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The Google Assistant, while immensely helpful when you need to find flight tickets or a restaurant, can sometimes be a real nuisance. It can pop up when you least expect it and disrupt your work or entertainment.
Therefore, it is no wonder that some users want to disable it. This article will explore several ways to disable it on an Android phone or tablet. We’ll also cover Chromebooks, Pixelbooks, and Android TVs.
Turn Google Assistant Off Completely
If you are certain that you don’t want the Google Assistant to bother you anymore, you can always opt to disable it completely. Have in mind that you will be able to activate it again should you want to. Here’s how to completely turn off the Google Assistant on an Android device:
- Launch the Google app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Tap on the Menu icon (three little dots); it is usually located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Next, you should go to Settings.
- Now, navigate to the Google Assistant section of the menu.
- Scroll down and look for the option labelled General.
- Tap on the slider switch next to Google Assistant to toggle it Off
. - Finally, confirm by tapping Turn Off.
If you change your mind for any reason and want to enable the Google Assistant again, follow these same steps and toggle the switch to on.
Alternative Route
There’s another way to completely deactivate the Google Assistant. This time, you will have to open it one last time. Here’s how it’s done:
- Tap and hold the Home button.
- When the Google Assistant pops up, you should tap on the box-shaped icon in the bottom, left-corner.
- Next, tap on the profile icon in the top-right corner.
- In the menu that appears, select General.
- Finally, tap on the slider switch next to Google Assistant to disable the service.
The Google Assistant will not appear uninvited anymore. Repeat these steps if you change your mind and decide to activate it again.
Disable the Activation Button
The Google Assistant has that inconvenient habit of popping up when you least expect it to. Likewise, many people activate it when their fingers accidentally touch the Home button on their smartphones and tablets.
If you don’t want to see or hear the Google Assistant pop up when you tap the Home button, Android allows you to disable this feature. This is a good option for those who want to get rid of the Assistant but are reluctant to completely turn it off. Here’s how to do it:
- Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your Android device.
- Navigate to the Applications section of the menu. On some models, it might be named Apps.
- Next, go to the Default apps/Applications section.
- Next, open Assistance & voice input.
- Tap on the Assist app tab.
- Your Android device will then show you the list of available assist apps. Most commonly, it will show Google and None as options. You should tap on None.
As with every other method in this article, you can revert to original settings by following the same steps. In this particular case, instead of none, you should select Google as the assistant app.
Uninstall Google Updates
The Google Assistant has been around for some time – since May 2016, to be precise. Previous versions of the Google app didn’t have it. Therefore, you can also free your phone or tablet of the pesky assistant by uninstalling the Google app’s updates and reverting it to its factory settings.
You should have in mind that this is the most extreme measure you can take in this situation. It is also worth mentioning that other Google services and features might be affected, as well. You might experience change in their behavior and some of them (if they were recent additions) might disappear along with the Google Assistant.
If you are absolutely sure that you don’t want the Assistant anywhere on your phone, you can follow the steps below. This method works for both phones and tablets.
- Again, launch the Settings app from your device’s Home screen.
- Next, go to Applications or Apps.
- Tap on the Application manager. Alternatively, if there is no such option, you should tap on Apps.
- Your phone or tablet will then show you the list of all apps installed on the device.
- Now, find Google and tap on it.
- When the Google app’s info page opens up, you should tap on the three dots icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Then, tap on the Uninstall updates option.
- Google will then inform you that you’re about to replace the app with the factory version and that all data will be removed, tap on OK to confirm your choice.
The Google Assistant will be removed from your phone or tablet and won’t bother you anymore. However, the next time you update the Google app, or your device does it automatically, the Assistant will reappear.
Disable Google Assistant on Chromebook and Pixelbook
If the Google Assistant is giving you trouble on your Chromebook or Pixelbook that runs Chrome OS, here’s how to deal with it:
- Click on the Time section of the status bar and open Settings.
- Go to the Search and Assistant section.
- Pick Google Assistant.
- Slide the toggle to Off.
Disable Google Assistant on an Android TV
If you have a Sony TV running Android OS, you can disable the Google Assistant in a matter of seconds. Here’s how it’s done:
- Press the Google Assistant button on the remote and hold it.
- Now, go to the Settings menu and turn off the Google Assistant.
If you do this, you won’t be able to control your TV with your voice anymore.
Bye Google!
If you don’t need the Google Assistant, it is a good option to silence it. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy your Android or Chrome OS device without interruptions.
Do you find the Google Assistant useful or not? Would you keep it or disable it? Share your opinion in the comments section below.
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