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Why Do I Have To Open My Phone To Use Google Assistant?

For some reason whenever I try to use the voice assistant function on the watch I have to open the phone and click on a notification every single time. That doesn't make it very useful. I have the lock screen setting on. Am I missing something?

Top Replies

spicypadthai over 3 years ago in reply to Scott +2

I had the lock screen settings enabled but not "on headphones" in personal results. I enabled it and now calls and texts work. Thanks for the help.
1027419 over 3 years ago +1

I have the exactly same problem here. Voice assistant works like a charm when lock screen is unlocked, but when lock screen is locked or phone screen turned off, I can't do a thing with watch.

The…
Scott over 3 years ago in reply to 1027419 +1

I think Google is messing around and breaking stuff, as usual. Mine worked for a while and now, suddenly, I have to unlock my phone to make a call using Assistant. Kind of makes Assistant useless for me…

All Replies

0 Scott over 3 years ago in reply to Willie

Google Chat? Don't know what they mean by that. Is this the Google Messages app or something else? Or, maybe it's their messaging app with chat features turned on. I keep chat features turned off for other reasons so I've never seen this message.

0 Willie over 3 years ago in reply to Scott

Yeah, I have no clue why it says that. I'm using Google Messages for my texting app. I do have the RCS chat features turned on if that's what you're referring to, but I don't see why that would be an issue.

0 Al P over 3 years ago in reply to Willie

I am also using Google Messages with RCS turned on. Google Assistant does not do well with Texts regardless of the Text app you use. I get why Garmin thought it best to let Google handle voice replies. But it's not very good.

0 Cyburke over 3 years ago

Thanks for the responses and answers in this thread. It helped me get it figured out for my phone as well.

Only thing I'm sad about -- I wish this could be enabled, for the watch, but WITHOUT the "Hey Google" listening all the time on my phone itself. I never use that feature and now my darn phone is responding when I'm trying to say "Hey Google" to smart devices we have in the home!

Is there any way to change the key phrase on my phone to "Hey Phone" (or something) so I'm not triggering it when I'm talking to other devices?

The whole point of the Venu 2 Plus was so my only way to call out Assistant is through the watch. Thanks for any suggestions!

0 Al P over 3 years ago in reply to Cyburke

Hey Cyburke ..You do not have to have Hey Google recognition activated on your phone to use the assistant on the watch. The button on the watch works when it is not activated on the phone.

0 Cyburke over 3 years ago in reply to Al P

Hi, are you sure, because that's not what the responded to solution here in the thread looks like... I've only been able to get it working from the watch if the Hey Google is also set on the phone.

0 Scott over 3 years ago in reply to Cyburke

I have "Hey Google" turned off on my phone and the button on the watch works fine for summoning the Assistant

0 Cyburke over 3 years ago in reply to Scott

Very interesting! Can share what options you do / do not have turned on for your Google Assistant on your phone?

Wheni first setup my new Venu 2 Plus I kept getting the "but first you must unlock your phone" error message. Only after I turned on all the "Hey Google" stuff did it go away and work via my watch.

I'd love for the watch to work and not to require my phone always listening for Hey Google.

0 Scott over 3 years ago in reply to Cyburke

I keep the personal results option on, shown turned off in Willie's screen shot, and I have the voice wake up feature turned off. I'd attach a screen shot but I can't seem to do it from my phone without using a url.

0 Cyburke over 3 years ago in reply to Scott

Thanks for the quick responses! I can confirm that with Personal Results on, I am able to get the Voice Assistant to respond through the watch, with the Voice Wake up features "Hey Google" turned off. I appreciate the help with that.

It works great for "what's the weather in Los Angeles" but when I try to say "send a text message to Stephanie" , for example , its very hard to tell when the device is listening and ready to go and/or how to phrase the command to actually send the message.

Its frustrating this kind of blank interaction with the assistant or even with what the watch is able to hear - there is no feedback... Hopefully Garmin is able to sort this out with a future update.

I miss my old Pebble watch from 2016 (yes, 2016) that I could send a voice translated to text with no issue.