Google Assistant is a virtual personal assistant released by Google in 2016 to compete with Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa. Initially, it was only available for Pixel phones. Now, this feature is rolled out to other smartphones with Android 6.0 or higher versions, Android wear and even iPhones with iOS 9.1 or higher.
Check out all the useful Google Assistant voice commands you need to know before using it.
1) Communication
Make Calls
Now you don’t have to open your contact list and search for a specific name in order to make a call to that particular person. Google Assistant reduces your task with these simple commands. Giving commands such as “Call Mom” or “Make a video call” will automatically dial that number and put you on the phone.
Send SMS
Not only calls, the process of texting a person is also simplified by Google Assistant. Just say “Text [recepients name] [the text you want to send]” to send a text to a specific person. For example, Text Meghna “See you at 4.”
Don’t miss Emails
You can even send and check the emails that you have missed with Google Assistant. With the command “Did I miss any emails?” it will gather all the emails from the email applications that are unopened and provide them to you. The command can be even specific about a particular day of emails.
Post to Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp
You can send messages and even post to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp. For example, when you give a command “Send a WhatsApp message to Alex”, Google Assistant will open Whatsapp chat with Alex or when you say “Ok Google, tweet I am awesome”, then it posts that particular tweet.
2) Get the local information
Navigation
Get directions to the nearby restaurant or gas station with Google Assistant. Open Google Maps and say “Ok Google, How do I get to [name of the place] or show me a map of [name of place]”. And when you are in navigation mode you can give more commands such as “what road is this?” or “avoid highways”.
Know Restaurants nearby
Grab a bite at the nearby restaurants whenever you are hungry. Google Assistant gives you information of the nearby hotels or restaurants when you give the command “Find pizza restaurants nearby”.
Get Weather details
Know the weather conditions before you step out of your house by asking Google Assistant “What’s the weather today?” or “What’s the weather like?” or “How’s the weather in Seattle?”
Know the Business hours
Know the business hours of a restaurant or shopping mall or any other place before starting by asking “Is [the place you want to visit] still open?”
3) Plan your day
Set an Alarm
Now plan your day with Google Assistant from setting an alarm to making reservations at a particular place. With the command “wake me up at 5 a.m” sets the alarm automatically.
Get Traffic Details
Know the traffic before leaving for work and change your route with Google Assistant. Ask “How’s the traffic to work?” to know the traffic details.
Set Reminders
As humans, we tend to forget things. Google Assistant reminds you the things you ask it to remember. Be it your keys, location of important files or even reminding laundry. For example, give a command “Remind me to do laundry when I get home” or “Remember the keys are on the desk” or “Remind me to call Mom every Sunday”
Make Reservations
ake a reservation at a hotel or salon to avoid waiting with Google Assistant. Say “Make a reservation for four at [place of your choice] next week.”
Know the Flight details
Know if there is any delay in your flight before starting with the command “Is [flight name] on time?”
4) Open Media and Photos
Play Music/Recite poem
Google Assistant can also entertain you by singing a song when you give commands such as “Ok Google, sing a song” or “Ok Google, beatbox”, or “Ok Google, Can you rap?”
For a specific kind of music give the command “Play some Jazz music” or change your song with “Next song”.
Not only music, whenever you feel like listening to poetry, just ask Google Assistant “recite a poem” and then indulge in the classic poems.
Open Photos
If you use Google Photos, you can open photos of a particular month or date or place in photos with Google Assistant voice commands such as “Show me pictures of my birthday.”
Watch a specific video on YouTube
You don’t have to open and search for a video on Youtube. Google Assistant makes it easy with a single command. For example, commands such as “Watch Annabelle 2 trailer” or “Watch a cute cat video on YouTube” plays those particular videos.
5) Google makes your tasks easy
Translate any language
Communicate with people in their native language with Google Assistant’s translation feature. For example, ask “How do I say Goodbye in French?” it will give you immediate results.
Plan a Vacation
Planning a vacation? Don’t have a clue idea which place to pick? Ask Google to give vacation ideas. For example, ask Google Assistant “Give some best summer vacation ideas?”
Dictionary
Know the unknown words meaning. For example, ask “What does intimidate mean?”
Calculator
Do calculations faster with Google Assistant. For example, ask “What’s 297/76?” to get the solution.
6) Useful phone commands
Toggle the settings
Control your phone with just voice commands. Toggle the settings such as “Turn on WiFi” or “Turn on the flashlight” or “Turn on Bluetooth” or “Decrease the volume”
Create a Shopping List
We tend to forget the things we need to buy while shopping. We need to maintain a checklist of things before hitting the Shopping mall. Google Assistant helps in creating a shopping list. All you have to do is give a command “Add items to shopping list”
7) Smart Home Commands
Control Lights and temperature
Control the brightness of the lights of your home and even the temperature of the AC with commands such as “Dim the living room lights” or “Set the heat to 27 degrees”
8) Entertainment
Make a conversation
Get to know your Google Assistant better by starting a conversation with it. Ask anything such as “Do you sleep?” or “Do you watch movies?” or any random question.
Check your General Knowledge
Whenever you are bored and feel like testing your IQ, ask Google Assistant to quiz you such as “Give me a trivia question.”
Entertainment
Google Assistant can be quiet an entertainer. Whenever you are feeling low or bored, you can count on Google Assistant to cheer you up. Ask it to tell a joke or something interesting. You can even play games with it such as Tic-tac-toe or solitaire and etc.
Call me My Lord
Be the king/Queen in your own world with Google Assistant. Tell Google Assistant to address you with a nickname of your preference such as MyLord or My Queen. Give the command “Call me My Lord” and from then it addresses you by My Lord. For example, “Goodnight My Lord.”
Do you find Google Assistant useful than Siri, Alexa or Cortana? Share your views in the comments below!
