Did you know that your smartphone could be silently listening to everything you say? It’s true! Voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant are always waiting to respond to their wake words – and this means your phone is always listening. But don’t worry – there are ways to take control of what your phone hears. Below, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide for Android, iPhone, and Google Pixel users on how to stop your phone from listening to you.
FAQs
1. How can I stop applications from using my microphone on an iPhone?
To prevent third-party apps from accessing your microphone:
- Go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Privacy’
- Tap ‘Microphone’
- Review the list of apps and deselect those that don’t need the microphone
2. Can I turn off Siri on my iPhone?
If you don’t want Siri to listen to you at all:
- Go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Siri & Search’
- Disable options like ‘Listen for “Hey Siri”‘ and ‘Press Side Button for Siri’
- Finally, when the prompt appears, select ‘Turn Off Siri’
3. How can I prevent Google Assistant from listening on my Google Pixel?
To prevent Google Assistant from listening:
- Go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Apps & Notifications’
- Select ‘Assistant’
- Disable the option for “Google Assistant”
4. How can I ensure that my Android phone is not always listening?
To turn off the “OK Google” feature:
- Go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Google’
- Select ‘Search’ under ‘Services’
- Select ‘Voice’ and disable the option for “OK Google”
Final Thoughts
Your privacy is important, and taking steps to ensure your phone isn’t always listening is a great way to protect it. By following the steps above, you can take back control of what your phone hears – and make sure that your private conversations don’t get intercepted. If you found this guide helpful, please share it with your friends and family!
