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How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

Jun 30, 2014 11:54 PM
Jul 16, 2014 04:25 PM
Smartphone displaying the Google search interface.

When the Nexus 5 debuted, one of its coolest features was the fact that you could say "OK Google" any time you were on the home screen to launch a Google Voice Search. This feature was ultimately made available for other devices by way of the Google Now Launcher.

Recently, Google has updated its Google Search functionality to include support for hotword detection on any screen. This feature is slowly rolling out on a per-account basis, and so far, almost nobody has it yet.

Update: July 3, 2012

Before we get into the steps below this update, Redditor xStreame discovered a pretty cool way to force this feature on devices—try this first.

  1. Open Google Now
  2. Search for "OK Google Everywhere" (either with text or voice)
  3. Click any result (though this may be an unnecessary step)
  4. Back out of Google Now
  5. Go to Setting -> Voice
  6. Continue with Step 5 below

No root, no need to download or install anything, just pure Google goodness. Let us know if this worked for you. If not, continue with the guide below.

End Update

But if you're rooted, developer Adam Lawrence has an app that will let you skip this waiting period and get "OK Google" hotword detection on any screen. It even works with the screen off, so long as you're connected to a charger.

Prerequisites

Update Relevant Apps

For this hack to work, you'll need to be running Android KitKat (sorry, no Android L) with the latest versions of the Google Search app and Google Play Services.

These two app updates are also on a staged rollout, so you might not have received the update just yet. If you're not running Play Services 5.0 and Google Search 3.5.14, you can simply sideload the updates. I've got those ready for you to download and install at the links below:

Google Play services update notification on a mobile device.
Update prompt for Google Search application on mobile device.
Google Play services update notification on a mobile device.
Update prompt for Google Search application on mobile device.

Install UnleashTheGoogle

The app that makes this hack possible is Adam Lawrence's UnleashTheGoogle. This one basically unlocks a set of hidden options (referred to as "Dogfood") in your Google Search app that will allow you to force the new always-on hotword detection to come your way.

Start by downloading the installer file which you can find here. When the download is finished, tap the notification to launch the install process.

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

This will bring up the installer prompt, so tap Install on the next screen. When finished, tap Open.

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
App installation confirmation screen for "UnleashTheGoogle" on Android device.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
App installation confirmation screen for "UnleashTheGoogle" on Android device.

UnleashTheGoogle will ask for Superuser permissions, so Grant it those. You'll see a toast message letting you know that the hidden settings were unlocked and Google Search needs to be force-stopped for the changes to take effect.

Superuser access request on Android device.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Superuser access request on Android device.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

Force Stop Google Search

For the new changes to become visible, you'll need to force stop Google Search. From your app drawer, grab the Google app icon and drag it to the top of the screen. Drop it on the App Info icon up top.

Blurred image of a smartphone home screen displaying various app icons, including a Google app icon.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Blurred image of a smartphone home screen displaying various app icons, including a Google app icon.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

From the next screen, tap the Force Stop button and press OK on the subsequent pop-up.

Google App Info screen displaying storage and data usage details.
App info screen with a prompt to force stop an app on an Android device.
Google App Info screen displaying storage and data usage details.
App info screen with a prompt to force stop an app on an Android device.

Modify Google Search Settings

The hidden Google Search settings are available to you at this point. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the Google Search screen and tap the three-dot menu button to access Settings (or with devices with on-screen buttons—like Galaxy devices—just tap the Menu button). In here, select Config Flags.

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu on a smartphone displaying options like Google Now, Phone search, Voice, Accounts & privacy, Notifications, and Internal API Cards.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu on a smartphone displaying options like Google Now, Phone search, Voice, Accounts & privacy, Notifications, and Internal API Cards.

Scroll through this next list of settings until you find one titled e300_voice_everywhere. Toggle this to ON, then two entries below it, toggle the enable e300 option to ON as well.

Settings menu with configuration options for a mobile application.
Settings menu with various configuration options and toggles.
Settings menu with various toggles related to notifications and locale preferences.
Settings menu with configuration options for a mobile application.
Settings menu with various configuration options and toggles.
Settings menu with various toggles related to notifications and locale preferences.

Scroll down a bit more (the entries are in alphabetical order) until you find an option titled speaker_id_supported_locales. Tap it, then in the following box, type en-US (yes, this feature is US English-only at the moment).

Settings menu for speech recognition configuration options.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu for speech recognition configuration options.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

Next, scroll down some more and tap the Save Config Settings button. Finally, back out and tap the Google Search field for your changes to become active.

Settings menu for configuration flags on a mobile device.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu for configuration flags on a mobile device.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

Enable Always-Listening Hotword Detection

Now head back to the Settings for Google Now, select the Voice menu from here.

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu on a mobile device with options for voice search, accounts & privacy, and notifications.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Settings menu on a mobile device with options for voice search, accounts & privacy, and notifications.

Next, tap the OK Google" Detection entry and make sure From Google Search app is ticked. Then tick the box next to From any screen (as well as From lock screen, if you want that functionality).

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Screenshot of the Google Search app settings for voice detection.
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
Screenshot of the Google Search app settings for voice detection.

This will automatically launch an initial setup process designed to train Google Search to recognize your voice. Accept the terms and conditions, then on the next screen, say OK Google three times with your phone at about arm's length.

How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat
How to Enable "OK, Google" Hotword Detection on Any Screen in Android KitKat

You are now ready to trigger a voice search from any screen, inside any app. The hotword detection even works with your screen off, provided your phone is connected to the charger.

This is a killer feature, in my opinion. Not only can I ask Google a question no matter what I'm doing on my device, I've found this is a great way to identify music and TV shows while I'm furiously Candy Crushing. And after having it running on my phone for three days now, I haven't noticed any discernible battery drain.

How's it working for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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