I recently had some trouble with Google Now literally searching for Voice Controls. I have seen other people having issues with this as well, but no viable solution seems to had been found. Untill now. Which I stumbled upon accidentally. XD
A Example of the issue is say, if I say "Set Timer for 10 minutes", it would literally search the web for that phrase. Basically, somehow that phase got added to the "web search" portion of your search history. If your having this occur with 1 or more of your voice control options then my solution should fix it up.
Solution 1. Reinstall Google Search, this can be done by going to the Play Store, going into My Apps, and simply uninstalling and installing the Google Search application. *This will require you setting up Google Now again, but all of your settings should be stored in the cloud*
If this restores the missing Voice Command functions, then you are all set. However, if your like me and it still just is not doing the command you want then this next step will clear it up.
Solution 2. Open Google Now > Press the settings button > Tap Settings > "Privacy & accounts" > Then turn OFF "Web History", then turn it back on again.
Congratulations, what Voice Commands were still missing after re-installation of Google Search should now be working. Basically turning off Web History caused Google Now to re-sync with the cloud and correct the issue.
Hey guys,
I am facing a very weird problem with my SGN2. We have and inbuilt Google search app in our mobile. The one which we can access through the app, widget or by long pressing Menu button while on the Homescreen. This is a multiple search function which helps you search for your apps in the phone as well (Assuming you have selected apps in the settings under phone search)
However it has suddenly stopped searching for the apps. It searches for everything like contacts, music tracks, bookmarks, and other options I have chosen in phone search but somehow it just does not show my apps! :silly:
Can you guys please help me with this.. Any help is much appreciated
Cheers
Edit:
Never mind guys, I worked out the solution... Works for me atleast.
1. Go to Settings
2. Go To Application Manager
3. Go to Google Search (If you have 2 then go to one with blue icon) and select it
4. Force Stop the application
5. Clear The Date
7. Restart the App
And Everything is working :victory::victory:
How can I get the stock voice dialer on my phone working again (without giving up privacy)?
There used to be a dedicated voice dialer app. I would tell it to dial numbers, or I could tell it to dail contacts, and it worked, but that app seems to be gone. Can this be fixed with stock android, or does it require a third-party app?
If you're interested, here's how I got to this point, and how to recreate this problem:
A few months ago, the voice dialer functionality on my Nexus 5X changed (maybe because of an upgrade, or maybe I accidentally changed some settings). Now, when I hold the action button on either a wired headset or a bluetooth headset, the phone launches the "Google App" instead of the stock voice dialer app and subsequent voice commands are interpreted as a Google web search. For example, saying "Call Jane Doe on mobile" doesn't actually call anybody, rather the app hears me perfectly but launches a search for the string "Call Jane Doe on mobile" instead of actually calling her. I've found a solution to this awkward web search behavior: enable "OK Google Hotword Detection" within the Google App's settings (bad design, really, because the microphone action button already works to initiates voice commands so it's not necessary for the app to listen for the 'OK Google' hotword to then start listening, but let's put that aside for now). So now it's working a bit better, and when I say "Call Jane Doe on mobile", it actually acknowledges that I have issued some kind of phone dial command. And here's where the big problem is: it refuses to place the call. It gives a message over audio saying that the Google needs permission to my contacts, but I've verified that the app already does have the contacts permission enabled. So what's stopping it? Well it turns out, it's not asking for local access to your contacts, rather it's asking for you to send Google your calendar, apps, music, battery life, and sensor readings -- uhhhh no thanks! I'm not "in" with allowing Google to generically "store and use" sensitive information in exchange for looking up a contact and placing a phone call (this is still a phone, right?). To summarize: although the app already has access to both my contacts and to my microphone, it refuses to dial a contact unless I give Google blanket permission to store and use my sensitive data .
So let's give up on that because that's a deal breaker for me. Let's circumvent the contact lookup and go old-school by directly dialing phone numbers! "Call one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten", and... it refuses again. It wants asks for permission to access your contacts again. Everything is the same. Why does it need to access my contact list if I'm telling it the exact number to dial? Something is very wrong with my phones voice dialing. I want the old app back and I never want to use the google app for voice dialing, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, so I was left with one option: factory reset! No, i didn't actually factory reset my phone to bring voice dialing back, but I did add a generic android user profile to my phone, and to my dismay, the new generic android user profile works the same as my real profile does now, and not how it used to work a few months ago. Refuses to voice-dial a phone number unless I give away my privacy. Is anyone else having this problem?
makogaleos said:
How can I get the stock voice dialer on my phone working again (without giving up privacy)?
There used to be a dedicated voice dialer app. I would tell it to dial numbers, or I could tell it to dail contacts, and it worked, but that app seems to be gone. Can this be fixed with stock android, or does it require a third-party app?
If you're interested, here's how I got to this point, and how to recreate this problem:
A few months ago, the voice dialer functionality on my Nexus 5X changed (maybe because of an upgrade, or maybe I accidentally changed some settings). Now, when I hold the action button on either a wired headset or a bluetooth headset, the phone launches the "Google App" instead of the stock voice dialer app and subsequent voice commands are interpreted as a Google web search. For example, saying "Call Jane Doe on mobile" doesn't actually call anybody, rather the app hears me perfectly but launches a search for the string "Call Jane Doe on mobile" instead of actually calling her. I've found a solution to this awkward web search behavior: enable "OK Google Hotword Detection" within the Google App's settings (bad design, really, because the microphone action button already works to initiates voice commands so it's not necessary for the app to listen for the 'OK Google' hotword to then start listening, but let's put that aside for now). So now it's working a bit better, and when I say "Call Jane Doe on mobile", it actually acknowledges that I have issued some kind of phone dial command. And here's where the big problem is: it refuses to place the call. It gives a message over audio saying that the Google needs permission to my contacts, but I've verified that the app already does have the contacts permission enabled. So what's stopping it? Well it turns out, it's not asking for local access to your contacts, rather it's asking for you to send Google your calendar, apps, music, battery life, and sensor readings -- uhhhh no thanks! I'm not "in" with allowing Google to generically "store and use" sensitive information in exchange for looking up a contact and placing a phone call (this is still a phone, right?). To summarize: although the app already has access to both my contacts and to my microphone, it refuses to dial a contact unless I give Google blanket permission to store and use my sensitive data .
So let's give up on that because that's a deal breaker for me. Let's circumvent the contact lookup and go old-school by directly dialing phone numbers! "Call one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten", and... it refuses again. It wants asks for permission to access your contacts again. Everything is the same. Why does it need to access my contact list if I'm telling it the exact number to dial? Something is very wrong with my phones voice dialing. I want the old app back and I never want to use the google app for voice dialing, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, so I was left with one option: factory reset! No, i didn't actually factory reset my phone to bring voice dialing back, but I did add a generic android user profile to my phone, and to my dismay, the new generic android user profile works the same as my real profile does now, and not how it used to work a few months ago. Refuses to voice-dial a phone number unless I give away my privacy. Is anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What app are you giving the contacts permission? You should be giving it to the Google App (aka Voice Search). At minimum, you need to allow that app Contacts, Microphone, and Phone permissions.
Full Android permissions have already been granted to the Google App, and the setting "OK Google hotword detection" is also enabled. But it still asks me for even more intrusive uses of my data, to just dial a phone number. Screenshots attached.
Why would it even need access to contacts to straight up dial a number that I dictate?
@makogaleos have you tried clearing cache and data for that app? Mine doesn't need contact permissions to dial by number.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
PiousInquisitor said:
@makogaleos have you tried clearing cache and data for that app? Mine doesn't need contact permissions to dial by number.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cleared cache, and that didn't change anything. Can't clear data because that option seems to be unavailable for the Google app.
Perhaps it's not asking you because you've already given permission?
makogaleos said:
I cleared cache, and that didn't change anything. Can't clear data because that option seems to be unavailable for the Google app.
Perhaps it's not asking you because you've already given permission?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have given it permission before but to try and trouble shoot it I turned the "Information from your devices" thing off and cleared the data Google stored. My contacts are stored on my Google account anyway. Are yours stored locally on your phone?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
PiousInquisitor said:
I have given it permission before but to try and trouble shoot it I turned the "Information from your devices" thing off and cleared the data Google stored. My contacts are stored on my Google account anyway. Are yours stored locally on your phone?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's ignore contacts for the moment, and just consider phone numbers. Before, I could say "Dial 1-800-555-5555" and a voice dialer app would execute that command. That isn't happening anymore. It's taking me to the Google app, and it's asking for android permissions and then some really intrusive general permissions. How can I get the original voice dialer app back so that it can just work as normal?
makogaleos said:
Let's ignore contacts for the moment, and just consider phone numbers. Before, I could say "Dial 1-800-555-5555" and a voice dialer app would execute that command. That isn't happening anymore. It's taking me to the Google app, and it's asking for android permissions and then some really intrusive general permissions. How can I get the original voice dialer app back so that it can just work as normal?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it didn't open the Google App before? What app did it open?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
PiousInquisitor said:
So it didn't open the Google App before? What app did it open?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It opened this app "Voice Dialer":
makogaleos said:
It opened this app "Voice Dialer":
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't say I've ever seen that app on my 5X or any other phone I've had...
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
PiousInquisitor said:
I can't say I've ever seen that app on my 5X or any other phone I've had...
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it had a launcher shortcut. But it's what popped up when pressing the action button on a headset.
makogaleos said:
I don't think it had a launcher shortcut. But it's what popped up when pressing the action button on a headset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you setup your phone did it restore any apps? I just went through all of the system apps with a file explorer and there is no voice dial app.
PiousInquisitor said:
When you setup your phone did it restore any apps? I just went through all of the system apps with a file explorer and there is no voice dial app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just found several threads online discussing how the stock voice dialer app has been deprecated, and so for the Nexus 5X, the microphone action button takes you to the Google App / Google Now. That means my Nexus 5X probably never had the Voice Dialer app (by the way, the Voice Dialer app does have its own launcher shortcut in some earlier versions of Android).
As I said in my original post, the voice dial functionality within the Google app is disabled unless users agree to Google's use of sensitive data, so that's where I am now: the most advanced phone I can buy won't execute a simple voice dial -- a standard feature in flip phones from 2004.
This is an easy guide to making all of the normal features of google feed, assistant and stuff work properly on any android 7+ phone (haven't tested below 7) in any country that doesn't allow these features.
this is not for everyone, read this in full before starting so that you know what you are getting into.
so far, there has been no danger to my phone's software doing these stuff.
however im not responsible if you do something wrong. follow the steps properly.
DO NOT DELETE GOOGLE FRAMEWORK DATA ON ANDROID 9. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM
1. first of all download a VPN app from the play store, I personally used the CM VPN but use whatever you want. only important thing is that your vpn must have USA connection.
2. update your google app to the latest version, or even go all the way to the latest beta (I prefer the normal because feed looks nicer)
3. turn on the VPN and go to your location settings, and select GPS Only mode.
4. go to your apps in the settings, press "show system apps" and go to the G letter and find Google Services Framework.
delete all of the cache and data for that app. then find the google app. do the same but it happens in a different window, you gotta press manage data and then delete it from inside the google app.
5. open the google app, wait a few seconds and the google feed shows up. weather is missing and most of the features dont work yet, we will get back to them.
6. disconnect and close the vpn. then restart your device.
7. start by activating the assistant. first i suggest that you pause voice activity in google account settings.then activate the voice assistant step by step to the finish.
8. go to the google app, the 3 lines to the right( settings and stuff) go to assistant settings, in the 2nd tab find "phone" and activate voice unlock (this is just to test if the assistant is working properly) if the voice unlock gets activated properly then you're good, if it doesnt, try deactivating voice and audio activity and try again.
you can disable voice unlock after.
9. so now the assistant is activated, google feed is working, you also need to install a launcher that supports google feed page(i am using lawnchair 2 which is in alpha currently, you can use Nova, Rootless Pixel, or CPL or any other that supports it)
10. in order to get google at a glance on screen if your launcher doesn't have it, there is a widget in your widgets screen, from google themselves.
11. in order to activate the weather, go to location settings, select high accuracy, turn on google location history, and then go to the google feed page in your home screen, on the search bar type "weather" and search for it, open the weather page (the google weather app thingy) and close it. refresh the page and its up and running as the top card.
common problem: disappears after a while
do the search bar thing again and it works.
12. the last thing is reminders. type "reminder" in the search bar of the google feed page, make a reminder, then close the whole thing. open assistant, say show me my reminders, it will tell you the reminder you just set up. delete it using voice commands. then make another reminder using voice commands, go to the google app, open the 3 lines page (bottom right) then open reminders. if you have done everything properly, the reminder you set up in search is gone, and the voice reminder is there. if you don't need it, delete the reminder.
Thats all. I'm living in iran so i know all of this works 100%
Good Luck. ill be answering questions if there is any, whenever i check this again.
I currently use the 1st gen galaxy watch 46mm.
I really find it useful how on my android phone, I can talk to the google assistant and stay "note to self" say something, and it's saved in my google keep notes.
I've been trying to find a app similar to this for the watch.
I tried installing the google assistant app on the watch but in the google cloud portion of the install the shb fingerprint verification doesn't work so that's on hold.
Currently, I use the alerts feature and it seems to work well. I press the button on the side twice, speak to the watch, and an item is saved to a list on my phone. I only use this for actionable tasks for my "to do" list.
Is there another app similar to this that I could use that's as easy to use? I'm kind of frustrated with the install process of google assistant which I hear stopped working in the most recent update.