The Google Assistant is a handy tool that’s available across a variety of devices, including those running Chrome OS, but not everyone needs it.
One of the features common to Android devices and Chromebooks is the Google Assistant, and just as users can turn it off on the former, there is also a way to do so on Chrome OS devices. The first Chrome OS device with Google Assistant support was the PixelBook. In 2019, Google released an update for Chrome OS that brought the handy voice assistant to more Chrome OS devices.
In addition to all of the fun and valuable stuff the Google Assistant can do, such as setting reminders and controlling smart home devices, it also helps Chrome OS users be more productive. For instance, users can say, “Hey Google, create a new document/spreadsheet/slide,” and it will open a Google Docs page for the corresponding document type. Users can also call on Google Assistant to check what’s next on their calendar or add a new event.
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The Google Assistant should be available on all Chrome OS devices, but it may have already been disabled if the Chromebook was issued by a school or workplace. To check if the Google Assistant is available on a Chromebook, open the Settings app and scroll down to ‘Search and Assistant.’ There should be a tab that says ‘Google Assistant‘ under that menu. If it is not enabled, but a user wants to use the Google Assistant, just switch the toggle from off to on. If it is enabled, clicking on the toggle will deactivate it.
Deactivation Is As Easy As Flicking A Switch
While turning off the Google Assistant might be what works for some, others may still want to use the Google Assistant but just want to turn off the “Hey Google” wake command. This can be necessary if another device with the Google Assistant is active, such as a phone, smart speaker, or smart display is nearby will carry out the command. Thankfully, Chrome OS provides users with the option to do just that.
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Under the Google Assistant menu, there is a “Hey Google” tab with a drop-down menu in front of it. Click on it and set it to off to turn it off. This will prevent the Google Assistant from coming up when a user says the wake word. Another option is to set it to “Recommended.” Doing this will allow the Chrome OS device to respond to the “Hey Google” wake command only when it is plugged in or charging. Finally, setting the option to ‘On’ will have it respond to the wake command at all times.
