Google Assistant can be disabled in settings, but the method depends on your phone model and Android version
Google Assistant is turned on by default on most Android phones. If you don't use it and want to stop it from responding to voice commands or the Google Assistant button, you can disable it without removing Google apps entirely. The steps differ slightly between Samsung phones, Google Pixel phones, and other Android devices, but all involve the same general path through settings.
The fastest way is to open the Google app, go to Settings, find "Google Assistant," and toggle it off. On some phones you can also long-press the home button and disable it from there. If you want to keep Assistant but just remove the button or voice activation, you have those options too.
Key Takeaways
- Google Assistant is disabled through the Google app settings, not through your phone's main settings menu.
- On Samsung phones, you may need to disable Bixby first if it's set as your default assistant, then disable Google Assistant separately.
- Disabling Google Assistant does not remove the Google app or affect other Google services like Gmail or Maps.
- If you only want to stop the home button from opening Assistant, you can remap it in accessibility settings instead of fully disabling the service.
Disable Google Assistant through the Google app
Open the Google app on your phone. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Settings." Scroll down and tap "Google Assistant." You'll see a list of options including "General" — tap that.
At the top of the General settings, you'll see a toggle for "Google Assistant." Tap it to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, and Google Assistant will no longer respond to voice commands or the home button press. You can turn it back on the same way if you change your mind.
Disable the home button shortcut on Pixel and other phones
If you want to keep Google Assistant but just stop the home button from opening it, you can remap the button instead. Go to your phone's main Settings app, then search for "buttons" or "system navigation." The exact name varies by phone.
Look for an option called "Home button" or "Long press home." You can set it to do nothing, open a different app, or trigger a different action. This keeps Assistant running in the background but removes the quick-access button.
Turn off Google Assistant on Samsung phones
Samsung phones often have Bixby set as the default assistant, which can make Google Assistant harder to find. First, check which assistant is active: go to Settings, search for "default apps," and look for "Assistant app." If Bixby is listed, tap it and change it to "None" or "Google Assistant."
Then open the Google app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, select "Google Assistant," then "General," and toggle Google Assistant off. If you see a Bixby button on the side of your phone, you can remap it in Settings under "Advanced features" or "Bixby key" — look for an option to reassign it to a different function or disable it entirely.
Stop Google Assistant from responding to voice commands
Even with Google Assistant disabled, your phone may still listen for the "Hey Google" voice command if you have Google Search or other Google services active. To turn this off, open the Google app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then search for "Voice."
You'll see options for "Voice Match" and "Hey Google detection." Toggle both of these off. This stops your phone from listening for the wake word even when the screen is off. Note that this is separate from disabling Assistant itself — you can have one on and one off.
What happens when you disable Google Assistant
Disabling Google Assistant does not affect Gmail, Google Maps, Google Photos, or any other Google service. Your Google account stays active, and you can still search the web using the Google search bar. The only thing that stops working is the Assistant voice service and the ability to ask it questions.
If you later want to use Google Assistant again, you can turn it back on through the same Google app settings. There's no penalty for turning it off and on — it's a simple toggle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Google Assistant free up storage or battery?
Disabling Google Assistant has a minimal effect on either. The app itself is small, and most of the battery drain from Google services comes from location tracking, syncing, and notifications — not from Assistant being available. If you're trying to improve battery life, disabling location history or reducing sync frequency will have a bigger impact.
Can I disable Google Assistant but keep voice search?
Yes. Voice search and Google Assistant are separate services. You can disable Assistant through the Google app settings while keeping voice search active in Google Search settings. Go to Google app Settings, then "Voice," and toggle off "Hey Google detection" while leaving other voice options on.
What if the toggle doesn't appear in my Google app settings?
Make sure you're in the Google app, not Google Search or another Google service. Open the app with the colorful Google "G" logo. If you still don't see the Assistant toggle, your phone may have an older version of the app — go to the Play Store, search for "Google," and tap "Update" if available.
Does disabling Google Assistant stop it from listening to me?
Disabling Google Assistant through the app settings stops it from responding to commands and the home button. However, if "Hey Google" voice detection is still on, your phone continues to listen for that phrase. To fully stop listening, also turn off "Hey Google detection" in the Google app Voice settings.
Can I disable Google Assistant on some apps but not others?
No — disabling it is all-or-nothing at the system level. However, you can control which apps have permission to use the microphone. Go to Settings, search for "Permissions," select "Microphone," and toggle off access for specific apps if you want to limit what they can hear.