Fix: Hey Google Voice Match Not Working in Google Assistant

Google Assistant has become a part of our daily lives. From telling about today’s weather, meetings, and playing the news to turning off lights and playing sleep sounds, Google Assistant can do very much on its own. To take full advantage of Google Assistant, you need to set up your voice so that Google can recognize the person and display the results that are most relevant to the person. This feature is called Voice Match. Though it is a useful feature, not all Android users can take full advantage of it, as the Hey Google Voice Match feature is not working for some users in Google Assistant. This guide will teach you many ways to fix this issue on your phone.

There could be various reasons for the Google Assistant voice match feature to not work on your smartphone or smart device. It could occur because of some issues with the Google app. There could be a minor bug in your phone preventing the voice match feature from working correctly. Another reason for the Hey Google voice match to not work is the inability to access the microphone. If Google has been stopped from accessing the microphone, you can’t use Ok Google or Hey Google. In fact, you can’t use Google Assistant.

These were some of many reasons why the Google Assistant voice match feature is not working on your device. Fortunately, most of them are minor issues that can be easily fixed without having to go much into the technicalities. Here are the solutions you should try on your phone.

Hey Google Voice Match Not Working in Google Assistant, How to Fix?

Below, we have shared the curated list of effective solutions. One of them is most likely to fix the problem with Google Assistant on your device. Apply the solutions in order and check which one spells out success for you. You do not need to apply all the solutions that I’ve mentioned in this article. After applying a solution, check the problem, and continue the process until you get success.

Solution 1: Restart Your Device

This is one of the most common troubleshooting tips that works many times. Restarting the device can fix minor issues such as app not loading, microphone not working, etc. Give it a try and check if the problem is fixed. On most devices, you can perform the reboot operation by pressing and holding the power button and tapping the Restart option.

Solution 2: Make Sure Hey Google Is Turned On

If you want to use voice commands with Google Assistant, make sure that the Hey Google command is turned on your device. This option can be found under the Google app. Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Open the app drawer and look for the Google app. Tap on it to launch the app. You can also tap on the Google icon in the Google search widget to open the app.
2. Tap on the profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Select the Settings option and tap on Voice.
4. Click on the Voice Match option.
5. Enable the toggle next to Hey Google.

Solution 3: Set the Assistant’s Language the Same as Your Device’s Language

Google Assistant may not work if the launch set for the assistant differs from your device’s language. In such a case, the voice match also fails. You should always use a single language on your phone to avoid any conflict between the apps and the device. Here’s how you can check and change the language on Google Assistant:

1. First, let’s check the language that is being used on the phone. To check this, open the Settings app and go to the Language option. On Google Pixel phones, go to Settings -> System to find the Language option. The same can be found in Samsung phones by heading to Settings > General management.
2. Tap on Language and remember the language that is set on your phone.
3. Now, open the Google app on your phone and tap on the profile icon in the top-right corner.
4. Tap on the Settings option and select Google Assistant.
5. Scroll down a bit and you will see the Languages option. Tap on it.
6. Verify that the language for Google Assistant is the same as that for the device. If both are different, tap on Add a language and select the language that matches your phone’s language.
7. Reboot the device and check if the problem is fixed.

Solution 4: Retain Voice Model

If the Hey Google voice match feature is not working in Google Assistant on your phone, retaining the voice model can fix the issue. It is because Google Assistant can sometimes not recognize you if the voice model is too old or it gets corrupted. If the current voice model was recorded in a loud or noisy environment, this solution can fix the problem.

Here’s how to retain the voice model on Google Assistant:

1. Open the Google app on your phone.
2. Tap on the profile icon in the upper-right corner on the screen.
3. Click on Voice and tap Voice Match.
4. Tap on Voice model and click Retain voice model. Enter the pin or password if prompted.
5. Say the phrase on your screen out loud. You should say each word clearly. If there’s some noise in the background, move to a quiet place, as it can affect the accuracy of the voice model.
6. Tap on Finish to complete the process.

After you’ve retained your voice model, close the Google app and check if you are still experiencing the trouble.

Solution 5: Use Google Assistant as the Default Assistant App

Google Assistant is not the only assistant app for Android smartphones. You can find plenty of such a type on the Google Play Store. Samsung has Bixby Voice installed on their phones, by default. Another popular assistant is Alexa. So, if there are two or more assistant apps installed on your phone, check which one is currently in use.

Here’s how to check the default assistant app on your phone:

1. Open the Settings app and tap on Apps & notifications.
2. Select Default apps. I’m using a Google Pixel phone. On phones from some other brands, you need to click on three dot button to get the Default apps option.
3. Tap on Digital assistant app and select Google.
4. Reboot the phone and check if the problem is fixed.

Solution 6: Clear Google App Cache and Data

If the Google app is not working on your phone, the Google Assistant may also not work as it directly depends on the Google app. Sometimes the problem goes miles away after clearing the app cache and data. Hopefully,  you’ll be able to fix the problem with Google Assistant after clearing user data and cache of the Google app.

Here’s how to clear user data and cache of the Google app:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Select Apps & notifications.
3. Expand all apps and tap on Google.
4. Click Storage & cache.
5. Tap on Clear cache.
6. Now, click on Manage space and tap on CLEAR ALL DATA.

After you’ve cleared user data and cache of the Google app, reboot the device. Now, check if the problem has been fixed.

Solution 7: Update Google App

If your device is not running the latest version of Google app, you’re missing out on new features. Not just this, the latest update also includes improvements and fixes to known issues. Hence, you should always keep the Google app updated. In fact, you should update all the apps that are installed on your phone.

To update the Google app, open Google Play Store and search Google. Tap on the Google app in the search result, and click on the Update button. Once the app is updated, reboot the device.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at many reasons on why the Hey Google voice match feature is not working in Google Assistant on your phone. We also went through effective solutions to fix the problem. How did you fix the problem? Which solution did the trick for you? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.