Voice Control is usually on by accident

Voice Control is a feature that lets you talk to your device instead of tapping or typing. On most phones and computers, it starts listening when you hold down a button or say a wake word like "Hey Siri" or "OK Google". If you did not turn it on yourself, it probably came that way from the factory.

The steps to turn it off depend on what device you have. iPhone, Android phone, Windows computer, and Mac all have different menus. This guide walks you through each one so you can find the right setting for your device.

Key Takeaways

  • Voice Control on iPhone lives in Settings under Accessibility, and you turn it off by switching the toggle to off.
  • Android phones have Google Assistant in the Google app, where you can disable it in the settings menu.
  • Windows computers have Cortana in Settings under Privacy and Security, with an option to turn it completely off.
  • Mac computers have Siri in System Settings under Siri and Spotlight, where you can uncheck "Listen for 'Hey Siri'".
  • If your device still responds to voice commands after you turn off the main feature, check whether a second voice assistant is also running.

Turning off Voice Control on iPhone

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Accessibility. Look for Voice Control in the list — it is usually near the bottom. Tap it, then toggle the switch to off. The switch will turn gray when it is off.

If you also want to turn off Siri (the voice assistant that responds to "Hey Siri"), go back to Settings, tap Siri and Search, and toggle off Listen for "Hey Siri". These are two separate features. Voice Control is the accessibility tool; Siri is the assistant. You can turn off one without turning off the other.

After you turn off Voice Control, your phone will no longer respond when you hold down the home button or side button and speak. If it still does, you may have Siri turned on instead. Check the Siri and Search menu to be sure.

Turning off Voice Control on Android

Open the Google app (the one with the colorful Google logo). Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap Settings. Tap Google Assistant. Tap General. Toggle off Google Assistant. The toggle will turn gray when it is off.

Some Android phones also have a separate Voice Control feature in the Accessibility menu. To check, open Settings, scroll to Accessibility, and look for Voice Control or Voice Activation. If you see it, tap it and toggle it off as well.

After you turn off Google Assistant, your phone will no longer respond to "OK Google" or the Google Assistant button. If your phone still listens for voice commands, check whether your phone maker added their own voice assistant — Samsung phones have Bixby, for example. Look in your phone's Settings under Accessibility or Applications to find and turn it off.

Turning off Voice Control on Windows

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then pressing Enter. Click Privacy and Security on the left side. Scroll down and click Voice activation. Toggle off Require the Windows key to start Voice Activation. This stops Cortana from listening for voice commands.

If you want to turn off Cortana completely, go back to Privacy and Security and click General. Toggle off Cortana. Your computer will no longer respond to voice commands or show Cortana suggestions.

Some Windows computers also have microphone access turned on for other apps. If you want to prevent any app from using your microphone, go to Privacy and Security, click Microphone, and toggle it off. This will stop all apps from hearing you, not just Cortana.

Turning off Voice Control on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings. Click Siri and Spotlight on the left side. Uncheck the box next to Listen for "Hey Siri". Siri will no longer wake up when you say the wake phrase.

If you want to turn off Siri completely, stay in the same menu and uncheck Show Siri in menu bar. You can also uncheck Show Siri in Search Results if you do not want Siri suggestions to appear when you search.

After you uncheck these boxes, your Mac will not respond to voice commands. If you change your mind later, you can turn Siri back on by checking the same boxes again.

What to do if Voice Control is still on

If your device still responds to voice commands after you follow these steps, check whether a second voice assistant is running. Many devices come with more than one — for example, an iPhone might have both Voice Control and Siri, or an Android phone might have both Google Assistant and the phone maker's own assistant.

Go back through the Accessibility or Settings menu and look for any other voice-related features. Common names include Bixby (Samsung), Alexa (Amazon devices), Cortana (Windows), and Google Assistant. Turn off each one you find. If you are not sure what a feature does, search for its name online to confirm it is a voice assistant before you turn it off.

If you still hear voice feedback after turning off voice control, you may have Voice Feedback or Screen Reader turned on instead. These are accessibility features that read text aloud. Check your Accessibility menu for options like VoiceOver (Mac and iPhone) or TalkBack (Android) and turn those off separately if you do not need them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Voice Control affect other features on my device?

No. Voice Control is a standalone feature. Turning it off will not affect your microphone, your ability to make calls, or any other function. You can still use your device normally.

Can I turn off Voice Control but keep Siri or Google Assistant?

Yes. Voice Control and voice assistants are separate. On iPhone, you can turn off Voice Control in Accessibility while keeping Siri on in the Siri and Search menu. On Android, you can turn off Google Assistant while keeping other features. Choose which ones you want to keep.

What if I accidentally turned off something I need?

You can turn it back on the same way you turned it off. Go back to the menu where you found the toggle or checkbox, and switch it back on. Your device will start using that feature again immediately.

Does turning off Voice Control save battery?

Slightly, but not much. Voice Control and voice assistants use a small amount of power to listen for wake words, but the difference is usually not noticeable. Turn them off if you do not use them, but do not expect a major battery improvement.

Why does my device have Voice Control turned on if I never asked for it?

Manufacturers turn on voice features by default because many people use them. If you do not use voice commands, you can turn them off and leave them off. Your device will not turn them back on unless you manually turn them on again.