OK Google, i.e. the voice search function, although it was supposed to be a very useful option to facilitate information searching, in fact it often does not work properly. What to do if search results are inadequate or do not appear at all ?
Here are some tips on how to fix a malfunctioning OK Google function .
Table of Contents
Language settings
It’s possible that Google doesn’t understand what to look for because it speaks a different language than us. Even if this reason seems unlikely, it is worth excluding it by checking in the Voice Search settings whether the default language is English.
Access to the microphone
OK Google is a voice typing function, so it needs free access to the device’s microphone . On many devices, it’s easy to check if OK Google has access to the microphone by watching the notification bar – if a microphone icon with broken lines appears when using voice search , this indicates a problem with the microphone.
If the microphone icon is not displayed in the notification bar, it is worth checking the microphone access permissions for Google applications (usually this information is in Settings -> Application settings -> Permissions -> Microphone or similar).
Sometimes, the Google app has access to a microphone, but voice search does not work. In this case, it is possible that the microphone is dusty or dirty – you can try to clean the microphone with a needle / pin, brush (dry!) Or blast.
Sometimes the reason for problems with the microphone is another application running in the background that causes interference, so in case of problems it is worth closing all running applications .
Internet connection
Another reason, which, although obvious, often overlooked, is a problem with the internet connection. To search anything, you need internet access , so before we complain about the lack of competence of a Google assistant, let’s check the quality of the connection with Wi-Fi or mobile data transfer.
Voice model
The problem with voice search can be solved by defining a voice model , i.e. recording a voice sample that will help Google Assistant recognize the user’s voice and manners . To enter the voice model, just go to Settings -> Language and text input -> Google voice typing -> “OK, Google” detection and select Teach voice model again, then say “OK, Google” three times.
Note: defining a voice model is not supported by some devices.
When all the ways fail …
It is worth restarting the device and making sure that the Google voice search function is enabled (Settings -> Language and text input -> Google voice typing).
