If you want to stop your Android phone from listening to you, there is no single switch that does it. Voice control is spread across several features that each keep a microphone ready for a wake word or a spoken command.
This guide walks through every voice surface on a modern Android phone and shows exactly where to turn each one off. On most phones in 2026 the assistant is Gemini, which is replacing Google Assistant on mobile in a staged rollout, so the wake-word settings increasingly live in the Gemini app rather than the old Assistant menus.
Work through the sections that apply to your device. The menu paths differ slightly between Pixel, Samsung, and other brands, so use the breadcrumbs as a guide and look for the same setting names.
What Voice Control Means on Android
Voice control on Android is a group of separate features, not one setting. The main one is the assistant that responds to a wake phrase such as "Hey Google" and runs in the background listening for it.
Other voice surfaces include voice typing on the keyboard, Voice Access in the accessibility menu, and Bixby on Samsung phones. Each has its own toggle, and each can keep the microphone active in different ways.
Turning off a wake word stops the always-listening behavior for that feature. Apps you open yourself can still use the microphone while you use them, which is why the per-app microphone step at the end matters for full control.
Turn Off Hey Google in the Gemini App
On phones where Gemini is the assistant, the "Hey Google" wake word is controlled inside the Gemini app, not in System settings. The setting sits behind your profile menu, so open the app first.
- 1.Open the Gemini app
- 2.Tap your profile picture or initial in the top corner
- 3.Tap Settings
- 4.Tap Talk to Gemini hands-free
- 5.Turn off the Hey Google switch
With this off, your phone stops listening for the wake word and will not open Gemini by voice. You can still open Gemini manually whenever you want.
If you also do not want Gemini to appear on a locked phone, go back into Settings in the Gemini app and open Gemini on lock screen. Turn off the option to use Gemini without unlocking so it stays inactive until you unlock the device.
Turn Off Hey Google in Google Assistant
If your phone still uses the classic Google Assistant, or you switched back to it, the wake word lives in the Google app instead. The steps below reach it through your account menu in that app.
- 1.Open the Google app
- 2.Tap your profile picture in the top corner
- 3.Tap Settings, then Google Assistant
- 4.Open Hey Google & Voice Match
- 5.Turn off the Hey Google switch on the This device tab
To stop Assistant entirely rather than just the wake word, return to the Google Assistant settings, open General, and turn off the Google Assistant switch. This leaves the rest of your apps untouched while removing the voice assistant.
Settings > Google > All services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Google Assistant
That breadcrumb is a reliable way to reach Assistant settings on many phones if the in-app path looks different on your model. Follow it from the main Settings app rather than from inside Google when the labels do not match.
Remove the Power Button Assistant Shortcut
Pressing and holding the power or side button can launch the assistant instead of showing the power menu. Turning this off stops accidental voice activations from a long press.
On Pixel and most stock Android phones, change the button behavior in System settings. The control sits under the Gestures menu, so head there first.
Settings > System > Gestures > Press & hold power button
- 1.Open Settings and go to System, then Gestures
- 2.Tap Press & hold power button
- 3.Choose Power menu instead of the digital assistant
On Samsung Galaxy phones, the same control is under Advanced features. The relevant menu is Side button, where the long press action is set.
Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press
Set the long press action to Power off menu so the button no longer opens an assistant. If you would rather keep a voice shortcut, choose Digital assistant and pick the assistant you prefer instead.
Turn Off Voice Access in Accessibility
Voice Access is a separate accessibility tool that lets you control the whole phone by speaking, and it is not part of the assistant. If it is on, you can turn it off in the Accessibility menu.
Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access
- 1.Open Settings and tap Accessibility
- 2.Find and tap Voice Access in the list
- 3.Turn off the Use Voice Access switch
On some versions the toggle is labeled as a Voice Access shortcut rather than a single on or off switch. Turning that off stops Voice Access from listening and removes its on-screen controls.
Turn Off Voice Typing on the Keyboard
The microphone key on your keyboard is voice typing, and it stays available unless you disable it. On Gboard you can switch it off from the keyboard settings.
Settings > System > Languages & input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Voice typing
- 1.Open Gboard settings, either from the gear on the keyboard or through the path above
- 2.Tap Voice typing
- 3.Turn off Use voice typing
If the microphone key keeps coming back, restart the phone after changing the setting. When more than one keyboard is installed, check Manage keyboards under the on-screen keyboard menu and disable any other keyboard that adds its own mic button.
Turn Off Bixby on Samsung Phones
Samsung Galaxy phones include Bixby, which has its own wake phrase and side-button behavior. You can disable the voice wake-up so the phone stops listening for it.
Settings > Advanced features > Bixby
Open Bixby settings and turn off Voice wake-up so "Hi Bixby" no longer activates the assistant. If the side button is set to open Bixby, change it under Advanced features and Side button as covered above.
To go further, Samsung lets you leave Bixby entirely from the Bixby menu, which removes its data from the phone. Bixby cannot be uninstalled, but with the wake word off and the button remapped, it stays out of the way.
Revoke Microphone Access Per App
Turning off wake words stops background listening, but any app you have granted microphone access can still record while you use it. The Permission manager is the hard stop for this.
Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Permission manager > Microphone
- 1.Open Settings, go to Security & privacy, then Privacy
- 2.Tap Permission manager, then Microphone
- 3.Review the list of apps and tap any you want to restrict
- 4.Choose Don't allow to block microphone access for that app
To cut the microphone for every app at once, look for the system-wide Microphone access toggle. On many phones it sits under Privacy controls in the same Privacy menu, and Samsung also exposes microphone activity in its Privacy dashboard.
Confirm Voice Control Is Off
After changing these settings, test that nothing responds to your voice. Say the wake phrase for your assistant and confirm the phone stays idle.
Check that the keyboard no longer shows a microphone key. Then try a long press of the power or side button to confirm it opens the power menu rather than an assistant.
If something still reacts, return to the matching section above. The most common reason a feature keeps listening is a second surface that is still on, such as Bixby on a Samsung phone or voice typing on a separate keyboard.
Comparison of Android Voice Features
| Feature | What it does | Where to turn it off |
|---|---|---|
| Hey Google (Gemini) | Wake word that opens the assistant by voice | Gemini app > Settings > Talk to Gemini hands-free |
| Hey Google (Assistant) | Wake word for the classic assistant | Google app > Settings > Google Assistant > Hey Google & Voice Match |
| Power button shortcut | Long press opens the assistant | Settings > System > Gestures, or Side button on Samsung |
| Voice Access | Full phone control by spoken commands | Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access |
| Voice typing | Microphone key for dictation | Gboard > Voice typing > Use voice typing |
| Bixby | Samsung assistant and wake phrase | Settings > Advanced features > Bixby |
| App microphone | Individual apps recording audio | Settings > Permission manager > Microphone |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off the wake word stop my phone from listening?
Turning off "Hey Google" or "Hi Bixby" stops the phone from listening in the background for that wake word. Apps you open can still use the microphone while you use them, so revoking microphone access per app is the way to lock that down.
Will disabling the assistant break anything?
No. Disabling the assistant or its wake word only removes voice features. Your calls, messages, navigation, and apps keep working, and you can still open the assistant manually if you leave it installed.
Why is the assistant Gemini instead of Google Assistant now?
Google is replacing Google Assistant with Gemini on Android phones through 2026, so on many current devices the wake-word setting lives in the Gemini app. If you prefer the classic assistant, you can often select Google Assistant again under your default digital assistant app.
How do I turn voice control back on?
Go back to the same setting and switch it on again. For example, re-enable Hey Google in the Gemini app, or turn Voice Access back on under Accessibility, and the feature returns.
How do I stop the power button from opening the assistant?
Change the long-press action of the power or side button. On Pixel and stock Android, set it to Power menu under System and Gestures, and on Samsung, set the side button long press to the power off menu.
Can I block the microphone for every app at once?
Yes. Many phones have a system-wide microphone access toggle under the Privacy controls in Settings. Turning it off blocks the microphone for all apps until you turn it back on.
First published October 13, 2025. Last updated June 4, 2026.
