Why did my Google change voices?
Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant developed by Google. It was first announced at Google’s developer conference in 2016 and is available on Android and iOS smartphones, smart speakers and displays like Google Home and Nest Hub, and other devices.
One of the defining features of Google Assistant is its voice. By default, Google Assistant speaks with a female voice, though multiple voice options are available to give users more choice and personalization. Users can select different voices that suit their preferences, with options ranging from a friendly male voice to voices with different accents.
This article provides an overview of the various Google Assistant voice options and explains reasons why the voice may change automatically on some devices. We’ll cover how to change Google Assistant’s voice manually, troubleshoot voice issues, and understand the voice settings.
Default Voice
Google Assistant’s default voice uses advanced artificial intelligence and neural network technology to generate natural-sounding speech. The voice was created by WaveNet, an AI system developed by DeepMind, which is part of Google’s parent company Alphabet. WaveNet analyzes hundreds of hours of actual human speech to learn the patterns and cadence of natural conversation. It then uses this data to synthesize new speech that mimics human voices.
The default voice for Google Assistant aims to sound friendly and helpful, yet generic enough to appeal to a wide audience. When Google Assistant was first released in 2016, the default voice had an American accent, but Google has since added options with different accents. Users can also choose between a male or female voice for their Google Assistant. However, the default voice uses a female voice with a standard American accent designed to be widely understandable to English speakers.
While artificial, Google puts a lot of research into making the default voice sound natural. The goal is for the Assistant to have expressive inflection and personality while avoiding the robotic tones of older text-to-speech systems. The voice is meant to make the Google Assistant experience more engaging and human-like when providing information or responding to commands.
Voice Options
Google Assistant offers a variety of voice options to choose from. According to recent news reports, there are currently 10 voice options available for English speakers in the U.S. (AndroidPolice). These include both male and female voices, as well as options designed to sound more conversational or formal.
The default voice is called “Google Assistant voice,” and speaks in a friendly female tone. Other female voice options include Sydney, Emily, Iona, and the newest additions Lime and Indigo. Male voice options include John, Matthew, and James. Google occasionally adds new celebrity voice cameos as well, like John Legend.
Each voice has its own unique personality – Sydney speaks with an Australian accent, Emily and John aim for a more conversational style, while Iona and James sound more formal. Lime and Indigo were added in 2023, with Lime having a “cheerful” tone, while Indigo aims for “relaxation” (9to5Google). So users can choose the option that best fits their preferences.
Having multiple voice options allows users to customize Google Assistant to their liking. The voice choices aim to reflect diversity and give users an assistant that sounds more natural and human-like through the nuances of different accents, tones, and styles.
Changing Voices
You can easily change the voice of the Google Assistant on your Android device or Google Home speaker. According to Google Support, on an Android device, touch and hold the home button or say “Hey Google,” then tap the Explore icon in the bottom right. Select “Settings” > “Assistant” > “Assistant voice” and you’ll see a variety of voice options.
As explained on GuidingTech, for Google Home speakers, open the Google Home app, tap your profile picture, select “Assistant settings” > “Assistant voice” and choose from the available voices. Both methods allow you to preview each voice before selecting.
According to GearBrain, once you change the Assistant voice, it will be applied globally across all your devices signed into the same Google account. So you don’t have to manually change it separately everywhere.
Automatic Voice Changes
Some Google Assistant users have reported cases where the voice seems to change automatically without any action on their part. There are a few reasons Google may alter the Assistant’s voice:
Regional Accents: Google Assistant aims to provide a natural experience, so it may adjust the accent based on your detected location to sound more local. For example, if you travel from the United States to the UK, the Assistant may switch to a British accent.1
Language Settings: If your device’s language settings change, either manually or through an update, the Assistant will change voices to match the new language. This affects accents as well as pronunciation.
New Voices: Google occasionally adds new voices, and your device may automatically switch to a new option after an update. However, you can still go back and select your preferred voice.
Device Handoff: When transferring the Assistant session from one device to another, such as from phone to smart speaker, the voice may change to match the new device’s default settings.
While Google does not provide an official explanation, based on user reports, automatic voice changes appear most likely tied to technical factors like language, location and system updates rather than random glitches. Users maintain control through voice preferences in Assistant settings.
Regional Accents
One reason Google Assistant’s voice may change is if you enable regional accents. As of November 2022, Google allows U.S. users to give the Assistant a British or Australian accent. This can alter the voice to sound more natural with certain pronunciations and inflections.
On mobile devices, you can enable regional accents in the Google Home app under Settings > Google Assistant > Assistant voice. On Google Nest smart speakers and displays, go to Assistant Settings > Assistant > Assistant voice. Select a regional accent like British English or Australian English.
When enabled, Google Assistant will speak with pronunciations and slang more common in the selected region. This helps create a more natural conversational experience tailored to those accents. However, it can unexpectedly change the voice you’re used to hearing from the default American English setting.
So if your Google Assistant suddenly develops a British or Aussie accent, it likely means you or someone else toggled on the regional accent feature. You can simply switch back to the default voice to return Google Assistant to its normal speaking style.
Language Settings
The language setting in Google Assistant directly impacts which voice is used. According to the Google Support article Change your language or use multiple languages – Android, users can configure multiple languages in the Assistant preferences. The primary language determines the default voice that Assistant uses. For example, if English is set as the primary language, Google Assistant will speak in an English voice by default.
Users can also add secondary languages. Assistant will switch to those voices when interacting in that language. For instance, if French is added as a secondary language, Assistant will use a French voice when the user asks it a question in French. This allows Assistant to respond more naturally in multiple languages without the user having to manually swap back and forth.
According to the Android Police article How to change the Google Assistant’s voice, some users have reported Assistant automatically changing voices even when their language setting has remained the same. This seems to occur due to Google updating its internal voice preference mapping. Even though the language stays the same, Google may have updated the backend to associate that language with a different voice.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some tips for troubleshooting issues with Google Assistant’s voice on your smartphone or smart speaker device[1]:
- Make sure Google Assistant is enabled in your device settings or the Google Assistant app.
- Check that the “Hey Google” hotword detection is turned on.
- Ensure Voice Match voice recognition is enabled and set up for your voice.
- If using a smartphone, verify the mic is not obstructed and the device volume is turned up.
- On Android, clear the cache and data for the Google app.
- Consider retraining Voice Match with fresh voice samples if accuracy declines.
- Check for Google app and smartphone OS updates which may have voice fixes.
- Factory reset Google Assistant devices if issues persist without explanation.
Following basic troubleshooting steps like these can often resolve problems if Google Assistant stops responding to your voice or has difficulties understanding you. Don’t hesitate to provide feedback to Google so they can continue improving voice recognition.
[1]“Fix issues with “Hey Google” – Google Assistant Help.” https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/7283669?hl=en
Voice Preferences
One of the main ways to change the Google Assistant voice is through the Voice Preferences settings. You can access these settings by opening the Google Assistant app and going to Settings > Preferences > Assistant Voice (https://groovyandroid.com/how-to-change-the-google-assistant-voice-on-your-android-device-15473/). Here you’ll find a variety of voice options to choose from, allowing you to select a voice that suits your preferences.
The Voice Preferences menu allows you to set separate voices for different situations. For example, you can set one voice for reading web results aloud, another for navigation guidance, and another for replies. This gives you granular control to customize Google Assistant’s voice to your liking.
In the Voice Preferences settings, you’ll also find options to select a default regional accent for the Assistant. This can automatically change the voice’s pronunciation and inflection based on your language and location settings. Overall, the Voice Preferences give you robust options to tweak Google Assistant’s voice to best fit your needs.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few main reasons why your Google Assistant voice may change automatically. This includes software updates that change the default voice, switching to a regional accent based on location, or changing languages in the settings. While it can be jarring when the voice unexpectedly changes, it’s usually a result of Google’s efforts to optimize the Assistant experience.
To prevent further surprises, make sure to set your preferred voice and language in the Assistant settings. You can also try troubleshooting tips like checking for app updates, resetting the Assistant, or adjusting the speech rate. With some adjustments, you can maintain consistency with the Google Assistant voice. The technology will continue advancing, but you can manage voice preferences for the best experience.