Skip to main content

Google Assistant adds Accessibility settings for ‘mic notification’ on Android

Similar to Smart Displays and speakers, Google is adding Accessibility settings for Assistant on Android. However, the exact functionality remains unclear at the moment.

Heading into Assistant settings (via the Google app) today reveals the addition of an “Accessibility” menu just under “Hey Google” sensitivity. The description says this is to provide “Support for vision, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments.” 

The menu, which is not very readable when the Google app’s dark theme is enabled due to a bug, presents two options. By default, “Mic-open notification” and “Mic-close notification” are enabled. “Availability” is listed as “Android 6.0+ Phones.”

In our brief testing this evening, it’s not quite clear what those options control. They could be analogous to the Smart Display option to “Play start/end sound.”

You’ll hear a sound when your device hears “Ok Google” or “Hey Google.”

You’ll hear a sound when your device is done listening to your request.

The most likely possibility is that they are not yet live as enabling/disabling makes no difference on the new Google Assistant (NGA) or the regular one on non-Pixel devices. Meanwhile, given the Assistant description, Google will presumably add more accessibility settings here in the future.

Other recent additions to the Assistant settings page include “Photos,” “Lock screen,” and “Your apps.”

More about Google Assistant:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications