How to Disable Google Assistant on Mobile, Smart TV, More

Google Assistant is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your interaction with various devices, but there may be times when you want to disable it for privacy reasons or to avoid unwanted activations. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to disable Google Assistant on your mobile, smart TV, and other devices.

Disabling Google Assistant on Android Phones

To disable Google Assistant on your Android phone, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google App: Start by opening the Google app on your phone.
2. Access Settings: Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner and select Settings.
3. Navigate to Google Assistant: Find and open the Google Assistant option. This will bring up the Popular Settings and All Settings sections.
4. Turn Off Google Assistant: Navigate to the General section under All Settings and toggle the switch next to Google Assistant to the off position.

If you only want to disable the voice component without completely turning off Google Assistant, you can do so by:

1. Accessing Assistant Settings: Go to your phone’s search widget, search for Google Assistant, and select Assistant settings.
2. Disable Voice Activation: Select Hey Google & Voice Match and turn off the Hey Google slider under the This device section.

Disabling Google Assistant on Smart TVs

Disabling Google Assistant on an Android smart TV is straightforward:

1. Access TV Settings: Press the home button on your remote and go to Settings.
2. Find Google Assistant: Navigate to Device Preferences or find Google Assistant in the alphabetical list of apps. The exact location may vary depending on the TV manufacturer.
3. Turn Off Google Assistant: If the slider option to enable or disable Assistant is turned On, turn it Off.

Alternatively, if you want to disable the microphone for Google Assistant without uninstalling it:

1. Go to Apps Settings: Navigate to Apps, then See all apps, and select Show system apps.
2. Disable Microphone Access: Find the Google app, go to Permissions, and set the microphone permission to Do not allow.

Disabling Google Assistant on Google Nest Speakers

For Google Home or Nest smart speakers, you can disable Google Assistant by:

1. Mute the Microphone: Locate the physical microphone button on the back of the speaker (near the power cord for Google Home Mini and Nest Mini) and press it to mute the device. This will prevent Google Assistant from listening for the wake word.
2. Use Downtime Feature: For temporary disablement, open the Google Home app, select Notifications and digital wellbeing, then Digital wellbeing. Set up the service and choose the smart speaker from the Devices list. Select the date and time for Downtime activation to turn off Google Assistant during that period.

Disabling Google Assistant on Other Devices

Android Tablets and Wearables

The process for disabling Google Assistant on Android tablets and wearables is similar to that on Android phones:

1. Access Settings: Go to Settings and navigate to the Apps or Application Manager section.
2. Find Google Assistant: Select Assistant from the list of apps and tap Disable to turn it off.

Chromebooks

To disable Google Assistant on a Chromebook:

1. Access Settings: Go to Settings and navigate to the Search and Assistant section.
2. Turn Off Google Assistant: Toggle the switch next to Google Assistant to the off position.

Android Auto

For Android Auto, disabling Google Assistant involves:

1. Access Android Auto Settings: Open the Android Auto app and go to Settings.
2. Turn Off Google Assistant: Navigate to the Google Assistant section and toggle the switch to the off position.

By following these steps, you can effectively disable Google Assistant on various devices, ensuring you have more control over when and how the assistant is used.