How do you use voice control commands?
Voice control commands allow users to control devices and applications using their voice instead of touch or typing. With voice control, users can launch apps, search the internet, get directions, control smart home devices, dictate messages, and more using natural language voice commands. Voice control technology relies on speech recognition and natural language processing to understand spoken commands and carry out the desired actions.
Voice control capabilities are becoming increasingly common on consumer electronics and smart home devices. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home have made voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant a mainstream way to interact with technology through voice. Voice control is also built into most modern smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even vehicles. The hands-free convenience of voice control makes it popular for tasks like getting driving directions, setting reminders, or playing music.
Activate Voice Control
Voice control allows you to operate your devices hands-free using only your voice. To get started, you first need to enable voice control on your device.
On iPhone and iPad, open the Settings app and go to Accessibility. Select Voice Control, then choose Set Up Voice Control to begin downloading the feature (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210417).
For Android devices, open Settings and tap Accessibility followed by Voice Access. Select Use Voice Access to turn on Google’s voice control system (https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6151848?hl=en).
On Google Home/Nest devices, simply say “Ok Google” or “Hey Google” followed by a command to activate voice control on those smart speakers and displays (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7207759?hl=en).
Basic Commands
With modern voice assistants, some of the most basic and commonly used voice commands allow you to make calls, send texts, open apps, and more using just your voice. For example, you can say commands like:
“Call mom” to call a contact named mom.
“Text John I’m running late” to send a text message.
“Open Spotify” or “Play music” to open a music app.
“What’s the weather today?” to get a weather report.
You can also open system apps and features like “Open settings” or “Take a picture”. The specific phrasing may vary between devices and assistants, but most will understand common requests to call, text, open apps, get information, play media and more.
According to one source, basic voice control commands allow you to “access and select certain menu options and functions” on smart devices (Samsung). So voice controls go beyond just apps and can help navigate system menus and settings as well.
With practice, voice commands become a quick and hands-free way to accomplish common tasks on your devices. The key is learning the specific phrasing your particular assistant understands. But the ability to call, text, get information, and launch apps with your voice is universally useful.
Smart Home Commands
One of the most popular uses for voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri is to control smart home devices hands-free using just your voice. According to the Consumer Technology Association, 60% of US households now own at least one smart home product 1. Whether you want to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, lock your doors, or start the robot vacuum, voice commands make it easy and convenient.
Some examples of common smart home voice commands include:
- “Alexa/Hey Google/Hey Siri, turn on/off the living room lights”
- “Alexa/Hey Google/Hey Siri, set the thermostat to 72 degrees”
- “Alexa/Hey Google/Hey Siri, lock the front door”
- “Alexa/Hey Google/Hey Siri, start vacuuming the kitchen”
With compatible smart home devices and the right setup, you can control nearly every aspect of your home with just your voice. Voice control provides hands-free convenience while also helping enhance home security and energy efficiency. Just speak naturally as you would to another person and let the voice assistant handle the rest.
Media Controls
You can use voice commands to control music, videos, and other media on your device. To play, pause, or skip a song, say something like “Hey Siri, play my music” or “Hey Google, pause.” You can also adjust the volume by saying “Turn volume up/down” or “mute/unmute.”
According to Apple Support, you can say things like “Hey Siri, play [song name]” or “Hey Siri, next track” to control music playback on an iPhone (source). On Android devices, Voice Access commands let you say “Play [song/artist/album/playlist name]” or “Skip track” (source).
For video controls, commands may include “Play next episode”, “Pause video”, “Skip ahead/back 30 seconds”, or controlling playback speed. Tesla vehicles even support media voice commands for music, radio, and more, such as “Play [song name]” or “Tune to [station]” (source).
Internet Searches
One of the most common uses for voice commands is to do web searches hands-free. With Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa, and other voice assistants, you can find information on the internet just by speaking. To do a web search by voice, simply say a command like “Ok Google, search for [query]” or “Alexa, find [query].” The voice assistant will provide search results out loud and on your device screen.
Voice search can be faster and more convenient than typing, especially when your hands are occupied. You can search the web on the go while driving, cooking, or doing other tasks. Voice search also helps those with disabilities or mobility limitations.
According to WordStream, voice searches now account for 20% of mobile searches on Google. As voice technology continues improving, searching by voice is becoming a preferred option for many users (WordStream).
When optimizing for voice search, focus on using natural language and conversational keywords that people would speak. For example, “pizza places nearby” rather than “pizza restaurants close to my location.” Also ensure your site loads quickly, as voice search users expect instant results.
Navigation
One of the most useful voice control features is navigation, especially while driving. With voice commands, you can get directions, find nearby businesses, and more without ever taking your eyes off the road.
To navigate using Google Maps or Apple Maps by voice, say a command like “Navigate to [destination]” or “Get directions to [location].” You can also search for specific business types like “Find nearby restaurants” or “Search for gas stations.”
While navigating, you can use voice commands to zoom in and out of the map, change views, start/stop navigation, and more. For example, say “Zoom in/out” or “Switch to satellite view.” On iOS, you can say “Hey Siri, mute directions” to temporarily quiet navigation guidance.
In-car navigation systems like Uconnect also support voice commands for navigation. You can say the street address, business name, contact name, or navigation command to get turn-by-turn directions.1
Overall, voice navigation makes it easy to keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. The voice assistants accurately understand natural language requests to enter destinations and control maps.
Shopping
One convenient use of voice commands is the ability to shop online hands-free. With voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, you can place orders for products directly through voice commands without needing to type or tap anything on your phone or other device.
To shop using Alexa, you can say commands like “Alexa, buy laundry detergent” or “Alexa, add paper towels to my cart.” Alexa will add the items to your Amazon cart or place the order if it’s a reoccurring item you get regularly. You can also ask Alexa for any current deals by saying “Alexa, what are my deals?” (source).
Similarly, Google Assistant allows you to shop online by voice. With Google, you can say “Ok Google, buy batteries” to purchase an item. Or say “Ok Google, add avocados to my Walmart cart” to add something to an existing shopping cart. Google even has a guide to teach you the basics of voice shopping if you ask it to.
Voice assistants make the online shopping experience quick and hands-free. With just your voice, you can place orders, get deals, and manage shopping lists and carts across retailers.
Productivity
Voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant can help boost your productivity in various ways. One of the most useful is the ability to manage schedules, set reminders, and create task lists using just your voice.
To set a reminder, simply say something like “Hey Google, remind me to take out the trash at 7pm.” You can set reminders for a specific time or something vague like “remind me to call Mom when I get home.” The assistant will confirm the reminder details and then alert you at the appropriate time.
You can also schedule events and appointments by voice. Tell your assistant, “Add a meeting with Sarah tomorrow at 2pm” or “Schedule a dentist appointment next Thursday at 10am.” The event will be added to your calendar app automatically.
Making task lists is easy too. Say “Alexa, add milk to my grocery list” or “Hey Siri, create a to-do list.” You can then review, modify or mark items complete using additional voice commands.
According to Advanced Voice Commands: Tasks that Use Voice Assistants (source), voice assistants unlock next-level productivity by allowing hands-free, convenient management of your schedule and tasks.
Customize Commands
One of the most powerful features of Voice Control is the ability to customize commands to suit your needs. You can change the default commands or create entirely new ones. This allows you to tailor the experience so it works best for you.
To customize commands, go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > Customize Commands. Here you will see a list of default commands, which you can edit or delete. Tap the + button to create a new custom command.
When creating a custom command, you will be prompted to record a phrase and then map that phrase to an action. For example, you could record “call my wife” and have it dial your wife’s number. Or you could create a command like “open news app” to launch your preferred news application.
Custom commands allow you to streamline frequent tasks and make Voice Control work better for you. With some creativity, you can find ways to control your iPhone or smart home devices entirely through voice. The key is mapping unique phrase to the actions you need. This takes Voice Control to the next level for personalization.
For more details, see Apple’s guide on customizing Voice Control commands: https://cellularnews.com/mobile-apps/how-to-turn-on-voice-control-on-the-iphone/