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How can I start a timer from my home screen by voice without saying "Hey Google"? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I used to be able to press the microphone button on my home screen and say "Start 5-minute timer" and it would start the timer.

Now, when I do that, it does a Google search for "Start 5-minute timer".

How do I get that functionality back?

I don't want to open an app, and I don't want to use a number pad or anything to enter the number.

EDIT: Thank you! I went into the Gestures section of Settings, and now I can long-press the power button to get the desired behaviour. This might even be more convenient than tapping the mic icon!

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Google has been futzing with Google Assistant for a little while now, discontinuing features that they unilaterally decided were "unsafe" or for other random reasons.

For example for the past few months I can't turn my A/C off in the middle of the night with a voice command. I can turn it off RIGHT NOW, but not at 3am.

I did notice that using the command for a timer did bring up the search as you said, but the search page showed a timer counting down.

I have no sound, so I don't know if it alerts you at the end of the countdown.

Google also removed "remind me to XYZ in an hour".

It's all getting very authoritarian.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I was able to access it by changing it from the mic button to long pressing my power button. Thankfully, I don't use any of the more advanced features, lol