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To stop your Pixel Watch 3 from responding to “Hey Google” or “OK Google,” turn off the Hey Google switch on the watch: swipe down from the watch face → Settings → Google → Assistant → Hey Google. This disables voice wake-up, but it does not necessarily remove every manual way to open Assistant.
Turn off “Hey Google” on Pixel Watch 3
Google’s official instructions place this control on the watch itself:
- Wake the watch and return to the watch face.
- Swipe down to open Quick Settings.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Google.
- Tap Assistant.
- Turn off Hey Google.
Afterward, saying “Hey Google” or “OK Google” should no longer activate the assistant by voice. The watch normally needs to be awake to listen for the hotword, so this switch removes that voice-triggered entry point. See Google’s Pixel Watch Assistant instructions.
What the switch does—and does not do
Turning off Hey Google is not the same as completely disabling or uninstalling Assistant. Google lists several separate ways to launch it:
#1 Best Overall
- The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit[1,2]; the 45mm screen is twice as bright and 40% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info[1]
- Maximize your performance with advanced running features; build custom run workouts and get real-time guidance and advanced form tracking[3]
- Enhance your run routine with Fitbit Premium; Google AI uses your goals, past runs, and readiness to power personalized run recommendations[3]
- Know what your body is ready for each day with readiness; it uses sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability to show if you’re ready to take on a workout or prioritize recovery[3]
- Cardio load measures how hard your heart works so you can see how hard you’ve pushed; compare trends to see if you’re under- or over-training[3]
| Launch method | What happens after “Hey Google” is off |
|---|---|
| Voice hotword | Disabled for “Hey Google” and “OK Google.” |
| Side button | Holding the side button next to the crown can still open Assistant. |
| Watch-face complication | An Assistant complication can still be tapped. |
| Assistant tile | The Assistant tile can still be opened from the tile carousel. |
Google’s documented control disables the hotword; it does not establish a universal “disable Assistant” switch or an uninstall option. Do not assume the side-button shortcut can be remapped or disabled unless that option is present on your exact Wear OS build.
Make Assistant harder to launch manually
Remove the Assistant complication
- Press and hold the current watch face.
- Tap Edit or the watch-face customization control.
- Open the complication slot that contains Assistant.
- Replace it with another complication, or choose an empty option if the watch face offers one.
- Save the watch face.
Names and available choices vary by watch face and Wear OS version, so this is a general route rather than a guaranteed set of labels.
Remove the Assistant tile
Google identifies the Assistant tile as another launch point in the tile carousel. From the watch face, swipe through the tiles and enter tile-edit mode—usually by pressing and holding a tile or using an add/edit control—then remove the Assistant tile if your software provides that option. The exact edit control can change between Wear OS versions. The available launch methods are described in Google’s help page.
Does this completely disable Google Assistant?
No. Based on Google’s documented setting, the switch turns off voice activation only. Manually opening Assistant through the side button, a complication, or a tile may still work. If you want to retain manual commands, turn off only the hotword. If you want fewer accidental launches, also remove the complication and tile where your software allows it.
Rank #2
- The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit[1,2]; the 41mm screen is twice as bright and 10% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info[1]
- Maximize your performance with advanced running features; build custom run workouts and get real-time guidance and advanced form tracking[3]
- Enhance your run routine with Fitbit Premium; Google AI uses your goals, past runs, and readiness to power personalized run recommendations[3]
- Know what your body is ready for each day with readiness; it uses sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability to show if you’re ready to take on a workout or prioritize recovery[3]
- Cardio load measures how hard your heart works so you can see how hard you’ve pushed; compare trends to see if you’re under- or over-training[3]; and receive a daily target based on cardio load and readiness levels
Current Google support content also refers to Gemini as the newer or default assistant experience. The menu may still be labeled Assistant, or wording may differ after an update; use the assistant-related control under Settings → Google.
Can you change this from the phone?
Google’s current instructions document the hotword switch on the watch, not an equivalent path in the Google Pixel Watch phone app. If you cannot find it, check the watch’s own Settings → Google section rather than changing the phone’s Assistant settings.
If “Hey Google” is already off
Assistant opening in another situation is usually a different launch method. Check whether:
- Holding the side button opens it.
- An Assistant complication remains on the active watch face.
- An Assistant tile remains in the tile carousel.
- An update has changed the label to Gemini or another assistant term.
Turning off the hotword does not remove unrelated watch functions such as alarms, timers, notifications, health tracking, or workouts. Voice commands that depend on Assistant will no longer begin with the hotword, while manually launched Assistant commands may remain available. Google does not provide a quantified battery-life improvement for this change.
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Rank #3
- The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit[1,2]; the 45mm screen is twice as bright and 40% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info[1]
- Maximize your performance with advanced running features; build custom run workouts and get real-time guidance and advanced form tracking[3]
- Enhance your run routine with Fitbit Premium; Google AI uses your goals, past runs, and readiness to power personalized run recommendations[3]
- Know what your body is ready for each day with readiness; it uses sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability to show if you’re ready to take on a workout or prioritize recovery[3]
- Cardio load measures how hard your heart works so you can see how hard you’ve pushed; compare trends to see if you’re under- or over-training[3]
If the Assistant setting is missing
Menu availability can vary with software version, language, region, account setup, and connectivity. Google notes that some Assistant features and languages are not available everywhere. Try these checks in order:
- Confirm the watch is paired with the phone.
- Confirm the watch and the Google Pixel Watch app use the intended same Google Account.
- Update the Pixel Watch software and the Google Pixel Watch app.
- Restart the watch.
- Return to Settings → Google and look for Assistant, Digital Assistant, or similarly named controls.
For a standalone LTE watch, other Assistant use still requires an active LTE connection or internet access; disabling the hotword changes only voice-trigger behavior. Google’s connectivity and availability notes are in its Pixel Watch help documentation.
When the setting does not stay off
- Reopen the setting and verify that Hey Google is visibly off.
- Restart the Pixel Watch.
- Install any available watch and phone-app updates.
- Check that the watch and phone are using the same Google Account.
- Remove the Assistant complication and tile to distinguish a manual launch from voice activation.
- Contact Google support if the switch repeatedly re-enables itself.
A factory reset should be a last resort, not the first fix for a missing toggle. Google says a reset erases apps, settings, and data; see Google’s reset documentation before considering it.
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