How do I get my Google microphone back on my home screen?

What is the Google Microphone?

The Google microphone is part of the Google app on Android devices. It allows users to perform voice searches and issue voice commands to their phone. The microphone can be activated either by tapping the microphone icon on the home screen or launch screen, or by saying the wake phrase “Okay Google.”

Once activated, the Google app will begin listening through the phone’s microphone to detect voice commands. Users can search for information, get directions, set reminders, control smart home devices, and more using just their voice. The Google assistant will provide vocal responses based on the commands it detects.

The microphone icon serves as a quick shortcut to launch Google’s voice search and voice command features without needing to open the full Google app. Having the icon visible on a home or launch screen makes Google’s voice assistant capabilities easily accessible.

Why the Microphone Goes Missing

There are a few common reasons the microphone icon can disappear from your home screen or keyboard:

Accidental drag and drop removal – It’s easy to accidentally remove the microphone icon if you drag other icons around on your home screen. If you can’t find the microphone icon anywhere on your home screens, it may have been inadvertently removed.

Disabling Google app permissions – The microphone icon relies on permissions being enabled for the Google app. If microphone access was disabled, the icon will disappear. You can check the Google app permissions in your phone’s settings.

Software updates or restore – Sometimes major software updates like Android version upgrades or factory resets can cause customized home screen icons like the microphone to vanish. The icon may need to be re-added manually.

Overall, the microphone icon is usually missing because of accidental removal, software issues, or changes to app permissions. Checking settings and app access is a good starting point for getting the microphone icon back.

Check Google App Permissions

One of the most common reasons the microphone icon disappears from the home screen is that the Google app no longer has permission to access the microphone. To fix this:

1. Open your device’s settings app.
2. Find the Google app in the list of apps. On Android, this is usually under Settings > Apps.
3. Tap on the Google app.
4. Check the app permissions. Look for Microphone access and make sure it is enabled.

If microphone access was disabled, enable it again for the Google app. This will allow the app to access your phone’s microphone and should bring back the microphone icon.¹

Add Microphone Icon to Home Screen

One easy way to get the Google microphone icon back on your home screen is to add it as a widget:

First, long press on an empty area of your home screen. This will bring up the widgets menu.

Next, tap on the “Widgets” option at the top. This will display all available widgets on your device.

Scroll through the list and find the Google app widget. Select the microphone icon version of the Google widget.

This will add the microphone icon back to your home screen. You can now tap on it to activate Google voice search and other Assistant features [1].

If you want to move the icon, simply long press on it and drag it to your preferred spot on the home screen.

Use Voice Search in Google App

One of the easiest ways to access the Google microphone is directly within the Google app. To use voice search here:

– Open the Google app on your Android device.

– Tap the microphone icon in the search bar at the top of the app screen. According to Google’s support page, this will activate voice search.

– Alternatively, you can say “Okay Google” or “Hey Google” out loud to trigger Google’s voice recognition without tapping the mic icon.

Speaking your search query into the Google app is a quick and convenient way to perform voice searches and take advantage of Google’s speech recognition technology. As long as you have the latest version of the Google app installed, the microphone icon should be there in the search bar to tap whenever you want to search hands-free.

Check for Google App Updates

One of the first troubleshooting steps is to check if the Google app needs any updates. The Google app includes key features like the microphone icon and voice search capabilities. Here’s how to check for updates:

Open the Play Store app on your Android device.

At the top right, tap on the profile icon to access your account page.

Select “My Apps & Games” from the menu.

Scroll through the list of installed apps to locate the Google app.

If the Google app has an “Update” button next to it, tap to update it to the latest version.

Updating to the latest version of the Google app may help resolve issues with missing microphone icon and other voice search problems.

You can also enable auto-update for apps in the Play Store settings so your Google app and other apps stay updated automatically.

For more information, visit the Google Play Help Center.

Troubleshooting Tips

If the Google microphone is still missing from your home screen after trying the steps above, here are some additional troubleshooting tips to try:

Restart the device – A simple restart can help clear any glitches and get the microphone working again. Power down your phone completely and then reboot it.

Clear app cache and data – Open your phone’s Settings app, go to Apps > Google > Storage, and tap Clear Cache and Clear Data. This resets the app and often resolves issues.

Uninstall updates or reinstall the app – Go to Play Store > Manage Apps & Devices > See all apps. Tap the Google app and choose Uninstall updates. You can also uninstall the app completely and reinstall a fresh version from the Play Store. This ensures you have the latest version.

If none of these basic troubleshooting steps restore the microphone icon, you may need to contact Google Support or consider switching to a different launcher, as covered in the sections below.

Contact Google Support

If you are still having issues getting the microphone icon back after trying the troubleshooting tips, you may need further assistance from Google Support. You can contact Google Support through the Google Support app or website.

The Google Support Services app allows you to chat or speak directly with a Google Support agent to troubleshoot your issue one-on-one [1]. The app enables screen sharing so you can show your device’s issue directly to the agent.

You can also visit the Google Support website to find contact options for your specific Google product [2]. For the Google app and Google Assistant issues, you will be able to chat with an agent, email support, or find relevant help content.

When contacting Google Support, be prepared to provide details about when the issue started, what troubleshooting steps you’ve tried, your device model, and any error messages. The agent can then provide customized troubleshooting tips or escalate the issue if needed.

Consider Switching Launchers

If you find the default Google launcher limiting, you may want to try switching to a third party launcher for more customization options. Popular launchers like Nova Launcher and Evie Launcher provide extensive home screen customization features and options.

Third party launchers allow you to customize your home screens with various layouts, themes, icon packs, widgets, and other elements. This gives you much more flexibility to personalize the look and feel of your home screen compared to the default Google launcher.

Switching launchers may allow you to add a microphone icon back to your home screen if it went missing. You can drag and drop icons as you like. Some launchers even allow hiding apps from the app drawer and creating customized swipe gestures.

To switch launchers, simply download and install your preferred third party launcher app. Open it and set it as default. You can switch back to the original Google launcher any time. Trying out a new launcher gives you more options to potentially fix a missing microphone icon issue.

Explore Other Voice Assistants

If you want an alternative to the Google Assistant for voice control on your Android device, there are other options to consider:

Try Microsoft Cortana, which offers helpful features like reading emails aloud, scheduling meetings, and setting reminders. Cortana is available as a free download from the Google Play Store.

Consider Apple’s Siri, which is accessible on Android devices through the Siri app. Siri allows you to make calls, send texts, get directions, and more using just your voice.

Amazon Alexa is another option that provides weather updates, news briefings, shopping lists, and other handy voice-activated features. Install the Amazon Alexa app to get started.

These alternative assistants may appeal if you want expanded voice control beyond what the Google Assistant offers. Check their voice command capabilities and digital assistant features to determine if they better suit your needs.