Set up Google Assistant on headphones

You can use Google Assistant on headphones connected to an Android phone or tablet to get help on the go.

Important: Not all Google Assistant devices work the same. For device-specific instructions, contact your manufacturer.

What you need

• For wireless headphones, you need a phone with:
  • Android 6.0 or up
  • Google app 7.0 or up
  • Google Play services
  • 1.5 GB of memory
  • An internet connection
  • Wireless headphones optimized for Google Assistant
• For wired headphones, you need a phone with:
  • Android 9.0 or up
  • Google app 11.24 or up
  • Google Play services
  • 1.5 GB of memory
  • An internet connection
  • Any 3.5 mm wired headphones

Set up your headphones

Wireless headphones

For wireless headphones, you must pair your phone to your headphones with Bluetooth. 

1. Make sure your phone is connected to the Internet.
2. Turn on your Bluetooth.
3. Turn on your headphones.
   • If your phone asks you to pair with your headphones, tap Accept and skip steps 4-6.
4. On your phone’s Home screen, open the Settings app Bluetooth settings.
5. Tap Pair a new device.
   • Under “Available devices,” when your headphones display, tap them to connect.
6. To begin the Google Assistant setup process, you’ll get a notification.
7. To begin, tap Activate.

Tip: When you set up Google Assistant on your headphones, Assistant features are turned on for any active Google Accounts on your phone. When you talk to Google Assistant through your headphones, your Google Account is used for personal answers like calendar or email. If you want to use a different Google Account, learn how to change your settings.

3.5 mm wired headphones

For wired headphones, there’s no setup required. If you currently use a different assistant service, you must reset your assistant services settings to use Google Assistant.

Step 1: Check which service you use

1. On your Android phone or tablet, tap .
2. Note which app the microphone opens.

Step 2: Reset the app settings

1. On your Android phone or tablet, touch and hold the app.
2. Tap Information .
3. At the bottom, tap Advanced Open by default Clear defaults.

Turn Google Assistant on or off

Wireless headphones

Important: Before you can turn on Google Assistant, you must:

• Turn on your headphones.
• Connect your phone to the internet.
• Connect your wireless headphones to your device.

To turn your wireless headphones' Google Assistant on or off:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
2. Tap Devices Your headphones.

• Turn off: Tap Turn off Google Assistant.
• Turn on: Google Assistant turns on for wireless headphones after you completely set up your headphones for wireless headphones.

3.5 mm wired headphones

To turn on your wired headphones' Google Assistant:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
2. Tap Devices Wired headphones.
3. Turn on Get help from Google.

Start a conversation

Before you start, to find the button or touch area used to talk to Google Assistant, refer to your headphone’s instruction manual or packaging.

1. On your headphones, press and hold the button or touch area to talk to Google Assistant.
   • Tip: When you turn on Google Assistant, you’ll hear a tone. You don’t have to wait until you hear the tone to start talking.
2. Ask a question or say a command.
3. After you talk, release the button or touch area.

Tip: Based on the headphones that you use, there are different ways to start and stop a conversation. Learn more about gestures you can use.

Fix issues with Google Assistant on headphones

While you're connected to an Android phone or tablet, Google Assistant responds and gives you notifications on your headphones. If Google Assistant doesn't work on your headphones, follow these steps to fix the issue.

Fix a problem

Google Assistant doesn't respond to gestures

If Google Assistant doesn’t respond when you touch your headphones, follow these steps to fix the problem.

Step 1: Make sure that your headphones are connected to your phone

1. On your Android phone, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
2. Tap Devices your headphones.
3. Under "Status," check for "Connected."
   • If they’re not connected, continue to Step 2.

Step 2: Check if Bluetooth is turned on

1. On your Android phone, from the top of your screen, swipe down.
2. Make sure that your Bluetooth is turned on.
3. Touch and hold Bluetooth .
4. Make sure your headphones are connected, or show as “Active.”

Step 3: Restart your headphones

On your headphones, turn the power button off and then on.

Step 4: Reset your headphones

To factory reset your headphones, refer to your headphone's instruction manual or packaging. After you reset your headphones, you must set up your headphones again.

Google Assistant doesn't respond to “Hey Google”

Important: Not all headphones have Voice Match.

When you turn on “Say ‘Hey Google’” for your headphones, you can use Voice Match to talk to Google Assistant. If your headphones support Voice Match, but your Assistant doesn’t respond when you say "Hey Google," follow these steps.

Step 1: Check if Google Assistant responds to gestures

1. Use a gesture to check if Google Assistant responds.
   • If available, you can touch and hold the Google Assistant button on your headphones.
2. If Google Assistant doesn’t respond to gestures, follow the steps for when Google Assistant isn't responding to gestures.

Step 2: Check if “Say ‘Hey Google'” is turned on for your headphones

1. On your Android phone, say “Hey Google, open Assistant settings.”
2. Tap Devices your headphones.
3. Make sure “Say ‘Hey Google’” is turned on.

Step 3: Check if Voice Match works on your phone

Your headphones and phone share a voice model. If your phone doesn't respond to Voice Match, you can teach Google to recognize your voice again.

1. Disconnect your headphones from your phone.
2. On your phone, say "Hey Google."
3. If Google Assistant doesn't respond, teach Google to recognize your voice again.

You don't get notifications from Google Assistant

Step 1: Check if Google Assistant notifications are turned on

1. On your Android phone, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
2. Tap Devices your headphones Spoken notifications.
3. Make sure "Spoken notifications" is turned on.

Step 2: Check if you’re connected to the internet

You must be connected to the internet to get most notifications.

1. On your Android phone, from the top of your screen, swipe down.
2. Make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Step 3: Check if "Do not disturb" is turned on with Media sounds turned off

If you have "Do not disturb mode" turned on, you can still hear most notifications unless you blocked Media sounds.

1. On your Android phone, open your Settings app .
2. Tap Sound & vibration Do Not Disturb Alarms & other interruptions.
3. Make sure "Media sounds" is turned on.

Manage Google Assistant headphones notifications

On some headphones connected to an Android phone or tablet, Google Assistant can notify you when you have a message, email, or upcoming calendar event. For some messaging or chat apps, Google Assistant can also read new messages.

Hear a notification

1. On your headphones, press the button or touch area to ask Google Assistant to read notifications.
2. Google Assistant will read any notifications you have.

Turn spoken notifications or or off

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings." 
2. Tap Devices.
3. Under "Personal," tap your headphones Spoken notifications.
4. Turn Spoken notifications on or off.
   • Tip: You can also turn off spoken notifications-specific apps.

Turn Do Not Disturb on or off

• If you don't want to hear chimes for new notifications on your phone, turn on Do Not Disturb.
• If you turned off Do Not Disturb and still don’t hear chimes for notifications:
  • Make sure your media volume is turned up.
  • Check if your phone isn’t on silent

Respond to a message

When you get a new message, Google Assistant can let you quickly speak a response that’ll be returned to the sender.

1. After you get a new message, wait until you hear a "blip" sound. To initiate a gesture, Google Assistant will pause for a few seconds.
2. While you hear the “blip” sound:
   • Trigger the gesture that you use to start a conversation with Google Assistant.
   • Speak the reply that you want to send 
3. The message will be read aloud by Google Assistant, followed by a prompt to send it or change it.

How notifications and Google Assistant language settings work

If you have multiple languages set up on your phone and in your settings, Google Assistant reads your notifications in the language in which they’re received. For the best experience, set your primary Assistant language and your phone's system display language to be the same language.

Use gestures to control your Google Assistant on headphones

To talk to your Google Assistant, you can touch and hold your earbud. When you're done, release your earbud.

With gestures, you can:

• Start and stop a conversation with your Google Assistant.
• Answer and end phone calls.
• Play and pause media.
• Hear notifications.

Gestures you can use

Based on the headphones you use, the gestures you can use change. To learn more, refer to your device's instruction manual or packaging, or go to your headphone manufacturer’s support site. You can find their site through Assistant settings:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings." 
2. Tap Devices your headphones.
3. Under "Support," tap Help.

Gestures you can use on 3.5 mm wired headphones

To ask Assistant questions or get info, you can use gestures on your wired headphones.

Talk to your Assistant

Touch and hold the action button until you hear a chime, release, then speak.

Learn how to talk to your assistant

Have your Assistant read your notifications

Touch and hold the action button until you hear 2 chimes, and then release.

Learn how to have your Assistant read your notifications

Related resources

• What you can ask Google Assistant
• Access Google Assistant on your headphones with Voice Match
• Get personal results on headphones