Google developed Google Assistant to make searching the internet a walk in the park for its users. Today, with the voice search feature on your Google Chrome app, you can order anything online, book that ticket, make a phone call, and visit Wikipedia without typing anything on the search box.
Yes, it is that easy when you activate the Google Voice Search feature on your devices. However, at times your OK Google may not be working as you intend, and you have to troubleshoot it.
What steps should you take if you realize the Google Voice search is not working properly on your phone, desktop, and Chromebook? Here I have listed the steps you should take to make your work easier when using this feature.
Why Google Voice Search Is Not Working On Your Device
These are some of the reasons why Google Voice Search may not be working optimally on your desktop or phone.
- Google server issues: When the backend server is down, the voice search may not work optimally. Sometimes the Google backend service goes down, and you have to wait until it restores. There is nothing you can do to correct this problem.
- Problem with your microphone: Your device uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recognize your voice and convert it to text. It means OK Google will not detect your voice or speech when you have an obsolete microphone. If your mic is not working properly, you have to fix it.
- Slow internet: OK, Google uses the internet to search for results based on your search query. Therefore, if there is an issue with your internet connection, the command cannot be executed fully, compromising the performance.
- Change of voice: If a different voice is trying to use your device, OK, Google will not respond and stay idle. OK, Google has been designed to imitate and recognize your voice.
- Wrong language settings: If the language you are speaking does not match what has been fed on Google, it won’t be possible to use OK Google. The voice search feature is set to work in English (US), but you can always change the settings.
- Bad application data: OK Google is a voice search application that comes intact in your android smartphone. If this application has any missing data or is corrupt, it won’t function correctly.
- Battery saver mode: Google voice search is likely to misbehave if your phone runs on a battery saver mode. Most smartphones come with the battery saver functionality, which stops all applications, including Google App, from running in background to save battery.
- Google application outdated: If your device is running on an outdated Google App the voice search functionality will not work correctly.
- Different applications conflicting: Google Assistant was the first to introduce the voice search feature. However, there are other applications on Play Store that are also providing the same service. Check if any conflicting applications on your phone may be affecting Google Assistant.
Related: How to Turn On Google Voice Search
What To Do If OK Google Is Not Working On Your Device
If the OK Google is not working correctly, you can take the following steps to put everything in order.
Troubleshoot Your Android Phone
If your Google Assistant is not working properly or responding well to Hey Google on your mobile phone, ensure you turn the Voice Match on and then follow these steps:
- Open the Google Assistant App
- Go to Assistant Settings
- Click on “ Popular settings” followed by Voice Match
- Turn on Hey Google and set up the Voice Match correctly
Turn The Battery Saver Mode Off
Ideally, Google is one of those apps that will not run if you activate the battery saver mode on your android phone. Battery saver mode will stop most of the applications in your phone from processing anything in the background.
Therefore, before you can blame OK Google for not working as it should, you want to confirm that your phone is not in the battery save mode.
- Open Settings on your phone or device
- Navigate and scroll down to tap Battery
- Tap the battery saver mode and turn it off
In other android phones, you can turn off the battery saver mode on the Adaptive battery.
Retrain Your Google Assistant
Google Assistant will not follow your voice commands if you don’t train it well. It will not execute most of your commands if it cannot follow or recognize your speech. Therefore, you should retrain your OK Google so that it recognizes your Voice. Here is what you should do:
- Go to your Google App
- On the bottom right corner, tap the More option
- Tap Settings followed by Voice
- Tap on Voice Match
- Select an option “ Teach your Assistant your voice again.”
- End the process with the remaining on-screen steps.
Troubleshoot Your Device Microphone
If your Google Assistant is not working properly, it could be that the mic on your device is down. Google Assistant relies on the well-functioning of your microphone as a voice-based tool. When you open your Google App, the mic icon should appear in bold and fully formed lines. If the lines have doted, it means your mic has issues that you need to fix to continue using voice search.
Mic not working correctly can be caused by debris in the mic hole close to the charging port. Get a safety pin and remove the dirt and debris that may be blocking your microphone. If this doesn’t work, you can check the microphone settings on your Google App.
Related: Voice Search Google: The Complete Guide
Change Language Settings
Another way you can fix the voice search not working on your device is to check the language settings on your device. You could be speaking the wrong language to your Google Assistant, making it impossible for Google to execute your command.
US English is the default language on Google Assistant for most users, but you can change to another language of your choice. Check in the settings menu to alter the language settings as you intend. Follow these steps to achieve that:
- On your phone, open the Google App
- Proceed to the bottom right corner and tap the More option
- Click on Settings
- Click on Voice
- Check which language option is selected and ensure it is the language you would like to use on your Google Assistant
Turn On The Google Assistant
The Google Assistant app may not be working on your smartphone because it’s off. That sounds basic, but most people would have their Google Assistant off and wonder why it is not working in the first place.
For instance, if you like to share your phone with your kids, they are likely to fiddle with it and turn off the Google Assistant. Therefore, you should check if your device is working properly and the Google Assistant is on before troubleshooting anything.
If you want to turn on Google Assistant, follow these steps:
- On your phone, locate and tap Google App
- Tap More Option on the bottom right corner
- Click Settings
- Tap Google Assistant
- Scroll to General
- Check that the Google Assistant toggle has been set on
Related: How To Fix Voice Search In YouTube Not Working Issue
Check That Your Device Is Connected To The Internet
If your device or phone is not connected to the internet or is slow, you are not likely to enjoy using your Google Assistant. It may seem rather obvious, but it will not function as intended if your phone or device is connected to Wi-Fi or the internet.
Do a quick reboot of your internet connection, then try using Google Assistant again. This may be the oldest advice to fix this issue but will solve your problem.
Are You The Only One Complaining?
When the Google servers are down or facing some downtime, you won’t use Google Assistant and the Google App. In this case, you won’t be the only user complaining about Google voice search not working.
If you want to find out if the problem you are facing is on the Google side and nothing is wrong with your device, visit Google support forums, Reddit, and Twitter to find out if other users are also complaining about the same issue. You can also search on Google, ‘ My Google Assistant not working,” and find more solutions to this problem.
Related: Google MUM Update: All You Need To Know
Final Thoughts
It is not that difficult to search the internet with voice search if you have Google Assistant by your side. However, when your phone cannot activate this feature, it is not easy to access the voice search.
If the voice search feature is not active on your phone, you should check that your phone is connected to the internet, you don’t have any conflicting app on your device, and you have turn on Google Assistant. Apply the tips shared here to activate and continue using Google voice search on your device.
