Google Assistant has established itself as the most popular intelligent voice assistant on Android devices and a variety of compatible smart devices, such as Google Home speakers, Google Nest displays, Wear OS watches, and more. Thanks to its deep integration with the Google ecosystem, it allows you to control, manage, and automate countless daily actions and routines using natural voice commands. If you're not yet taking full advantage of its potential, here's a complete, detailed, and comprehensive guide with the latest useful Google Assistant commands , advanced tips, and recommendations to help you get the most out of your experience on your mobile device, in your smart home, or while on the go.
What is Google Assistant and how does it work?
Google Assistant is the virtual assistant created by Google that understands and responds to instructions in natural language , both by voice and text. It uses artificial intelligence and Google's powerful search engine to answer questions, perform tasks, control system settings, interact with apps and smart home devices, manage reminders, alarms, and events, play music, provide helpful information, and much more—all without needing to touch your phone or device.
It's natively integrated into most Android smartphones, but is also available on smart speakers, interactive displays, tablets, Android TVs, Chromebooks, and other connected devices. Plus, the Google Assistant learns your usage patterns, so the more you use it, the more tailored its responses and suggestions will be.
How to activate Google Assistant on your mobile and other devices
To use Google Assistant on your smartphone, simply say the activation command "OK Google" or "Hey Google" with the screen on, or press and hold the home button on your device. On newer devices, you can also activate the assistant by swiping up from a bottom corner (using gestures) or by pressing a dedicated physical button, depending on the manufacturer.
On Google Home, Google Nest, or Smart Display speakers, just say "Ok Google" or whatever custom command you've set up. Many smart TVs, watches, and headphones also integrate direct access to the assistant via physical buttons, gestures, or activation phrases.
It's essential to make sure you have your Google account properly configured, microphone permissions enabled for the assistant, and, if you want to take advantage of home automation, link your home devices in the Google Home app.
Settings commands and system control with Google Assistant
One of the most practical features is the ability to control your device entirely with simple voice commands. Here are some of the most useful commands for controlling system settings and applications:
- Opens : Example, “Open WhatsApp”, “Open Instagram”, “Open Google Maps”.
- Turns on/off the : “Turn on WiFi”, “Turn off Bluetooth”, “Turn on airplane mode”, “Set your phone to silent”, “Turn on the flashlight”.
- Volume up/down: “Turn up the volume”, “Turn down the volume”, “Set the volume to maximum”, “Mute the volume”.
- Increase/Decrease the brightness: “Increase brightness”, “Decrease brightness”, “Set brightness to 50%”.
- Open my Google account settings.
- Show my Google search history.
- Take me a selfie: Activates the front camera with a 3-second countdown.
- take a photo: Activate the rear camera and take the photo.
- Record a video: Activate the camera and start recording video.
- Turn on the flashlight/Turn off the flashlight.
These commands work on mobile phones and tablets, but also on home automation devices with equivalent functions, such as smart speakers, depending on the context and technical capabilities.
Commands to manage calls and messages
With Google Assistant, you can control not only your hardware, but also your daily communication without touching your phone:
- Call to : “Call Mom”, “Call Pedro”.
- Send a message from a saying : “Send a WhatsApp to Laura saying I’m late.”
- Send an email and tell him that : “Send an email to Carlos and tell him I sent the report.”
- Send a text message and tell him that .
- Answer the last call.
- Check my messages: “Do I have any messages?”
- Reply to message.
The accuracy of these commands depends on having your contacts well organized and access permissions enabled for messaging apps.
Alarms, timers, and automated routines
Google Assistant makes it easy to organize your day with personalized alarms, timers, and routines:
- Set an alarm at : “Set an alarm for 7:00.”
- Add an alarm to the : to create repeating alarms.
- Wake me up tomorrow at .
- Turn off the next alarm / Disable all alarms.
- Set an alarm at : “Set an alarm for Monday at 8.”
- Set a timer : “Set a timer for 15 minutes.”
- Set a countdown of .
- Good morning: Activate the good morning routine (weather, traffic, calendars, news, and more).
Routines go much further: you can set up chained actions (such as “Turn off the lights, play soft music, and adjust the temperature” by simply saying “Bedtime”). This is ideal for the smart home.
Advanced management of reminders, events and lists
Master your productivity with these everyday commands:
- Remind me that : “Remind me to call Juan this afternoon”, “Remind me to buy bread at 18 pm”.
- Add milk to the shopping list / Create a list called / List .
- What's on my calendar today?, What plans do I have for tomorrow?
- When is my next meeting?
- Create a calendar event for the at / Add an event to the calendar.
- Show me my reminders.
- Where did I park? (requires you to have saved the location in Google Maps).
Integration with Google Calendar and Keep lets you keep your tasks, appointments, and lists up to date, just by using your voice.
Commands for weather information, news, and quick queries
One of the assistant's great strengths is that it can answer any general information query:
- What weather will it be today?
- It will rain tomorrow? / Is it going to be hot/cold?
- The time in : “What’s the weather like in Barcelona?”
- What is the maximum temperature this Friday?
- What's in the news / Tell me the news / Play sports news.
- What is the capital of ?
- When does he play?
- How many inhabitants does it have?
- Who ?
- What does it mean ?
- What is 155 + 133?, How much is the euro worth?, How many dollars are 10 euros?
- Tell me some fun facts, Tell me something interesting, Surprise me.
You can also check out football scores, league standings, news specific to your interests, stock market information, quotes, and cultural information.
Music, multimedia and entertainment commands
Manage your digital entertainment with just your voice:
- Play music : “Play music by Alejandro Sanz”, “Play jazz on Spotify”.
- Play me a song : “Play me a Shakira song.”
- Plays , Pause the music, Next song, Relaxing music, Play the radio .
- What is playing?
- Put Stranger Things on Netflix.
- Open YouTube and put videos of .
- Sing me a song, Sing me happy birthday, Sing me a reggaeton, Give me a rhythm.
- Plays rain sound, Funny sounds, What noise does an elephant make?.
If you have associated Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, or similar accounts, you can choose which platform your content plays on.
Smart home control and home automation
One of the most powerful aspects of Google Assistant is its integration with smart home devices. If you have smart light bulbs, Wi-Fi plugs, thermostats, cameras, robot vacuums, motorized blinds, and more, you can control everything with your voice:
- Turns the lights on/off: “Turn on the living room lights”, “Turn off the kitchen light”.
- Dim the lights to 50%, Change the color of the lights to red.
- Turn on the tv / Turn off the television / Put YouTube on the TV.
- Turn on the air conditioning / Set the thermostat to 22 degrees.
- Turn on the robot vacuum cleaner / Make the robot return to the base / Start scrubbing.
- Open/close the blinds.
- Shows the video surveillance camera.
- Activate the smart switch.
- Play on Chromecast / Turn on Chromecast.
For these features, you'll first need to pair each device in the Google Home app and make sure they're compatible with the Google Assistant.
Useful commands for travel, commuting, and transportation
Whether you're traveling by car, on foot, on public transport, by bike, or even by plane, the assistant helps you get real-time information and streamline your movements:
- How to get to : “How to get to the mall”, “Take me home”, “Take me to work”.
- Where I am?, Show my location.
- How long does it take to get to ?
- How is the traffic in
- Is there a pharmacy here?, Where is the nearest one?
- What flights are there to it? : “What flights are there to Barcelona on Friday?”
- I want a train to , I want a bus to
- Where can I have dinner today?, Tell me a good place to eat.
- Interesting sites in , Places of interest in .
- What time is my next flight?, Show my hotel reservations.
- Map of .
These queries use real-time data from Google Maps and associated services, including schedules, alternative routes, traffic conditions, and recommendations based on your preferences.
Manage your purchases and orders with Google Assistant
Google Assistant can help you organize your purchases and place orders easily:
- Add to shopping list: “Add bread to the shopping list.”
- What's on my shopping list?, Empty the shopping list.
- Shows the status of my orders.
- Order/buy on Amazon (requires integration).
- Track my packages.
Also check your notes, tasks, and lists synced with Google Keep or compatible apps.
Useful translation and language commands
The assistant facilitates communication in other languages very quickly:
- How do you say in ?: “How do you say road in English?”
- Translate to : “Translate good morning into French.”
- I want you to be my interpreter of : Activates interpreter mode for real-time conversations.
- Define , Tell me synonyms/antonyms of , What does it mean ?
Perfect for travelers, students, or those working in multilingual environments.
Fun commands, games and interactive entertainment
When you need entertainment, Google Assistant deploys a wide variety of games, curiosities and hidden commands known as “easter eggs”:
- Flip a coin / Heads or tails.
- Roll a die / Roll two dice / Tell me a number from 1 to 100.
- Tell me a riddle, Tell me a joke, Tell me a tongue twister, Tell me a story, Tell me a scary story.
- I want to play something, Let's play a game, Play Akinator, Play Trivia Crack, Play Escape the Room, Play Blackjack, Playing Tic Tac Toe, Play Guess the Word.
- I'm getting bored, Surprise me, Tell me interesting facts, Tell me a proverb, Tell me funny things.
- He talks like Yoda, What can you do?, Self destruction, Beatbox, Who is Siri?, Are you Skynet?.
Additionally, some commands change depending on important dates, sporting events, or current events.
Commands to configure relationships and customize the experience
Have the assistant learn your most common contacts with personalized relationships, making communication even easier:
- My father/mother is called . So then you can say “Call my mother.”
- My boss's name is , My girlfriend/boyfriend is called , My wife/husband is called .
- I want you to call me The assistant will use that name to address you.
These relationships can be managed from the contacts app or directly in the assistant, improving everyday interaction.
Advanced automations and professional use of Google Assistant
Advanced and professional users can take advantage of complex routines, integration with business services, document control in Google Drive, Gmail, Meet meeting management, and more:
- When is my next meeting?, Gather all your files in Google Drive.
- Send an email to the whole team saying .
- Call the conference room, Join my Google Meet meeting.
- Show me my emails from .
You can even create custom workflows with tools like IFTTT or Zapier linked to Google Assistant, automating repetitive tasks.
Accessibility and Voice Access: Full voice control
The Android ecosystem also includes Voice Access , a voice command system designed for people with mobility difficulties or those who prefer not to use their hands:
- OPEN , Back, Show notifications, Show Quick Settings.
- Bluetooth on/off, Volume up/down.
- Show numbers: Assign numbers to on-screen buttons to interact accurately just by speaking the number.
- Select text, Cut, copy, paste, show keyboard, Insert before/after, Delete to beginning/end.
The entire system is designed to navigate without touching the screen, facilitating digital autonomy. Plus, you can combine Voice Access with the usual Google Assistant commands.
Google Assistant and its useful commands go far beyond simple queries or basic actions. You can completely transform your daily life and your digital environment, achieving greater convenience, productivity, and time savings at home, at work, while traveling, or at leisure.
Whether you're a basic user who just checks the weather and sets alarms, or you have dozens of connected smart appliances, the universe of commands is constantly expanding. Dare to ask, explore, and experiment, and Google Assistant will learn with you to offer you the best possible personalized experience.