Change OK Google: How to Switch the Wake Phrase

You cannot change the “OK Google” wake phrase itself on most devices, but you can change which Google Assistant voice responds, adjust the sensitivity, or switch to “Hey Google” as an alternative. This article explains what you can and cannot customize, how to adjust the settings on Android phones, iPhones, and smart speakers, and what to do when the wake phrase stops working.

Why You Can’t Change “OK Google�

Google has never offered a way to replace the wake phrase with a custom word or name. The Assistant is trained to recognize two specific phrases: “OK Google� and “Hey Google.� These are processed on-device by a small model that listens for the exact sound pattern of those words. Because the recognition is baked into the firmware and the always-on listening chip, there is no user-facing setting to change it. You can, however, change the Assistant’s voice, language, and some listening behaviors.

What You Can Change: Voice, Language, and Sensitivity

While the phrase is fixed, you have several related options:

• Assistant voice: Choose from 10+ voices (on phones) or 2 voices (on speakers) in the Assistant settings. The voice affects how responses sound, not the wake phrase.
• Language: Set the Assistant to a different language (e.g., Spanish, French, Hindi). The wake phrase changes to that language’s equivalent, like “OK Googleâ€� in Spanish is “OK Googleâ€� (same), but in French it’s “OK Googleâ€� (same) — actually, in many languages it stays “OK Googleâ€� or “Hey Google.â€� In Japanese it’s “OK Googleâ€� too. So the phrase is mostly the same across languages, but pronunciation differs.
• Voice Match: Train the Assistant to recognize only your voice. This prevents others from triggering it, and can reduce false activations.
• Sensitivity (on some Android phones): In the Google app settings, you can adjust “Hey Googleâ€� sensitivity to Low, Medium, or High. This affects how easily the phrase is detected, not the phrase itself.

How to Change the Assistant Voice (Step-by-Step)

Changing the voice is the most common request. Here’s how on a phone:

1. Open the Google app (or say “OK Google, open Assistant settings�).
2. Tap your profile picture (top right) → “Settings� → “Google Assistant�.
3. Under “All settings,� tap “Assistant voice�.
4. Preview each voice by tapping the play icon, then select one and tap “OK�.

On a smart speaker or display: Open the Google Home app → tap your device → Settings (gear icon) → “Assistant voice� → choose a voice (Orange, Red, Green, etc.).

How to Change the Wake Phrase on a Smart Speaker

On Google Nest speakers and displays, you cannot change the phrase, but you can change the language. To do that:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Tap your device → Settings (gear) → “Assistant language�.
3. Choose a new language (e.g., French). The wake phrase becomes “OK Google� but pronounced in that language’s phonetics (in French it’s still “OK Google� but with a French accent).

Note: Changing the language will also change the Assistant’s responses to that language. If you want to keep responses in English, you can add a second language (e.g., English and French) and the Assistant will respond in whichever you speak.

Common Problems and Fixes

If “OK Google� isn’t working, try these fixes in order:

• Check if Voice Match is on: On Android, go to Google app → Settings → Google Assistant → “Hey Google & Voice Matchâ€� → toggle on “Hey Googleâ€�. On iPhone, you must have the Google app open or use the Assistant widget.
• Retrain your voice model: In the same menu, tap “Retrain voice modelâ€� and repeat the phrases. This often fixes recognition issues after a change in your voice (e.g., cold, accent).
• Check if the mic is blocked: On phones, ensure the Google app has microphone permission. On speakers, make sure the mic switch (if present) is not off.
• Restart the device: A simple reboot clears temporary glitches.
• Update the Google app: Outdated versions can have bugs. Update via Play Store or App Store.

Alternatives to “OK Google�

If you want a different wake phrase, you have a few options:

• Use a different assistant: Amazon Alexa (custom wake words like “Echoâ€� or “Computerâ€� on newer devices), Apple Siri (only “Hey Siriâ€�), or Microsoft Cortana (discontinued).
• Use a physical button: On Android phones, you can squeeze the sides (Pixel) or use the search bar widget to activate the Assistant without voice.
• Use a custom shortcut: On Android, create a home screen shortcut that opens the Assistant with a tap. This doesn’t use voice.
• On a PC: You can type to the Assistant in the Google search bar, but there’s no wake phrase.

Privacy and Security Considerations

Wake phrases are designed to be short and unique to reduce false triggers. Google stores your voice recordings when you use the Assistant, unless you delete them. You can review and delete recordings at myactivity.google.com. Voice Match adds a layer of security: if enabled, only your voice can unlock personal results (like calendar and messages). However, it’s not a strong biometric lock—someone with a similar voice or a recording could trigger it. For sensitive actions (e.g., purchases), you can require a PIN or fingerprint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change “OK Google� to something else?

No. Google does not allow custom wake phrases. The only built-in alternatives are “Hey Google� and, in some languages, the localized equivalent. If you want a custom phrase, you need a different assistant like Alexa (which supports “Echo� or “Computer� on some devices) or a third-party app that uses custom wake words (but those are not official Google Assistant).

Why does my phone respond to “Hey Google� but not “OK Google�?

Both should work if Voice Match is on. If only one works, the other may be mispronounced or the voice model needs retraining. Go to Voice Match settings and retrain, or toggle the “Hey Google� switch off and on.

Can I change the Google Assistant voice to a celebrity?

No. Google offers a set of pre-recorded voices (e.g., “Red�, “Orange�, “Green� on speakers, and 10+ on phones). There is no option to use a celebrity voice, and no user-uploaded voice packs.

Does changing the language change the wake phrase?

In most languages, the wake phrase remains “OK Google� or “Hey Google� (transliterated). For example, in Spanish it’s “OK Google�, in French it’s “OK Google� (pronounced with a French accent), and in Hindi it’s “OK Google� too. Some languages have a localized version, like “OK Google� in Japanese is “OK Google� (same). So effectively, the phrase is the same across languages.

Why does my Google Home respond to the TV saying “OK Google�?

That’s a false trigger. To reduce them, lower the sensitivity (on Android phones) or move the speaker away from the TV. On speakers, you can also enable Voice Match so it only responds to your voice, but that doesn’t stop all false triggers.

Can I turn off the wake phrase entirely?

Yes. On Android, go to Google app → Settings → Google Assistant → “Hey Google & Voice Match� and toggle off “Hey Google�. On iPhone, remove the Assistant widget or disable Siri integration. On smart speakers, you can mute the microphone (if available) or disable Voice Match, but the speaker will still listen for the phrase unless you turn off the mic.

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