Can I make a call by voice command on Android?
Android smartphones provide the ability to make phone calls using voice commands. This allows users to quickly call contacts or dial numbers without having to manually open apps or search for contacts. Voice calling on Android utilizes the built-in Google Assistant or other virtual assistants to interpret voice commands and initiate calls.
In this article, we will provide an overview of how to make calls on Android phones using only your voice. We will cover enabling voice commands, launching the Google Assistant, basic voice commands for calling, adding contact names, call confirmation, voice dialing, customization options, and more. With the popularity of virtual assistants like Google Assistant, making calls through voice commands is easier than ever on Android devices.
Enabling Voice Commands
To start using voice commands on an Android device, you first need to enable the feature in your settings. Here are the steps:
Open the Settings app on your Android device. Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility”.
In the Accessibility settings, locate and tap on “Voice Access”. This is the voice command feature built into Android.
Toggle the switch next to “Use Voice Access” to the on position to enable it.
You will get a popup introducing Voice Access and you can tap “Turn On” to confirm enabling it.
Once enabled, you will be able to activate voice commands by saying “Hey Google” or pressing and holding the home button (source: https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6151848?hl=en).
Launching Voice Assistant
There are a few different ways to launch Google Assistant or other voice assistants on Android devices.
To launch Google Assistant, you can say “OK Google” or “Hey Google” from most screens on your Android device. This will activate voice command mode so you can issue a voice command or query. Before using this method, you need to enable voice match and “OK Google” detection in your Google Assistant settings. This allows your device to recognize your voice and activate when it hears the hotwords [1].
You can also manually launch Google Assistant by long-pressing the home button on your Android device if you have a physical home button, or long-pressing on the Google Assistant icon if you have an on-screen home button. This will open the Google Assistant interface so you can start speaking commands.
For other voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Bixby, you would launch them using their respective hotwords or by locating their app icon. The methods vary across different assistants and Android device models.
Overall, the primary hands-free way of launching a voice assistant on Android is by using the designated hotwords when the device is on an active screen. You can also open the voice assistant manually by long-pressing certain buttons. Just make sure you have the voice assistant enabled and set up correctly first.
Basic Voice Commands
You can make calls on Android simply using your voice and the built-in Voice Access feature. After enabling Voice Access, you can initiate commands just by speaking out loud. Some basic commands to make calls include:
“Call Mom” – This will initiate a call to the contact you have saved as “Mom”. Voice Access dials stored contacts by name if you have permissions enabled. According to the Google Voice Access support page, you can also say things like “Call John Smith mobile” to specify which number to dial if a contact has multiple numbers stored.
“Call the office” – If you have a business name saved as a contact, you can initiate a call by saying the name. For example, saying “Call the office” will dial the number saved under “the office” contact.
“Redial” – This handy command will dial the last number you called without having to specify it.
Contact Names
Android phones can recognize names from your contacts when they call you. When you receive a call from a contact who is stored in your phone, Android will announce the caller’s name using text-to-speech rather than just the phone number.
This can be more helpful than phone numbers when identifying incoming calls. Hearing a name announced can let you identify who is calling more easily.
To enable this feature:
- Open the Phone app
- Go to Settings > Caller ID announcement
- Toggle on “Announce caller ID”
Once enabled, Android will read out the contact name for stored contacts when you receive their calls. This uses the text-to-speech engine built into Android.
You can customize it further in the Caller ID announcement settings. For example, you can choose to hear the caller’s name, the name and number, or just the number.
Overall this feature allows using contact names for more convenient voice call identification. By linking numbers to names stored in your contacts, Android can announce calls in a more recognizable way.
Call Confirmation
To avoid accidentally dialing incorrect numbers, Android has call confirmation features that confirm the number before placing the call. Call confirmation apps like Call Confirmation and Call Confirm read out the name and number prior to dialing so you can verify it is correct.
Google Voice also offers built-in call screening that announces the caller name so you can decide whether to answer or reject the call before picking up. This feature must be enabled in the Google Voice settings.
Voice Dialing
The ability to initiate a phone call to a contact using only your voice is a convenient hands-free feature available on Android devices. Most Android devices come with built-in voice assistant capabilities powered by Google to enable voice dialing.
To activate voice dialing, unlock your phone and tap and hold the home button to launch Google Assistant. Then clearly say “Call [name of person or business]” to initiate a call, according to WikiHow. You can also say a specific phone number to dial if the contact is not saved in your contacts list.
By default, Google voice assistant will provide call confirmation by repeating the number or contact name back to you before actually placing the call. However, you can change settings for direct dialing without this confirmation. Go to Settings > Google > Voice > Voice Match and disable “Confirmation before connecting” to remove the confirmation step.
Other Commands
Android voice commands allow you to do more than just make phone calls. For example, you can instruct your device to redial the last number with the voice command “Redial” or “Call back”. To access your voicemail, the command is simply “Voicemail” which will prompt your device to call your voicemail inbox (1). You can also say commands like “Mute call”, “End call”, or “Answer call” to control active calls. For more comprehensive call command options, check your device’s Voice Assistant settings.
Customization
Google Assistant can be customized to your liking by changing the voice, keywords, and more. To personalize the Google Assistant voice, simply say “Hey Google, open Assistant settings” and select “Assistant voice” under “All settings”. Here you can choose from a variety of different voices, including male and female options (source).
Additionally, you can set up Voice Match to have Google Assistant recognize your voice specifically and provide personalized results. Enable this in Assistant settings under “Voice Match”. With Voice Match enabled, you can access your calendar events, playlists, and more just by talking to your phone (source).
Beyond that, you have options to change the “Hey Google” hotword activation phrase to be any keyword or phrase you like. You can also toggle which Google services the Assistant can access to further customize the experience.
Conclusion
Android phones have robust voice command capabilities, allowing you to easily make calls using only your voice. The native voice assistant or third-party apps like Google Voice can dial contacts, businesses, phone numbers, and more through simple voice commands.
To recap, enable voice commands in your phone’s settings, launch your preferred voice assistant, and speak a command like “Call Mom” or “Call 555-1234.” Confirmation messages ensure the correct person or number will be dialed before connecting the call.
You can also customize voice commands and train voice models for accurate dialing. With some practice, voice dialing can become quick and convenient.
For additional information on setting up voice dialing properly and troubleshooting any issues, consult Google’s voice calling support documentation.
