How to Fix a Phone Voice Assistant That Is Not Responding

Published 2026-10-16 · Marion Phone Repair

You say Hey Google or Hey Siri and nothing happens. The voice assistant does not activate, does not hear you, gives an error message, or responds with I did not understand that to every request. The voice assistant worked before and now it ignores you, or it has never worked reliably on this phone. Voice assistant problems are caused by microphone issues, disabled voice activation settings, language or account settings, Do Not Disturb mode, or software bugs.

Check if voice activation is enabled

Google Assistant (Android)

Open the Google app (not Chrome — the Google search app)
Tap your profile picture in the top right, then Settings, then Google Assistant
Tap Hey Google and Voice Match
Make sure Hey Google is toggled On. If it is off, the assistant will not listen for the wake phrase
If it was already on, toggle it Off, wait 5 seconds, toggle it back On. This re-registers the voice model
Retrain your voice model: in the same menu, tap Voice Model, then Retrain Voice Model. Follow the prompts to say Hey Google and OK Google several times. This helps the assistant recognize your specific voice in your current environment

Siri (iPhone)

Settings, Siri (or Siri and Search on older iOS versions)
Make sure Listen for Hey Siri (or just Siri on newer iOS versions) is toggled On
Make sure Press Side Button for Siri is toggled On (or Press Home Button for Siri on iPhones with a Home button)
If these were already on, toggle Hey Siri off and back on. The phone will prompt you to re-train Siri by saying Hey Siri five times. Do this in a quiet environment for best results

Check the microphone

The voice assistant cannot hear you if the microphone is blocked or not working:

Open a voice recording app (Voice Recorder on Android, Voice Memos on iPhone) and record yourself speaking. Play it back. If the recording is silent, very quiet, or extremely distorted, the microphone has a hardware or software problem that affects all voice features, not just the assistant
Check the microphone opening for debris. The primary microphone is usually at the bottom of the phone near the charging port. Clean it with a dry soft-bristled brush or compressed air. Do not insert anything into the microphone hole
Remove the phone case temporarily. Some cases block or muffle the microphone, especially cases with a flap or cover over the bottom of the phone
If you are using Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, the phone may be routing the microphone input through the Bluetooth device instead of the phone's built-in microphone. Disconnect Bluetooth audio and test with the phone's microphone

Check Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb mode can prevent the voice assistant from responding audibly or from activating with the wake phrase, depending on your settings
Check if DND is active: look for the crescent moon icon (iPhone) or the minus-sign-in-a-circle icon (Android) in the status bar
Turn off Do Not Disturb and test the voice assistant again. On some phones, DND prevents Hey Google or Hey Siri from activating even though the phone is listening

Check language settings

The voice assistant's language must match the language you are speaking. If the assistant language is set to English (UK) but you speak with a strong regional accent or use different vocabulary, recognition can fail
Google Assistant: Google app, Settings, Google Assistant, Languages — make sure your primary language is correct. You can add a second language if you speak multiple languages
Siri: Settings, Siri, Language — select the correct language and regional dialect. Siri supports many regional English variants (US, UK, Australian, Indian, etc.) that handle accents differently

Check internet connection

Both Google Assistant and Siri require an internet connection to process most voice commands. Without Wi-Fi or mobile data, the assistant either does not respond or gives a connection error
Test your internet: open a browser and load a web page. If the page does not load, fix your internet connection first
Some basic commands work offline (setting alarms, turning on flashlight) but most queries need internet

Restart the phone

A restart fixes stuck services, clears cached voice models, and resets the assistant process. Power off completely, wait 15 seconds, power back on, and test

Update the app and operating system

Google Assistant

The Google app and Google Assistant are updated through the Play Store. Open the Play Store, search for Google, and update if available
Also check for a system update: Settings, System, Software Update. Google Assistant functionality is partly baked into the Android operating system

Siri

Siri is part of iOS and updates with system updates. Settings, General, Software Update — install any available update. Siri bugs are fixed in iOS patches

Clear Google app data (Android)

Settings, Apps, Google, Storage, Clear Cache. Test. If still not working, Clear Data (or Clear Storage). This resets the Google app to its default state
After clearing data, you need to set up Google Assistant again (open the Google app, sign in, enable Hey Google, retrain voice model)
This fixes problems caused by corrupted cache or settings in the Google app

Reset Siri (iPhone)

Settings, Siri — toggle off Listen for Hey Siri and Press Side Button for Siri
Restart the phone
Go back to Settings, Siri — toggle both back on. The phone will prompt you to retrain Hey Siri
This re-registers Siri from scratch, fixing configuration issues that accumulated over time

Check for app conflicts

Some third-party apps can interfere with voice assistant functionality, especially other voice control apps, accessibility tools, or apps that request microphone access constantly
Android Safe Mode test: Boot into Safe Mode (hold power, long-press Power Off, Safe Mode). In Safe Mode, test Hey Google. If it works in Safe Mode, a third-party app is interfering. Exit Safe Mode and uninstall recent apps until you find the conflict
Check which apps have microphone permission: Settings, Privacy, Microphone (iPhone) or Settings, Privacy, Permission Manager, Microphone (Android). An app that is actively using the microphone can block the voice assistant from hearing the wake phrase

Noise and environment

Background noise (TV, music, multiple people talking, traffic, machinery) can prevent the assistant from hearing the wake phrase or understanding your command. Move to a quieter area and speak clearly
Speaking too quietly or from too far away can prevent activation. The microphone has a limited range — speak at normal volume within arm's length of the phone
Wind noise outdoors can overwhelm the microphone. Cup your hand around the bottom of the phone to shield the microphone from wind

Voice assistant repair in Marion

If your phone voice assistant is not responding and the troubleshooting above did not fix it, Marion Phone Repair can diagnose whether the issue is a microphone hardware problem, a software configuration issue, or an app conflict, and repair the phone to restore full voice assistant functionality.