How to Use Google Assistant on iPhone

Move over Siri, Google Assistant is here!

 BY KASHIF JAVED

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by Andy Wolber 

Updated May 10, 2019

You can access Google Assistant on your iPhone by saying, “Hey Siri, Hey Google”. Access to Google Assistant on an iPhone can be a handy alternative to Siri, especially when Siri says, “OK. I found something on the web for... “ in response to your query.

Instructions in this article work for iOS 12 and later.

Before we dive in, we'll need to make sure Siri needs is enabled on your phone. (In most cases, Siri is on by default, but if you need to enable it open Settings > Siri & Search > then turn the Listen for “Hey Siri” slider on.)

Install and Setup the Google Assistant App

1. To install the Google Assistant app, open the App Store on your iPhone, tap Search in the lower right, enter “Google Assistant”, tap the blue Search button, then tap “Get” next to the app to install it. You may need to confirm your download with either a double click of the side button or by authenticating with Touch ID.
2. Tap the Google Assistant app to open it. If you’ve signed in to another Google app on your iPhone, you may see the option to continue with that account. If not, sign in to Google Assistant with a Google account.
3. You’ll see a notification that Google Partners work with your Assistant. This allows the Google Assistant app to interact with connected applications. If you agree, choose Continue.
4. Next, you’ll see a request to allow Assistant to send you notifications. You may choose either  Allow or Don’t Allow. Then you’ll also have the option to “Get notified by email” of new “features, apps, offers, and more for you Assistant.” Enable or disable this slider, depending on your email preference.
5. Google Assistant will then request access to the Microphone, so the system can recognize your spoken requests. Choose OK to allow access. (If you select Don’t Allow, you will limit Assistant to responding to typed requests.)
6. You’re now finished with setup of the Google Assistant app!

Assistant will both display and speak a few sample requests. My initial set of requests, for example, included the option to have assistant make a phone call, navigate to a nearby gas station, and set an alarm, among other choices. At this point, Assistant is active and configured on your phone. You can use Assistant by tapping the app to open it, at which point Assistant will start listening.

Tap your Google account icon (in the upper right corner) in the Google Assistant app to configure additional settings. Within the Google Assistant app, you can customize Personal info (e.g., enter your Home or Work addresses), select Assistant options (e.g., select a different Assistant voice), configure Services (e.g., manage a shopping list or specify music services), or add additional Google Home devices.

Add to Siri to Enable “Hey Siri, Hey Google”

Next, you can enable a Siri shortcut phrase that allows you to open the Google Assistant app with a phrase.

There are two ways to add this phrase. One way to add the phrase is to tap the Inbox icon in the lower right corner of the Google Assistant app, then tap the Add to Siri button that displays. This will open a screen that allows you to choose your phrase. Tap the Type Phrase button, then type Hey Google (or, if you prefer, Ok Google), then tap Done.

The other method is to open Settings > Siri & Search > All Shortcuts. This displays all Siri shortcuts available from all of your installed apps. Tap Hey Google, then tap the Type Phrase button, then type either Hey Google or Ok Google, then tap Done.

You’ll see the Siri shortcut you created on a screen along with all of your other active Siri shortcuts.

After you do this, you can say “Hey Siri” followed by the phrase you typed. For example, “Hey Siri, Ok Google” will trigger your Siri shortcut. Siri will display, “OK, requested” on your iPhone screen, and will open the Google Assistant app.

What You Can Ask Google Assistant on iPhone

In Google Assistant, you can either tap the microphone icon to talk to the app or tap the keyboard icon and type your question. When you start the app with a spoken “Hey Siri, Ok Google” command, Assistant will be listening for your request by default.

In the lower left, tap the compass icon to see and search through possible Google Assistant actions. Or, you can simply ask Assistant, “What can Google Assistant do?” for a long list of actions to explore.

Google Assistant also works with any Google Home devices you have configured. From the Assistant app, you can control specific devices, or configure routines to trigger several actions at once with a single command. You can also open other Google apps, such as Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Maps, from within Google Assistant. Of course, you need to have the Gmail, Google Maps, and/or Google Calendar apps installed on your iPhone for this to work. You can ask Assistant to speak the latest news or weather, perform basic calculations, or play music.

Of course, Google Assistant excels at performing Google searches by voice, as you would expect. So sports scores, recipes, nearby restaurants, stores, or any search you might typically type can instead be searched with a spoken request. With an iPhone, you can have access to two of the best voice assistants available: Siri and Google Assistant.