Google Assistant has been around since 2016, so you’ve no doubt picked up many of the tricks Google’s voice-activated helper is capable of, from setting alarms and timers to performing calculations and looking up definitions. But the number of skills available to the Google Assistant is constantly growing, and there are some that you may not have encountered so far.
As always, you must post a “Hey Google” or “OK Google” for each of these commands. Now let’s dive in.
1. Take screenshots
With a simple “take a screenshot” you can immediately take a screenshot of your Android device, although you cannot use it yet on the other devices that are compatible with Google Assistant.
2. Play podcasts
Just like any other company out there, Google is enthusiastic about podcastsYYou can say “play the latest episode of …” followed by the podcast name to start listening.
G / O Media can receive a commission
Dig into your photos
With Google Photos open on a Pixel phone, you can tell the Google Assistant to show ‘me pictures from …’ a place and then follow it with ‘the one on …’ and a particular landmark. The example Google gives is “show me New York photos” and then “the ones in Central Park” so you can customize the assignments for your own travel and image collection.
4. Track your exercise
Wear OS may not be the most popular smartwatch platform in the world, but it does offer tight Google Assistant integration. You can use commands such as “track my run” and “start a bike ride” to record your workout without touching your watch.
Watch some TV
You can tell Google Assistant to show certain movies, shows, or types of video on Netflix or YouTube. Just say “play …” then what you want to watch and on which app. This works with Android TVs and Chromecasts, as well as Android phones and tablets.
Find your phone
It works with smart speakers and smart displays with Google Assistant on board. Say “find my phone” and your phone will ring even when silent, as long as it’s an Android phone signed into the same Google account as your speaker or display.
7. Manage your apps
Google Assistant can interact with numerous apps on Android, including Mint, Instagram, Outlook, Discord, and Spotify. YYou can use commands such as “search for candles on Etsy” or “send money in Venmo” to save yourself some taps on the screen. Use the command “show my shortcuts” to see all available based on the apps you have installed.
8. Read articles on the internet
If you are using Google Chrome on Android, you can say “read it” to the Google Assistant while a webpage is open and it will read the text of the page.
9. Take a timed photo
Make sure you get the perfect photo every time on Android phones by saying “take a photo in five seconds ‘or’ take a selfie in 10 seconds, adjust the countdown as needed.
10. Remember where you put things
The long memory of the Google Assistant might be a bit of a privacy nightmare, but it can help you keep track of where everything is. Tell the Assistant to “remember my spare keys are in the filing cabinet” and when you later ask “where are my spare keys?” you will receive the correct answer. You can choose to have the Assistant remember other pieces of information as well, such as what your friend’s favorite cake is or what your locker number is.
11. Hear animal sounds
You may be surprised how much educational content is in Google Assistant for the kids. Try to ask, ‘W.hat does an elephant sound? “for example, or choose another animal (the Assistant can continue to pluck animals if necessary).
12. Winds off slowly
You probably knew that Google Assistant can play music and set timers, but realized you can combine the two, say, when you fall asleep? Just tell the Google Assistant: Stop the music in … ”and choose your time period to start the timer.
13. Broadcast to multiple speakers at the same time
If you have several Google Nest speakers and displays in your home, you can message them all at once. Just say ‘broadcast’ and then your message.
14. Flip a coin or roll a die
A classic Google search engine trick has made its way into the Google Assistant – ask to “flip a coin” or “roll a die,” and the Assistant commits itself, with fun animation on select devices.
15. Create and edit lists
Another way to take advantage of the Google Assistant’s recall power is to let it manage lists. For example, if you have a shopping list, you can say: “Add eggs on my shopping list ‘and then hear everything at the same time with a, ‘W.hat is on my shopping list? “voice command.
16. Delete voice recordings
You can delete the voice recordings that Google Assistant has captured through your Google account page on the internet, but you can also do it through the Assistant itself with commands such as, “DElete the last thing I said to you“Or, “Delete everything I said to you last week.
17. Mute your phone
This one is exclusive to recent Pixel phones, but is useful – you can tell the Google Assistant to ‘turn on Do Not Disturb’ to apply silent mode with the current default settings.