Develop Bugs

How to voice dial without surrendering privacy?

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.

Ok Google not working on Wear 2.0

I have an issue, Ok Google keyword is activated in the options of wear 2.0 but the keyword does nothing. if i long press the button the assistant come in but the keyword don't work. Is there a workaround? Am i the only one with this issue?

On my watch it works well.

Settings-presonalization-ok google.
Mike

sp5it said:
Settings-presonalization-ok google.
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already activated but no effect, trying factory reset

Ok, just pinpointed the issue, "ok google" works only if the language is set to english, don't work in french...

Problem was here too. I do reset/wipe my watch and now all work. And now battery is better. Yesterday in 12 hours 80%, today after reset in 6 hours 10%

Working now after 3 factory reset and changing language to english and to french thereafter.

Same problem after the OTA : Ok google doesn't work ! long press the button works fine !
After factory reset all works perfectly !

I have the same problem. I also noticed that instead of using assistant on push held it defaults to google search. That's why the keywords aren't working. I have factory reset my watch at least four times and the problem comes back after a couple of days. I am in English US and have switched it back and forth just for kicks. Has anyone had any luck?
edit: I also noticed my Talkback services are buggy and don't provide and example when I tap on the icon under the settings

joeanca said:
I have the same problem. I also noticed that instead of using assistant on push held it defaults to google search. That's why the keywords aren't working. I have factory reset my watch at least four times and the problem comes back after a couple of days. I am in English US and have switched it back and forth just for kicks. Has anyone had any luck?
edit: I also noticed my Talkback services are buggy and don't provide and example when I tap on the icon under the settings
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello everybody,
As i've said it in my post above, a factory reset has resolved the problem and now Ok Google works perfectly !

BillalS3 said:
Hello everybody,
As i've said it in my post above, a factory reset has resolved the problem and now Ok Google works perfectly !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you actually take the time to read my post? I mentioned I have done that several times and the problem keeps coming back.

Hello joeanca
Yes I've taken time to read your post, and I don't understand why a factory reset don't resolve your problem. Because, for myself it resolves it.
Perhaps somebody else could have a new idea to help you

I have the same issue. Factory reset only fixes the issue for a few hours then it happens again (I think once they lose the connection between them (for example because of distance) and reconnect again. Factory reset also enables wi-fi again. The issue is that if the watch is connected only through Bluetooth with wi-fi closed, google assistant and play don't work , if you go in watch settings it says disconnected in Bluetooth but no "cloud" icon pops up at the screen and on phone Bluetooth settings it says connected furthermore the watch works perfectly like receiving notifications changes song track etc. Oh also the silence phone setting from android wear app doesn't work

I just had this problem and resolved it by dumb luck.
I originally synced two Google Accounts to my watch. After updating apps on the watch, OK Google detection hasn't worked.
I found that my default account in Google Assistant on my phone had changed from my primary account. I removed all but my primary account from the watch, and selected my primary account in Google Assistant. OK Google now works again on the watch.

Darkmage40 said:
[..]if you go in watch settings it says disconnected in Bluetooth but no "cloud" icon pops up at the screen and on phone Bluetooth settings it says connected furthermore the watch works perfectly like receiving notifications changes song track etc.[..]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This exactly my problem. The phone says it is connected and the watch works, but the Assistant only says it is offline and cannot understand me. That drives me crazy. I have only one account synced. This Thread is the only thread so far that has my exact problem in it. I know it is a little older, but is there anyone with an idea?
thx and regards

My issue is the Ok Google gets locked into a loop. Whatever the first command I speak to it after Ok Google.. it just loops. Be it What is the time, what day is, send a message, etc. it keeps looping on that command. only seems to affect my Huawei watch 2 classic. phone doesn't have the same issue. have rebooted watch. If i swipe the google assistant away and execute another command, it loops on that one. I have both Facer and Watchmaker watchface apps installed. an issue like this should not have been present in a beta stage so I have to wonder.. what could I have on my watch causing this?
--edit--
Well... it seems Wear 2.0 does NOT like more than one account on a watch. I had three accounts hooked to the watch. My phone's private account. My professional email account, and a purchases account. 3 accounts. Seems that just wasn't how it wanted to work things. As soon as I cut out the pro and purch accounts it starts acting right. I have one account that my android devices get to access for uniformity of data but nothing else gets to use it. I have several emails for various purposes.
So if you have more than one account, as others have found.. remove them down to a single account. Things will probably start working right.

And its back to looping. basically.. if I say Ok Google, then wait for the ready prompt and give it a command "Set an alarm" it will process that command, ask when I want the alarm for, but feed itself the "Set an Alarm" command, ask when, feed command back to itself, ask when... on and on.

Had the same problem. Deleting cache and data of Google app on the watch worked for me. OK google finally works, but I cannot send WhatsApp messages via ok Google, what worked a few days ago with manually starting google by press and hold the upper button.
With Google even talking back works now

i solved the ok googlo hotword problem by deleting chache and data of google app on my huawei watch 2 and it started working again

Ok Google and Hey Google...

I got a couple home minis coming and want to set them up to work with hey Google while my phone (Pixel 2 XL) responds to ok Google. I read somewhere someone describing doing this but can't recall where or how.
Problem us, my phone assistant doesn't seem to have a way to disable hey Google. If I delete and retrain the voice model it asks for three ok Google and then one hey Google no matter what.
Anyone know where/how I can get the phone assistant to ignore hey Google so I don't activate my phone and home minis at the same time?

I'd like to know this, too.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Try uninstalling the Google app updates. Then retrain. It only asks for OK Google until you install the Google updates. Not sure if you are forced to retrain with hey Google after updating again.

Yeah that's kind of a weird thing. When I'm going to bed and I want the lights off my device is all turned on and try to fight to turn off the light first. Google needs to work on this

What you can when you train the voice so the okay Google on your phone in your normal voice and hey Google in a high pitched voice you'd never use.
Reverse it for your Google home. So when you do okay Google in your normal voice your phone will activate and when you do hey Google in your normal voice your home will activate.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Your Google home mini will take precedence when saying hey or ok Google near him and the phone, don't worry.

I did this last night.
Phone: use OK Google
mini: use Hey Google
Seems to work and the voice recognition works between myself and the kids.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

SWBgHz said:
I got a couple home minis coming and want to set them up to work with hey Google while my phone (Pixel 2 XL) responds to ok Google. I read somewhere someone describing doing this but can't recall where or how.
Problem us, my phone assistant doesn't seem to have a way to disable hey Google. If I delete and retrain the voice model it asks for three ok Google and then one hey Google no matter what.
Anyone know where/how I can get the phone assistant to ignore hey Google so I don't activate my phone and home minis at the same time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is just script on a screen.
Say whatever you want.
I have a couple of Google Homes. Most of the time my phone and Home could figure out which way i was talking but not everytime.
i blew away the voice training.
I only use "OK Google" on my phone
I only use "Hey Google" with my home.
No issues since.

parakleet said:
It is just script on a screen.
Say whatever you want.
I have a couple of Google Homes. Most of the time my phone and Home could figure out which way i was talking but not everytime.
i blew away the voice training.
I only use "OK Google" on my phone
I only use "Hey Google" with my home.
No issues since.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the same and only ever said ok Google for the training but it responds if I say hey Google nonetheless.

GA voice match doesnt work

https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/924672?hl=en
After V9.3.28 pie updated, I cannot say 'ok google' to launch google assistant.
Although google assistant commands work,
Just voice match grey out and yes you still can press and been told you enable voice match.
But voice match option still grey after all.
Because I do a lot of thing to set up my phone, just want to figure it out only my problem or you guys meet the same thing.

dfight said:
https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/924672?hl=en
After V9.3.28 pie updated, I cannot say 'ok google' to launch google assistant.
Although google assistant commands work,
Just voice match grey out and yes you still can press and been told you enable voice match.
But voice match option still grey after all.
Because I do a lot of thing to set up my phone, just want to figure it out only my problem or you guys meet the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have met this issue also!
Only real solution was to make factory reset and after that everything was working as advertised!

Question Bugs - Voice Dictation & Lock screen Text

Hi all!
I got my RM8P yesterday. I really like the device, but definitely see the software lackings that everyone has mentioned.
My current bugs:
1. I copied my data from my Pixel 6 Pro to the RMP8. It also copied the lock screen text I had "My Google Pixel 6 Pro, *****es". So when I go into personalized setting to try to change this text, it won't let me. When I click the option, it just goes back to the Settings menu.
2. More importantly, my voice dictation/voice to text functionality is now broken. It was fine until this afternoon when I updated a bunch of apps in Play Store. Now, no voice dictation is working for any app. I've tried every possible app and rebooting. The OK Google still works so it's "hearing" my voice in general.
Any feedback?
Thanks!
EDIT: I figured out that enabling Google Assistant (Hey Google) broke the voice dictation. Strange that it breaks it.

darbylonia said:
Hi all!
I got my RM8P yesterday. I really like the device, but definitely see the software lackings that everyone has mentioned.
My current bugs:
1. I copied my data from my Pixel 6 Pro to the RMP8. It also copied the lock screen text I had "My Google Pixel 6 Pro, *****es". So when I go into personalized setting to try to change this text, it won't let me. When I click the option, it just goes back to the Settings menu.
2. More importantly, my voice dictation/voice to text functionality is now broken. It was fine until this afternoon when I updated a bunch of apps in Play Store. Now, no voice dictation is working for any app. I've tried every possible app and rebooting. The OK Google still works so it's "hearing" my voice in general.
Any feedback?
Thanks!
EDIT: I figured out that enabling Google Assistant (Hey Google) broke the voice dictation. Strange that it breaks it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was about to tell you that disabling hey google fixed the dictation thing. The first os layer is funny af, it does that and doesn't carry the swipe between apps gesture. And a bunch of things, I worked the hey google with the swipe from a corner gesture tbh I don't use Google assistant that much but still it was a thing

Alextakatu said:
I was about to tell you that disabling hey google fixed the dictation thing. The first os layer is funny af, it does that and doesn't carry the swipe between apps gesture. And a bunch of things, I worked the hey google with the swipe from a corner gesture tbh I don't use Google assistant that much but still it was a thing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use hey Google assistant too often, but I do use it occasionally. It's just strange that I have to choose between enabling that functionality and enabling voice dictation. I guess I'll choose the voice dictation and give up Google assistant or enable it when I feel I need to use it at times. I'm not sure it's a Red Magic thing as it may be a broader Android thing.

darbylonia said:
I don't use hey Google assistant too often, but I do use it occasionally. It's just strange that I have to choose between enabling that functionality and enabling voice dictation. I guess I'll choose the voice dictation and give up Google assistant or enable it when I feel I need to use it at times. I'm not sure it's a Red Magic thing as it may be a broader Android thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure it's only a redmagic thing. Their support has been largely useless when I attempted to alert them to this issue.

darbylonia said:
Hi all!
I got my RM8P yesterday. I really like the device, but definitely see the software lackings that everyone has mentioned.
My current bugs:
1. I copied my data from my Pixel 6 Pro to the RMP8. It also copied the lock screen text I had "My Google Pixel 6 Pro, *****es". So when I go into personalized setting to try to change this text, it won't let me. When I click the option, it just goes back to the Settings menu.
2. More importantly, my voice dictation/voice to text functionality is now broken. It was fine until this afternoon when I updated a bunch of apps in Play Store. Now, no voice dictation is working for any app. I've tried every possible app and rebooting. The OK Google still works so it's "hearing" my voice in general.
Any feedback?
Thanks!
EDIT: I figured out that enabling Google Assistant (Hey Google) broke the voice dictation. Strange that it breaks it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, I have Alexa installed as the main assistant, if you select it as the default transcription program, it already works for you to transcribe messages. The failure after several tests I have realized that when you select Google as an assistant it stops working, the mobile does not listen to you. I have already opened several incidents on the Magic network page but they only tell me that I formatted the mobile.