As an attendee at Google I/O this year, Google gave me a free Google Home Mini so we could use Google Assistant. I actually like it a lot. It responds to more requests than my Amazon Echo Dot without requiring additional applications. I don’t have to say “Alexa, ask the bartender how to make a sidecar,” I can just say, “Hey, Google, how do you make a sidecar?” It’s only one fewer word, however, I don’t have to remember that “The Bartender” is the integration I have to use for drink recipes.
However, my honeymoon phase with my Google Home Mini might be coming to an end. I have to agree to allow Google to track my location on all my devices if I want to continue to use it. I’ve been slowly trying to cut unnecessary pieces of Google out of my life. I’ve replaced Google search with DuckDuckGo, I’ve been using Apple Maps more, and I wanted to turn off all listening on my HTC U11, so Google couldn’t continue to listen in on all of my conversations. However, turning Google Assistant off on your device is far more difficult than it should be. Here’s how you can turn it off once and for all.
Disable the Assistant
First, you’re going to want to turn off your assistant.
- Find the Google app in your app drawer.
- Go to More -> Settings.
- Within Settings, look to the Google Assistant section, and tap settings again.
- Next, scroll down and tap Phone under devices.
- From here, turn off Google Assistant.
- Now, say “Ok, Google”
Wait a second… if this dialog pops up, doesn’t that mean Google is still listening? Technically, the commands shouldn’t be going off to Google’s servers, but they said the same thing about Location History. Plus, you still have this annoying popup for a few days after turning this off. Your screen will still turn on, and it’ll still prompt you to unlock your phone and turn Google Assistant back on.
Google really hates it when you turn off their data collection tools.
Really Turn it Off
Now you’re mad. Google’s still listening, and they’re annoying you? This is as bad as that ongoing Location History scandal! No wonder Google is collecting so much information from your phone. Well, I have good news for you. There’s a way to really stop Google in their tracks.
- Go to your phone settings.
- Search for Apps. You may need to find it within a settings subdirectory. Every Android settings screen is a little different.
- Find the Google app in your list of Apps. Tap it.
- Select Permissions.
- Turn off Microphone
- This last step feels good. Are you ready for it? Slam “Deny Anyway.” Or just tap it, slamming it won’t change anything, and could damage your screen. On second thought, just tap “Deny Anyway,” but do a little dance afterwards. Yeah, shake it!
Congrats! The journey was a little convoluted, but you’re here, and you’re free of Google Assistant! Google doesn’t make this easy to turn off because they want to collect every little bit of data on you.
Hey Siri
iOS users, if you want to turn off Hey Siri, just go to Settings > Siri > and turn off Hey Siri.
No, that’s it. It’s almost as though Apple wants you to like your phone or something.
Source: Taylor Kerns, Android Police