Gemini and Google Assistant don’t call when the phone is locked

Troubleshooting Voice Call Issues with Gemini and Google Assistant on Locked Phones

If you’ve recently encountered a problem where your voice-activated calling functions are not working when your phone is locked, you’re not alone. Many users have reported that voice commands such as “OK Google, call mom” prompt for unlocking the device before initiating the call, which can be inconvenient and disrupt seamless hands-free operation.

Understanding the Issue

Typically, voice assistance features like Google Assistant and third-party integrations such as Gemini should work smoothly even when the device is locked, provided all necessary permissions are granted. However, recent user experiences indicate that, despite ensuring permissions are correctly set and reconfiguring voice recognition settings, the problem persists.

What Has Been Tried So Far

1. Permissions and Settings: Re-enabling all relevant permissions for voice recognition and assistant functionalities.
2. Voice Match Reinitialization: Reregistering voice recognition features to improve sensitivity and accuracy.
3. Application Reinstallation: Clearing cache, uninstalling, and reinstalling both Google Assistant and Gemini.
4. Support Assistance: Following guidance from Google support, which involved cache clearing and permission verification.

Notably, some users observe that both Gemini and Google Assistant function independently of the apps, suggesting issues may reside within system settings or account configurations rather than the applications themselves.

Potential Solutions to Explore

Before considering a factory reset—a more drastic step—there are several troubleshooting methods worth trying:

• Check Lock Screen Settings: Ensure voice commands are enabled on the lock screen. On Android devices, this is typically found under Settings > Security > Lock Screen Preferences or Lock Screen Settings, where you can specify whether voice prompts work when locked.

• Verify Assistant Settings: Within Google Assistant settings, confirm that “Access with Voice Match” is enabled and properly configured.

• Update Your Devices: Make sure your device’s software and the relevant apps are updated to the latest versions, as updates often fix bugs and improve functionality.

• Test Voice Recognition: Use voice commands explicitly when the device is locked to see if other functions are impacted.

• Review Device Security Settings: Some security policies or device management profiles can restrict voice assistant functionalities on locked screens; check for any enterprise restrictions if applicable.

• Reset Voice Match Data: Remove existing voice models and retrain the system to recognize your voice more accurately.

Additional Considerations

If the above steps do not resolve the issue and both Gemini and Google Assistant continue to require unlocking before making calls