Lesson 13
Use Your Voice Assistant
Your phone can listen and help when you speak to it. Ask a question or give a command out loud, and it answers, with no typing needed.
First, tell us which phone you have
Not sure which you have?
If your phone has an apple on the back, it’s an iPhone. If it has anything else, it’s almost certainly an Android.
Step 1 of 5
Meet your assistant
Your phone has a built-in helper you can talk to. Ask it things like today's weather, the time in another city, or to call someone.
On your iPhone: On iPhone, the helper is called Siri.
On your Android: On Android, the helper is called Google Assistant.
Talking to your phone feels odd at first, but it's often faster than typing.
Step 2 of 5
Turn the assistant on
On your iPhone: On iPhone, open Settings, tap Siri, and turn on 'Listen for Siri' or 'Press Side Button for Siri.'
On your Android: On Android, open the Google app, tap your picture or More, tap Settings, tap Google Assistant, and tap Turn on if it isn't already.
You only set this up once. After that, your helper is always ready.
Step 3 of 5
Wake it up
On your iPhone: On iPhone, say 'Siri' (or 'Hey Siri'), or press and hold the side button, then speak.
On your Android: On Android, say 'Hey Google,' or press and hold the home button, then speak.
Wait for the listening signal, like colored dots or a glow, then talk in your normal voice.
Step 4 of 5
Ask a question or give a command
Speak naturally. You can say things like 'What's the weather today?', 'Call my daughter,' 'Set a timer for 10 minutes,' or 'What time is it in London?'
You can't ask a wrong question. If it doesn't understand, just try again in different words.
Step 5 of 5
Search by voice instead of typing
When you'd rather not type, tap the little microphone icon in the search bar and simply say what you're looking for.
On your iPhone: On iPhone, tap the microphone on the keyboard, or ask Siri to search for you.
On your Android: On Android, open the Google app, tap the microphone, and speak your search.
This is easier than tapping out long words. Speak clearly and it will do the rest.