How to use Google voice search on Android. How to enable “OK Google” from any screen when this is not possible? Make sure OK Google discovery is enabled

While the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and S8 have their own newly created Bixby assistant, they also have Google Assistant, which is installed on all Android devices running Android OS version 6.0 and later.

For some reason, we are confident that you will use Bixby (instructions on how to disable it can be found) much less often compared to Google Assistant. If only because Google Assistant is more powerful than Bixby, and this is obvious. And this is where one annoying problem can arise: the Google Assistant hot phrase. "Okay Google" stops working when Samsung Power Saving Mode is in effect. The crash occurs because Power Saving Mode tries to limit the running of background programs on your device and sometimes limits the functioning of this Google app. As a result, it turns out that at the right time the Google voice assistant is on yours or does not work.

How to fix OK Google on Galaxy Note 8 or Galaxy S8?

Method 1:

If you have enabled Battery Saver Mode on your Galaxy Note 8 or S8, OK Google will not work properly. All you need to do to fix the situation is exclude Google app from the list of programs whose operation in the background is controlled by the device. That is, allow Google Assistant to run in the background without restrictions, even when the device is in power saving mode. How to do it:

• Open "Settings" -> "Battery";
• Find "Apps in Sleep Mode" and then select "Always Sleeping Apps";
• Click "Exclusion List" and add the Google Assistant app to it.

Method 2:

Another way to run Google Assistant correctly is to completely disable the power saving feature on it. To turn off power saving mode, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings and select "Battery";
• Tap "Turn off" for moderate power saving mode.

That's probably all that can be offered today in order to launch Google Assistant using "OK Google" on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 or Galaxy S8.

Voice text input on Android is convenient even when typing SMS, and if you need to type large amounts of text per day or solve business issues in parallel with other work responsibilities, then this function will become simply irreplaceable.

The Android OS has a standard voice dictation function, which can be enabled in the settings without downloading additional applications. The system will automatically add a microphone icon to the electronic keyboard, and you can use it whenever you need.

If you no longer need the enabled input and want to disable it, in the same menu select the “Disable” button or uncheck the corresponding item.

How to use voice input

We have already figured out how to enable this function, now we need to understand how to use it. It will be available in almost all menus and applications in which you can use an electronic keyboard.

1. To start dictating text, tap on the text screen or on the portion of text that has already been entered. A standard electronic keyboard will appear.
2. Click on the microphone icon on the main screen, or go to the character layout if you moved the microphone key there during setup.
3. A menu for recording your voice and the inscription: “Speak” will be displayed on the screen. Dictate the desired text into your smartphone's microphone, and it will automatically convert your voice into text.

Punctuation marks must be pronounced with the words: “Question mark”, “Comma”, “Period”. Try to speak more clearly, otherwise the program may misunderstand your words and, accordingly, convert them into similar-sounding ones.

What settings are available for Android voice recognition?

You can configure standard voice input on Android in the “Language and input” menu, which can be accessed through “Settings”, or by clicking on the settings “gear” directly in the menu that appears after pressing the microphone (usually the settings button is located to the left of the word "Speak")

Setting up speech recognition. Here you can do the following:

• Select language. Recognition is also available in offline mode, but by default you will only have Russian language installed (or Russian + English). For other languages, the function will work either only with , or when you download the required languages. You can download the required language packs in the language and input settings menu by clicking on “Offline speech recognition”.
• Set up “OK Google” recognition. After setting this item, you will be able to use the search engine manager when Google is open, only by saying: “Okay Google.” And then you need to say what you need to find in the search engine.
• Enable voice control from a wired headset or Bluetooth devices.
• Set up recognition of obscene words. The program automatically turns on the “Hide recognized obscene words” option.
• Enable or disable the results being read out in standard mode or in headset mode.

Hardworking developers of the Android operating system constantly introduce various innovations and steadily keep up with the times. And now, all owners of smartphones and tablets have access to an interesting and convenient voice function “OK Google, find...”.

Overall, Hey Google, Find is a new voice search that, with the right commands and without using an on-screen keyboard, can find all the information you need. And with some tweaks, perform other useful functions on your phone, making it very similar to Apple's Siri.

But first things first. For the feature to work correctly, it must be installed and configured. It is not difficult at all, but you need to follow the instructions exactly and complete all the steps to the end.

What does that require

The very name of the function suggests that Google plays an important role here. And it is true. At the very beginning, you need to install the original application from the Play Market Google from Google Inc (Download). It's free and installs quickly and easily. Then we activate it. To do this, you need to enter your account, that is, Google mail (ends with ...@gmail.com) and its password.

Very often, when purchasing a gadget, Google is already installed on Android. You should check that your account is correct and up to date, and update the application version. Enter the Play Market, find the application you need in the search, go into it and press the UPDATE button. Without this minor detail, the entire installation of Okay Google, find... may not take place.

Another important fact should also be taken into account. This voice search is available on smartphones with the new version of Android. On the official Google website, version 4.4 is indicated; on many sites with useful tips, they start from 4.1 and higher. So it's worth a try anyway. To open SETTINGS on your phone, find the ABOUT PHONE item (usually at the very end of the list). Here you will find all the information about the device, including the version.

Photo: Find out the Android version

Correct setting

Now you can proceed directly to setting up voice search on Android.

Open SETTINGS in the phone menu, find the ACCOUNTS or ACCOUNTS item. In them, select Google, and then find the line called SEARCH. After clicking on it, a new page will open, which will list the settings of Okay Google. In this menu item, select VOICE SEARCH, and in it RECOGNITION OKAY GOOGLE. Now the last setting item will open in front of you, in which you need to check the box next to FROM THE GOOGLE APPLICATION.

Photo: Setting up ok Google

Voice search is actually ready to use, but you need to go through the voice recognition process. It is standard both on Android devices and on other operating systems. Sometimes not everyone succeeds in doing it the first time. Don't despair, the second or third attempt will definitely be successful.

Photo: Setting up ok Google

That's almost it now. True, with such standard settings, the voice function OK Google, find... will search only on the Internet. Also, Google search must be enabled and active. In principle, voice search for various information is already convenient and practical. But you need to know that voice control capabilities can be significantly expanded at the level of the entire phone. In this case, it will be very similar to the Siri analogue, in no way inferior to it.

There are two ways to do this:

1. In many smartphones, during setup, not only the line “From the Google application” appears, but also “From all applications”. By activating it too, voice search gains access to all phone applications.

Photo: Setting up ok Google

2. If there is no additional line, Google has developed an additional application Google Start (Download). After downloading and activating it, Ok Google, Find will be able to work with all applications on the device. And you, in turn, can only control them with your voice.

Photo: Google Start
Photo: Setting up ok Google

Unable to configure

This annoying problem is not uncommon. Basically, the reason for everything is inattention and haste. If the Android version is correct, then you missed one of the important details in the installation.

First check the Google version, it must be updated. This nuance is as significant as the Android version (how to do this has already been explained).

Then, step by step, according to the instructions, check each setup step. Perhaps you missed one of them or forgot to check a box somewhere. In this case, everything can be corrected by manually adjusting the settings.

If you do not notice any errors, you should install and configure from the very beginning. This helps a lot. Just this time be extremely careful.
In the vast majority of installation problems, one of these tips always works.

How to use

Now a real personal assistant lives in your phone. Without your unnecessary movements, it will fulfill every request.

First, it's worth testing the basic commands. Say the phrase “OK Google”, a microphone icon should appear in the search bar, click on it. Now say the full request “Okay Google, weather in New York” or “Okay Google, find the exchange rate.” A pleasant voice will answer questions and display information on the device display for clarity. By the way, the latest Android smartphones have voice function installed by default. That is, you don’t need to say the first phrase to activate it, just voice your question right away.

If you acted competently and wisely by connecting voice control to the entire phone at once, there will be many more examples of its use.

1. Set an alarm;
2. Mark events and activities on the calendar;
3. Make a to-do list;
4. Send messages and make calls (in this case, you must pronounce the contact's name exactly as it is written in the phone book);
5. Open applications and programs;
6. Use the search for any queries via the Internet, etc.

Examples of useful commands

With full access, there are incredibly many command options. You can change the order of words, but pronounce the phrase clearly and clearly in meaning.

Personal organizer. Setting reminders, alarms, information about upcoming meetings, trips, events, tracking your parcels, activating photos and videos. To recognize tasks, Google now (for reminders and notifications) and gmail must be enabled (information about parcels, booking tickets, tables, etc.) must be enabled.

Ok Google, remind me to call mom at 3:30 p.m.
…. where is my parcel?
….set the alarm for 7:00
….when will you meet your sister?
….what is planned for Monday May 1st?
…..go to Google.com
…..open the application…
….take a photo/video (you need to open the camera), etc.

Calls and messages. It is possible to make calls, send SMS, listen to voicemail, open the necessary information about contacts, send emails and publish on social networks.

Okay Google, type Alexander Petrovich or... call dad/dad
….SMS Beloved: buy milk
….phone number Igor
....email message, to whom Alexander Petrovich, subject Birthday, message text Happy birthday, exclamation point.

Using a similar algorithm, you can perform any other voice commands. The main thing is that they are done through applications from the Play Market, Google mail or Google search engine.

Searching through Google maps and its navigation system will be very convenient. The more sources you connect, the more voice searches you can do.
Okay Google, listen to Viktor Tsoi/what is this song?/watch the movie Silence of the Lambs.
Okay Google, when was Angelina Jolie born?/where is the Statue of Liberty?
….what films are shown at the Svoboda cinema/where is the nearest restaurant?

Experiment with new commands and queries, make your life modern and easy.

Dear readers! If you have any questions or comments on the topic of the article, please leave them below.

The “Okay, Google” function is not new to anyone today; program developers are bending over backwards to make the search faster/more accessible/more functional. But not everyone knows that voice search can also be used on a computer, be it a desktop computer or a laptop. All you need for this is presence of a microphone. On laptops it is a built-in device; for a desktop PC you will have to purchase it. Of course, your computer must have an Internet connection.

In addition to having a microphone, you need to make sure that the Google Chrome browser itself is installed on your PC. If you go to the Google search bar through, for example, the Opera program, the voice search function will not be available.

In previous versions of Google Chrome, you were required to enable voice control yourself. On the Internet you will find a lot of information on how to manually set up “Hey Google” for PC. But this data is already outdated.

Google Chrome is constantly improving and now you don’t even need to configure anything. The new version of the search engine already has built-in voice control.

That is, all you need to set up “Okay, Google” is to make sure that your browser has the latest updates. For January 2018 this is the version 63.0.3239.132.

Installing and configuring “Ok Google”

To check the update, click the icon in the top right (circled in red) and go down to the line “ Settings».

In the settings field, select the bottom line “ About the browserChrome"(arrow indicates).

By clicking on it, you will see the following:

It checks for updates and, if your version is out of date, the program immediately makes the necessary changes.

Then the line “ Latest versionGoogle Chromealready installed».

On the start page, you will see a microphone icon (indicated by an arrow) in the search bar on the right. This is the “Ok Google” function.

All that is required of you is click on the icon voice search, in which the browser requests access to the microphone. To use voice search, you must confirm permission.

Feel free to start testing the function. Left-clicking on the microphone icon will activate it. It looks like this:

Now say any request that interests you. There is no need to say the phrase “Okay, Google” anymore. The voice command must be spoken clearly, but it is not necessary to speak loudly.

The search engine processes your request and displays the result, the robot voices the answer found.

For the query “How to get to the library,” Google requested permission to determine my geolocation. Having determined the location, the program found the nearest library and plotted a route to it. All this took no more than one minute!

If Google Chrome doesn't find a specific answer to your question, it will return search results for your phrase with a list of links.

When you launch the browser, you will be prompted to register an account with Google Chrome. This will allow you to save the necessary settings: routes in maps, calendar reminders, mail configurations and much more.

Google Corporation began its activities as a search engine, and at the moment, searching for information using mobile devices remains one of the main directions of development. With each update of the phone/tablet system, Google Play Services and individual programs, more and more new functions appear to make life easier for the user.

In this article, I'll talk about the most useful voice commands, Now on Tap contextual search, and also show you how to set up your phone to perform any voice commands, including using Tasker. After all, this is exactly what we dreamed about when reading the works of science fiction writers in childhood.

Traditionally, all the latest developments from the “good corporation” are implemented on Nexus line devices. This was the case with voice control and with Google Now, a system for presenting information in the form of a set of cards. One application is responsible for Google Now, simple Google search and voice search, this is Google. It is included with standard Google applications and is available on any certified Android smartphone.

There are also several smartphones with advanced voice control functions that are activated even when the smartphone screen is turned off. For example, MOTO X contains a separate processor with very low power consumption, which does nothing but listen to all surrounding sounds in the background for a key phrase.

Previously, voice control was only activated when you clicked on the microphone icon while the search program was open (or on widgets on the desktop). Then came the Google Start launcher, which allowed you to execute voice commands directly from the desktop (using the phrase “Ok, Google”). Starting with Android 4.4, the same feature became available in other launchers, but only if the launcher explicitly supports this feature (almost all popular launchers do).

Voice control

Simple search for information is, of course, the most important function of Google Now. Moreover, it is intelligent enough to understand the context, which means commands can be combined into chains. For example, if you say: “Okay Google, who is the president of Nicaragua?”, the search will return the answer “Daniel Ortega.” And if you further ask “How old is he?”, then the answer will be “Seventy years old.” Google Now understands a lot of commands, here are ten of the most useful ones.

• Maps and navigation - “let's go/navigation #title streets #number Houses". Launches Google Maps in navigator mode at the specified address. You can also specify a city, store, organization, and so on.
• Calculator - “thirteen percent of five thousand.” Will display the answer and the form of the calculator in the search window. You can use your voice to dictate addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and the root of a number. You can also translate measures of weights, lengths, etc.
• Sending SMS/messages - “write an SMS to Oleg, text I’m driving, I’ll call you back later.” You can also send messages through WhatsApp, Viber and several other popular instant messengers. Using a simplified scheme, you can dictate “message #program #contact #text.” For example: “Whatsapp message Oleg I’m driving.” After this, you can also confirm the sending by voice with the “send” command.
• Dialing a number - "call Mom". You can also dictate an arbitrary number that is not in the address book. When using the “call sister/brother” command, you can specify a number from your contacts (if written differently), then the next time the call will be made automatically.
• Reminders and alarms - “wake me up on Saturday at eight in the morning” or “remind me to turn off the stove in ten minutes.” You can also add events to Google Calendar. Events can be tied not only to time, but also to place. If you add “remind me to print the text at work,” then if geolocation is turned on and the work address (location on the map) is specified, the reminder will automatically pop up on your phone. The regular timer built into the Clock app is just as easy to start.
• Guess the melody - “what kind of song is this?” Will start recognizing the playing music.
• Music Video - “listen to (music) #group #song.” Launches the specified music in Play Music or a clip on YouTube. It works normally with Russian titles, but since it identifies English words and performers, sometimes incorrectly interpreting them for the Russian language, it does not always work.
• Photo/video - “take a photo / record a video.” Will launch the camera in the selected mode.
• Manage Settings - “turn off Wi-Fi”, “turn on the flashlight”.
• Notes - “note to yourself: test password for service one two three four.” Adds a note to Google Keep.

Now on Tap

The description of this service was given special attention at the presentation of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. And it was presented as one of the main features of the new firmware. But we received more or less normal functionality in Russia only in December. In the official Russian translation it is called context from Now.

How it works?“When you launch context from Now, Google analyzes everything you see on the screen and searches for information based on that data,” is the official description from the support page.

What this means is that instead of highlighting and copying phrases of interest on the screen, then opening the search and pasting the phrase, you can simply press and hold the Home button. Google will then offer suggestions for the keyword phrases found. This could be pictures, videos, a proposal to open this place on maps, news. May offer to open the organization’s website or make a call, open a Facebook profile or look at a celebrity’s Twitter account, or add a note. If there are corresponding applications on the device, after tapping on the icon, the page will open immediately inside the application. When listening to music from different applications, you can call up detailed information about artists, albums, YouTube videos and more with one click.

Just like the desktop version of search, voice search has Easter eggs. I will give only a few commands, the rest you can find out at this link. Unfortunately, almost all of them work only in English and with an English interface, or when only English is selected in the settings.

"Do a barrel roll."
“Make me a sandwich!”
“Sudo make me a sandwich!”
"When am I?"
"Beam me up, Scotty!"
“Up up down down left right left right.”
"What does the fox say?"

Tasker

If, after everything you've read, you still don't have enough commands to make your fantasies come true, then, with a little time, you can configure Google Now to execute almost any command. To do this, we will first need Tasker and the AutoVoice plugin.

Using Tasker, you can perform many actions: launch applications, control sound, run scripts, control the screen, manipulate files, press buttons on the screen, manage media, make HTTP Get and Post requests and respond to them, manage advanced phone settings. And all this can be done by issuing voice commands. And with the help of many plugins, the functionality expands even further.

To get started, you need to enable the Google Now Integration item inside AutoVoice. In Tasker you need to create a separate profile for each team or group of teams. As usual, to create profiles, I recommend turning on English in Tasker settings. For the test profile, we will create a voice command to turn off the sound. To do this, create a new profile with parameters Event → Plugin → AutoVoice Recognized. Fill in the following fields:

• Command Filter - here we enter the necessary voice command, in our example: “turn off the sound.” If you click on the Speak Filter line, you can dictate the command.
• Exact Command - if you check the box, it will only work on the exact command, otherwise it can work on every single word or form of a word.
• Use Regex - use regular expressions. Allows you to configure recognition of several words in one profile. If in the first field you enter “(turn off|turn off) (sound|volume)” without quotes, then the profile will respond to the commands “mute sound”, “turn off volume”, “mute sound” and “turn off volume”.

For action we use Audio → Ringer Volume and Audio → Notification Volume. To control the response, you can add a pop-up notification via Alert → Flash and enter “Disabled” in the Text field.

The commands “turn off Wi-Fi” work immediately in Google Now, and “turn off the sound” prompts you to open the settings. And after intercepting the command through Tasker and executing it, it still remains on the current screen with the request. Therefore, we will additionally add to the actions App → Go Home. Well, to amuse your friends, in all profiles for voice control you can set the first action to Alert → Say and enter the phrase “I obey, master.” Then the phone will respond with voice in response to commands.

Using additional plugins, such as AutoRemote, you can control other Android devices. And if you install EventGhost on your computer, then with the help of numerous plugins you can do a lot of interesting things. One of the most useful applications will be setting up a smart home, but this is a separate big story. Joao Dias, the developer of all Auto* plugins, also has an add-on for the computer, which allows you to integrate mobile device management through the Cortana voice assistant on the desktop.

A few tricks

Tasker is hardcore. You can do amazing things, but to do this you need to master a lot of information, understand variables, regular expressions, and so on. For those who don't want to bother with Tasker, there are a large number of programs that use voice control capabilities, but have a more intuitive and accessible interface and are easy to use. I'll stop at three.

1 Open Mic+ for Google Now

Allows you to change the key phrase from “Ok, Google” to any other. Unfortunately, after one of the service updates and a request from Google, it stopped working with Google Engine, leaving only PocketSphinx. In this regard, only English phrases are suitable for the key phrase, but previously it was possible to surprise those present by calling the phone “hey, you” or “listen to the command.”

However, the developer promises to fix everything in the next updates. Other functions include the launch of recognition by the proximity sensor (two waves of the hand) and by shaking the phone. Like MOTO X, it supports recognition when the screen is off, but, unfortunately, this greatly affects the battery, so it is relevant for a phone on charge or car media centers on Android with constant power. Works with a Bluetooth headset, has integration with Tasker, and can read text messages.

2 Commandr for Google Now

Another program from the developer Open Mic+. Integrates with Google Now and allows you to use an expanded set of commands. The list of supported ones includes the following: enable/disable wireless access point, pause/resume music, next/previous song, unread SMS/gmail (voices them out), volume<х>, lock your phone, take a picture, take a selfie. You can also turn on the voice recorder, control the backlight, and auto-rotate the screen. With root you can turn off/restart your phone, clear notifications, and enable Airplane mode. For supported functions, you can change the commands to your own. It also has integration with Tasker, allowing you to enable triggering for each task by the name Task. There is a module for Xposed that allows you to use Commandr with Android Wear.

3 Assistant Dusya

And finally, the brainchild of Russian developers is the Russian-language voice assistant Dusya, which combines all the advantages of the described applications and utilities. Like Tasker, Dusya allows you to create your own voice functions (they are called “scripts”), in a much more understandable and simpler form (there is help in Russian, video tutorials) and with more powerful functions for working with speech commands. In addition, it also has its own online catalog of ready-made scripts created by other users. At the time of writing there were about a hundred of them.

Just like Commandr, Dusya can integrate with Google Now, and also has many types of other contactless activations - by shaking, waving, using a headset, bringing it to the ear, and including its own activation phrase in Russian. And if you want to use the interface, then it is there, very simple, fast and functional. Among the functions there are 25 most frequently requested ones, there is even control of smart homes and home theaters.

Conclusion

Today, voice search functions in smartphones are very developed, and, as you can see, developers offer us not just a set of commands for searching for information, but a full-fledged smartphone control system, which, with some effort, can be integrated with a home computer and even a smart home. So if you're more comfortable controlling it all with your voice, you've got everything you need to do so.