The "Tap to Speak" screen keeps freezing up on me

[AC Question]

this happens 10 times a day

 

[Donald Palmer1]

I uninstalled the update to the Google app and the problem went away. I have a galaxy s4.

 

[B. Diddy]

I uninstalled the update to the Google app and the problem went away. I have a galaxy s4.

Welcome to Android Central, and thank you for confirming my suspicions that I discussed a few posts above. It sounds like the latest Google app update is causing some conflicts with Samsung's own Tap to Speak function. For now, everyone here should consider going to the App Manager, selecting Google App, and Uninstall Updates. Then wait for word on when either Samsung or Google corrects this conflict.

 

[mharp1]

careful anyone who wants to follow Donald's tip. I went to apps > google app > uninstall updates. and now no more microphone on the keyboard and other functionality lost. entire google app disappeared. maybe i'm not aware of how to uninstall just the last update. But just want to warn people, not to do what I did, or you will have to reinstall the Google app from the play store.

What a pain. C'mon Google, fix this pronto please! same issue, S5, just started 2 days ago.

 

[B. Diddy]

That's odd. The Google app is preinstalled, so the app itself shouldn't disappear from your App Manager. Depending on how old your phone is, some features like Google Now might be affected if you uninstall updates, but you should still be able to place a Google search widget on the homescreen.

It's a pretty quick process to re-update the app--go to the Play Store, search for the Google app, and tap Update.

 

[momofmany1]

careful anyone who wants to follow Donald's tip. I went to apps > google app > uninstall updates. and now no more microphone on the keyboard and other functionality lost. entire google app disappeared. maybe i'm not aware of how to uninstall just the last update. But just want to warn people, not to do what I did, or you will have to reinstall the Google app from the play store.

What a pain. C'mon Google, fix this pronto please! same issue, S5, just started 2 days ago.

My phone did the same thing. However, if you switch to the swype keyboard the microphone returns.

 

[mikgar]

like others citing this problem, my Galaxy S5 phone began presenting this window at random times, making me have to restart my phone each time. As suggested, I went to Application Manager>Google App, but the Uninstall Updates button is disabled. Nowhere else to go now.

 

[DeimosRising]

B. Diddy - Uninstalled the update and have not had the problem since. I'll try the update if /when a patch comes out. Thank you for your time and suggestions.

 

[ktm_scott]

I had the problem on my Note4 and using downgraded the Google App from 5.3.23.arm to 4.0.78.156623.arm using the Application Manager. Problem solved. I now have the older Google blue square icon with the lower case g. Google functionality seems no different.

 

[JaniceBTO1]

Thank you BDiddy.. so far this appears to be working for me...

"I suspect this has to do with the most recent update to the Google app. Try opening your Google Settings app, tap Search & Now>Voice>"OK Google" detection, and see what happens if you turn it off temporarily."

 

[Katie 1880]

This just started happening on my phone yesterday, it is very annoying, I am hoping that somebody, somewhere, figures out how to fix it. Following this post now

 

[lanten22]

Welcome to Android Central, and thank you for confirming my suspicions that I discussed a few posts above. It sounds like the latest Google app update is causing some conflicts with Samsung's own Tap to Speak function. For now, everyone here should consider going to the App Manager, selecting Google App, and Uninstall Updates. Then wait for word on when either Samsung or Google corrects this conflict.

Hi,
When you suggest going to App Manager and uninstalling updates from the "Google APP," I'm assuming you mean to uninstall the updates from the App named: "Google Text-to-Speech Engine." Is that correct?

Because that's what I did and it worked. Tested it using Google voice to text on a few different apps and no freezes at all.

There WAS an app called "Google App," but I did NOT uninstall updates from that one.

This is on a Sprint Galaxy S4

Thanks very much for your help B. Diddy!!

UPDATE, 2 days later: Just to update, after uninstalling updates in "Google Text-to-Speech Engine," I noticed that it updated itself automatically, but that did NOT cause the problem to return. Still no freezes on "tap to speak" screen.

UPDATE #2 Darn (not the word I wanted to use...), it came back later in the day on the 2nd day. Going to try uninstalling the main "Google App" and am also turning off automatic updating.

 

[K Stewart1]

Reporting in! Also had the Tap to Speak freeze up issue, Uninstall Updates on the Google App fixed it. But I lost the microphone on my Google keyboard -- and I don't want to use the Swype keyboard -- and I also lost my Google widget. Hope this gets fixed with a clean update stat.

 

[stlrammer]

Just happened to me today My S5 is less than a year old.

 

[B. Diddy]

When you suggest going to App Manager and uninstalling updates from the "Google APP," I'm assuming you mean to uninstall the updates from the App named: "Google Text-to-Speech Engine." Is that correct?

That's very interesting--I had meant the Google App (which is responsible for the Google Search widget and Google Now, among other things), because it was recently updated. I don't recall the Text-to-Speech app being updated recently. But it's certainly possible that the update to the Google App somehow caused it to interact poorly with the Text-to-Speech engine, contributing to the freezes. It would be interesting, for those of you who are having this issue, to see what happens if you first uninstall the updates to Text-to-Speech. If that doesn't help, then go ahead and uninstall updates to the Google App (and you can probably re-update Text-to-Speech again).

For those of you who have already uninstalled updates to the Google App, try re-updating it, and then uninstalling updates to Google Text-to-Speech.

 

[khearn59]

I can't uninstall, turn power off or anything. The screen freezes midway so I can't scroll to tap the 2nd time to confirm I want to unistall, or turn device off.
I'm not tech savvy and very frustrated. Phone is 2 months old.

 

[khearn59]

The phone is completely useless in this mode. If I receive a call, I can't even hang up.

 

[Pkme]

That's very interesting--I had meant the Google App (which is responsible for the Google Search widget and Google Now, among other things), because it was recently updated. I don't recall the Text-to-Speech app being updated recently. But it's certainly possible that the update to the Google App somehow caused it to interact poorly with the Text-to-Speech engine, contributing to the freezes. It would be interesting, for those of you who are having this issue, to see what happens if you first uninstall the updates to Text-to-Speech. If that doesn't help, then go ahead and uninstall updates to the Google App (and you can probably re-update Text-to-Speech again).

For those of you who have already uninstalled updates to the Google App, try re-updating it, and then uninstalling updates to Google Text-to-Speech.

I uninstalled the updates to the Google text to speak app only- not the regular Google app - as suggested, and so far no more freezing and no other problems created. Thanks very much for the suggestions!

 

[taschenck]

I don't see the "Google Text to Speech" in my applications manager...under the 'all' tab. I'd like to try that as suggested before I uninstall updates for the Google app as an alternative. Does it by chance go under other names? I am using galaxy note 3

 

[belodion]

I don't see the "Google Text to Speech" in my applications manager...under the 'all' tab. I'd like to try that as suggested before I uninstall updates for the Google app as an alternative. Does it by chance go under other names? I am using galaxy note 3

Not so far as I know. I have it as Google Text-to-Speech Engine.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[stocklifts]

For me, this situation does not resolve itself by uninstalling the Google text to speech update. You need to uninstall the Google App update. This is what worked for me on my Note 4.

I recreated this issue by using the text to speech app, leaving it open and turning off the screen using the power button. Turning the screen back on results in the text to speech window freezing.