How do I stop my headphones from activating voice control?

What causes headphones to activate voice control?

One of the most common causes of headphones accidentally activating voice control is the voice-activated assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa. These assistants are designed to listen for specific wake words or phrases like “Hey Siri” or “Ok Google” to launch voice control. If your headphones detect noises or words that sound similar, it may accidentally trigger the voice assistant to activate.

This issue is most common with noise-cancelling and wireless Bluetooth headphones. The built-in microphones are designed to pick up your voice, but can sometimes misinterpret other noises as wake words. Additionally, a loose headphone connection or frayed cables could cause the microphone signal to cut in and out, making accidental activation more likely (Source).

Headphone voice control can also be triggered if there is moisture or debris in the headphone jack and microphone ports on your phone. This can create intermittent connections that mimic voice commands and activate the voice assistant (Source).

Check Your Headphone Settings

Many headphones, especially wireless or smart headphones, have options in their settings to enable or disable voice control or voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. Look for a “Voice” or “Assistant” section in your headphone companion app or settings menu. There may be a toggle to turn on or off access to the phone’s voice assistant. For example, on AirPods Pro settings there is a toggle for “Press and hold airpods to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode” which can trigger Siri if enabled.

If you can’t find the setting, consult your headphone manual or the manufacturer’s website for specific instructions. The option may be labeled differently across various headphone models and brands. Disabling voice assistant integration in the app is often the simplest way to prevent headphones from unexpectedly activating voice control.

Turn off access to voice assistants

One of the main causes of headphones activating voice control inadvertently is having access enabled to virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa. These assistants are designed to activate with certain wake words or gestures through headphones microphones and sensors.

To prevent accidental triggering, you’ll need to turn off access to the virtual assistants on your mobile device and in the headphone companion app settings (if available).

For Google Assistant, open the Google app and go to Settings > Account services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice > Disable Bluetooth headset access and Allow Bluetooth recording (see source).

To disable Siri access on iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri” and Press Side Button for Siri. You can also disable Siri access when your headphones are connected under Allow Siri When Locked.

For Alexa, open the Alexa app, go to Settings > Alexa Preferences > Hands-Free Alexa and disable access. Check your headphone companion app for additional Alexa settings to turn off.

Disabling voice assistant access prevents your headphones from accidentally activating voice control. Just be aware you’ll need to manually launch assistants after disabling access.

Update your headphone firmware

One potential cause of headphones activating voice control unexpectedly is outdated firmware. Headphone manufacturers periodically release firmware updates that add new features and fix bugs. Installing the latest firmware can resolve unexpected voice activation issues.

To update your headphone firmware, first check the manufacturer’s website or mobile app for any available updates. For example, Sony provides firmware updates for their WH-1000XM series headphones through the Sony Headphones Connect app or their support website (Firmware Update to Version 4.5.2). Turtle Beach also offers firmware updates for their gaming headsets via the Turtle Beach Audio Hub desktop app (Stealth 600 Gen 2 Xbox – Turtle Beach Audio Hub (Update Firmware And Customize Controls)).

Once you’ve downloaded the latest firmware, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install it on your headphones via a computer or mobile app. This will update the headset’s software and could resolve any bugs causing unintended voice activation.

Adjust the on-ear sensors

Many headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4 have built-in sensors that detect when the headphones are on your ears. These on-ear detection sensors allow features like auto-pause when you remove the headphones.

Sometimes the positioning or tightness of the headphones on your ears can affect the on-ear sensor detection. Try adjusting the fit and placement of the ear cups over your ears. Make sure there is a good seal and the cups sit securely on your ears without being too tight.

You may also be able to configure the sensitivity of the on-ear detection sensors through your headphone’s companion app, like the Sony Headphones Connect app for the WH-1000XM4 model.

Adjusting the fit and position can help improve the on-ear sensor detection so that removing the headphones properly triggers pause, instead of sporadically activating voice controls.

Use a mute button or switch

One of the easiest ways to prevent your headphones from activating voice control is to use a manual mute button or switch. Many headphone models, especially those designed for office use, include a dedicated mute button. Pressing this will turn off the microphone and stop it from picking up voice commands. This effectively disables the voice assistant connectivity without having to fiddle with software settings (1).

For example, the Plantronics Voyager 5200 Bluetooth headset has a mute button located on the boom mic arm. Sliding this button to the mute position will cut off the mic input and prevent voice activation (2). Other headsets like the Poly Voyager 4310 UC model have a mute button right on the earcup. Using the manual mute is often faster and more convenient than having to dig into menus.

Look for a headphone model that advertises a dedicated mute button or switch if you frequently want to disable voice control activation. This gives you manual control without having to remove the headphones or disconnect Bluetooth each time. Just toggle the mute button on when you need to block voice input and turn it off when you want voice commands enabled.

(1) https://www.bestbuy.com/site/shop/headset-with-mute-button

(2) https://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-Voyager-5200-Wireless-Headset/dp/B01MDRTT8V

Disable ‘Hey Siri’ and ‘Ok Google’

One of the most common triggers for headphones activating voice control is the wake words “Hey Siri” on iPhones and “Ok Google” on Android devices. To prevent your headphones from activating when you say these phrases, you can turn off access to the voice assistants.

On an iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off “Listen for ‘Hey Siri.'” You can also disable “Press Side Button for Siri” if you don’t want activating Siri by holding down the side/power button (1).

For Android devices, open the Google app, go to Settings > Voice > Voice Match and turn off “Hey Google” detection. You can also go to Settings > Google > Account Services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice and toggle off “Voice Match” and “Hey Google” detection (2).

Disabling the wake words prevents your voice assistant from activating and listening for commands. This stops the audio from reaching your headphones and triggering unwanted voice control activation.

Clear Bluetooth Pairings

Another potential solution is to clear your headphone’s Bluetooth pairings and re-pair them to your device. Over time, connectivity issues between Bluetooth devices can arise, leading to unintended behaviors like random voice control activation.

To clear your headphone’s paired devices list:

1. Open the Bluetooth settings on your phone or tablet.
2. Find your headphones in the list of paired devices.
3. Tap the “Settings” or “i” icon next to them.
4. Select “Forget This Device” or “Unpair.”

This will remove the headphones from your device’s remembered Bluetooth pairings. Now try pairing your headphones to your device again from scratch. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to put the headphones in pairing mode, then connect to them from your phone or tablet’s Bluetooth settings like a new device.

Re-establishing the Bluetooth connection this way can often resolve buggy behavior like headphones activating voice assistants when you don’t want them to. Make sure to disable “Automatically Connect” if that option is available during pairing, so your headphones don’t automatically reconnect until you want them to.

Did you know that the audio source device can also affect whether your headphones activate voice control? The headphone jack, Bluetooth signal, and overall audio quality of your smartphone, computer, or audio player impacts what the headphones pick up. Here’s what to try:

Try a different audio source

Test if the inadvertent voice control activation issue persists when you use your headphones with different devices. Does it still happen if you switch from your smartphone to your laptop or tablet? Changing the audio source can isolate whether the problem is with the headphones themselves or related to the original device. As noted in this Reddit thread, the audio source significantly impacts sound quality heard through headphones. Connect your headphones to devices with cleaner audio output and a stronger Bluetooth connection to potentially stop faulty voice activations.

Replace or repair your headphones

If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and your headphones keep activating voice control, the issue may be caused by a hardware problem with your headphones. Defective wiring, a faulty mic, or a problem with the on-ear sensors can cause headphones to randomly trigger voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant.

According to discussions on Apple forums and other support sites, replacing faulty headphones is one of the most effective solutions for microphone or sensor issues causing unwanted voice control activation [1]. If your headphones are still under warranty, contact the manufacturer about a replacement set. For older headphones, you may need to purchase a new pair.

Before replacing your headphones, inspect them carefully for any obvious damage to the wiring or earbuds. If you find something like exposed copper near the 3.5mm plug, try repairing the cable first. Otherwise, a full headphone replacement is recommended to permanently resolve microphone or sensor defects triggering voice control.

Purchasing high-quality headphones from reputable brands can help avoid recurring issues with sensors and microphone malfunctions. However, even new headphones can sometimes have manufacturing defects, so be sure to test voice control triggering thoroughly right after purchase in case you need to exchange them.