, adding more wake word options would give users more personalization and potentially reduce accidental activations. Until then, “Hey Google” and “Ok Google” remain the only supported wake words across Google Assistant devices and platforms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, keeping Google Assistant always on has some great benefits but also requires some thoughtful configuration. The main benefits are having continuous access to the Assistant without needing to repeat the wake word each time, hands-free help throughout your day, and easier smart home control. However, always-on does use more battery and raises privacy concerns that need addressing through settings adjustments. With the right setup, precautions, and usage habits, you can enjoy an always-listening Assistant experience. Just be sure to tweak settings like Sensitivity and lockscreen access to find the right balance for your needs. Keep your phone charged when possible, consider a designated always-on device, and utilize Routines for even simpler voice commands. With a few best practices, Google Assistant can indeed be there anytime you need it, hands-free.