How to Use Google Assistant From Your Lock Screen

Get help without unlocking your phone

By
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Senior Editor & Content Strategist
Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing.
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Updated on August 18, 2021
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • Say, "Hey Google, open Assistant settings." Select Personalization. Toggle on Lock screen personal results.
  • Then you can use voice commands when your phone is locked to send messages, make calls, and ask questions when the phone is locked.
  • You still need to unlock your device for payments, Google Photos, requests to open other apps, and info about your name or address.

This article outlines how to access Google Assistant on the lock screen on an Android device running Android 9.0 or higher.

How to Get Personal Results on Your Lock Screen

Turning on lock screen personal results means you can use Google Assistant when you've locked your phone to do anything from sending emails to asking questions about your calendar.

  1. Say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings" or "OK Google, open Assistant settings." You can also open the Settings app on your smartphone and search Google Assistant settings.

  2. Select Personalization.

    Google Assistant's Personalization settings.

  3. Toggle on Personal Results.

  4. Toggle on Lock screen personal results.

  5. Enabling Lock screen personal results will also toggle on Personal suggestions on lock screen before you ask, but you can disable it if you prefer.

    Google Assistant's Personalization settings.

    Turning this on allows voice match to send messages and access email, calendar, contacts, and more when your phone is locked.

    Optionally, you can enable Personal suggestions on lock screen before you ask (get information and suggested actions for your calendar, reminders, flights, and more without asking) and On headphones (hear results when the phone is locked).

What You Can Do With Assistant When Phone Is Locked

If you allow Google Assistant to display personal results on the lock screen, you can send messages, make calls, and ask questions without unlocking.

It can also read or show results on the lock screen from:

  • Emails, including information about flight reservations and upcoming bills
  • Google Calendar events
  • Your contacts
  • Reminders
  • Shopping lists

However, you'll still need to unlock your Android for anything involving:

  • Payments
  • Google Photos
  • Requests to open other apps
  • Information related to your name or address

How to Disable Google Assistant on Lock Screen

You can quickly turn off this setting if you no longer want personal results on your lock screen.

  1. Say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings." or "OK Google, open Assistant settings." Or open the Settings app on your smartphone and search Google Assistant settings.

  2. Select Personalization.

    Disabling Google Assistant on lock screen in settings.

  3. Toggle off Lock screen personal results.

  4. Alternatively, toggle off Personal Results, which will disable Lock screen personal results, Personal suggestions on lock screen before you ask, and On headphones all at once.

    Disabling Google Assistant on lock screen in settings.
FAQ
  • How do you set up Google Assistant?

    Press and hold the Home button or say "Hey Google." If the Google Assistant is off, you're given the option to turn it on. Then, open the Google app and select More > Settings > Voice > Voice Match and make sure Hey Google is on. Select Voice model > Retrain voice model. Follow the steps to record your voice.

  • How can you use "OK, Google" on the lock screen?

    To enable the "OK, Google" watch word on your lock screen, go to Google Assistant's settings. Tap Lock screen under All Settings, then toggle Allow Assistant on.

  • How can you make a video your lock screen?

    You can turn a video into your lock screen using a third-party app like VideoWall. Once it's installed, select Choose Video, give the app permission to access your media files, choose the video you want to use, edit it, and select Set Wallpaper.

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