Google Assistant lets you pick from multiple voices on most devices
You can change Google Assistant's voice on phones, tablets, smart speakers, and smart displays. The steps differ slightly depending on your device type, but the option lives in Assistant settings on all of them. Most people have between 6 and 10 voices to choose from, though the exact number varies by language and device.
Some voices are male, some female, and some are gender-neutral. A few are designed to sound more natural or expressive than others. You can test each voice before you commit to it, so you can hear how it sounds with the kinds of questions you actually ask.
Key Takeaways
- On Android phones and tablets, open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture, go to Assistant settings, then Voice and speech, and select a new voice from the list.
- On iPhones and iPads, the same path exists but Apple's system limits which voices are available compared to Android devices.
- On Google Home speakers and Nest displays, open the Google Home app on your phone, select your device, tap the settings gear, go to Assistant voice, and choose a new one.
- You can test any voice before selecting it by tapping the play button next to it, so you hear a sample before the change takes effect.
- The voice you pick applies to all devices signed into your Google account unless you change it again on a specific device.
Changing the voice on Android phones and tablets
Open the Google Assistant app by holding down the home button or saying "Hey Google." Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap Assistant settings. Scroll down and tap Voice and speech, then tap Voice. You will see a list of available voices with a play button next to each one. Tap the play button to hear a sample, then tap the voice you want to use. The change takes effect immediately.
If you do not see the Voice option, make sure you are in the right part of settings. Some Android devices put this under a slightly different name — look for "Speech" or "Audio" if Voice does not appear. You may also need to update the Google Assistant app from the Play Store if the option is missing entirely.
Changing the voice on iPhones and iPads
Open the Google Assistant app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Go to Assistant settings, then Voice and speech, then Voice. The process is the same as Android, but Apple limits which voices Google can use on iOS. You will typically see fewer options on iPhone than you would on an Android phone signed into the same account.
If you want access to more voices, you can use Google Assistant through the Google Search app instead of the dedicated Assistant app. Open Google Search, tap the microphone icon, then tap the settings gear. The voice options there may differ slightly from the dedicated app.
Changing the voice on Google Home speakers and Nest displays
Open the Google Home app on your phone and tap the device you want to change. Tap the settings gear icon in the top right. Scroll down and tap Assistant voice. You will see the available voices with play buttons next to each one. Tap the play button to hear a sample, then tap the voice you want. The speaker or display will confirm the change with a spoken message in the new voice.
If you have multiple Google Home devices, you can set a different voice on each one. The change on one device does not affect the others unless they are grouped together. If your devices are grouped, changing the voice on the group changes it on all devices in that group at once.
What to do if you do not see the voice you want
The voices available depend on your language setting and your device type. If you set Google Assistant to English (US), you will see different voices than if you set it to English (UK) or another language. Some voices are only available on Android, some only on iOS, and some only on smart speakers.
If you want more voice options, check whether your device supports additional languages. You can add a second language to Google Assistant by going to Assistant settings, then Languages, and selecting Add a language. Once you add a language, you can switch between them by saying "Switch to [language name]" or by changing the language in settings.
How to test a voice before you commit to it
Every voice option has a play button next to it. Tap or click the play button to hear a sample sentence in that voice. The sample is usually a greeting or a short phrase that lets you hear the tone and speed. Listen to a few different voices to get a sense of which one you prefer.
Keep in mind that the sample may sound different from how the voice sounds when answering your actual questions. If you want to hear how a voice handles longer responses, select it temporarily and ask Google Assistant a multi-part question. You can always change it back if you do not like it.
Reverting to the default voice
If you change your mind, you can go back to the original voice the same way you changed it. Open Assistant settings, go to Voice and speech, then Voice, and select the voice labeled as default or the one you started with. There is no penalty for changing voices multiple times, and the process takes less than a minute.
If you cannot remember which voice was the original, the first voice in the list is usually the default for your language and region. You can also try each voice briefly to see which one sounds most familiar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing the voice on one device change it on all my devices?
If your devices are not grouped, changing the voice on one device changes it for your entire Google account across all devices. If you want different voices on different devices, you can change the voice on each device individually after the initial change.
Can I use a celebrity voice or a custom voice?
Google has offered celebrity voices in the past, but availability changes by region and over time. Check your voice list to see if any special voices are available in your area. Custom voices that you record yourself are not currently supported in Google Assistant.
Why do some voices sound robotic or unnatural?
Older voices use text-to-speech technology that sounds more synthetic. Newer voices use neural networks to sound more natural and expressive. If a voice sounds robotic, try selecting a different one — the newer options sound much closer to human speech.
Can I change the voice for specific commands or routines?
Google Assistant does not support different voices for different commands. The voice you select applies to all responses from Assistant. If you want different voices for different tasks, you would need to manually change the voice each time.
What if the voice option is grayed out or missing?
Make sure you are signed into your Google account and that you have the latest version of the Google Assistant app or Google Home app installed. If the option is still missing, try signing out and back in, or restart your device and try again.