"OK Google" microphone issue

[Jimmy_W]

When I try to set up voice recognition with OK Google through my settings\trusted voice from any screen, my phone "listens," but then reports, "Can't use the microphone. Restart your device." Restarting does not help. OK Google is insstalled, and I can get it to hear me if I tap the microphone icon in the Google bar on my home screen. I also have the Moto app installed, and it works okay. I do receive text messages through the blue-tooth in my vehicle. Thanks.

 

[B. Diddy]

Are you able to disable or uninstall Moto Voice, in case that's interfering?

 

[edison201201]

I have the same issue. I believe you have to use one or the other. That is, if you want to use OK Google from the lock screen you have to disable the Moto voice controls. IMHO Moto and Google have become less compatible since the split and the Moto controls have become less capable over time.

 

[nickname303]

Yeah, I found this out yesterday. I set up Google Voice and tried it out a few times and it worked flawlessly. Then I set up Moto Voice. Once I did that neither Google Voice or Moto Voice worked and I got that message about the mic not being available. Deleted the Moto Voice app data and redid my Google Voice phrase and Google Voice was working again. They definitely conflict with each other.

 

[Jimmy_W]

Are you able to disable or uninstall Moto Voice, in case that's interfering?

I have the same issue. I believe you have to use one or the other. That is, if you want to use OK Google from the lock screen you have to disable the Moto voice controls. IMHO Moto and Google have become less compatible since the split and the Moto controls have become less capable over time.

Thanks very much! I don't think that you can uninstall Moto, but you can turn off Moto Voice or disable it or force it to stop. I'll probably do one of those, but my only concern is that Moto enables my SMSes to be read through my Bluetooth in the Jeep. That should be easy enough to test. Offhand, I think that OK Google is more useful, anyway. Aside from the possibility of SMS/Bluetooth, I don't use Moto for any of the mechanical gestures.

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm able to say "Ok Google, show me my last messages," and it will ask me if i want to hear the last 5 or so. if your Jeep can stream Media Audio (as opposed to Phone Audio), then it should play over the stereo system.

 

[Jimmy_W]

Thank you. I'm a little confused. If I unlock my phone and say, "Ok Google, show me my last messages," OKG will display them. So, the mike apparently works in this situation. So why will it not allow me to voice-train OKG through the Trusted voice option? Is it that the possible conflict with Moto prevents only that feature? The mike issue, therefore, prevents me from using OKG while my phone is locked, which otherwise would be handy, especially while driving.

 

[Ry]

Moto Voice is just a gateway to Google Voice prompts now.

 

[Jimmy_W]

Okay, thanks, but it doesn't respond to voice when the phone's locked. OKG is supposed to be able to do so.

 

[Ry]

Okay, thanks, but it doesn't respond to voice when the phone's locked. OKG is supposed to be able to do so.

I just double checked -

Phone locked, screen off. Said my Moto Voice launch phrase, and it activated Google Voice.

Phone locked, on the lock screen. Said my Moto Voice launch phrase, and it activated Google Voice.

Are you trying to do something that requires the phone to be unlocked?

 

[Jimmy_W]

I just double checked -
Phone locked, screen off. Said my Moto Voice launch phrase, and it activated Google Voice.
Phone locked, on the lock screen. Said my Moto Voice launch phrase, and it activated Google Voice.
Are you trying to do something that requires the phone to be unlocked?

Thanks. Well, that appears to work! I can say, "Ok [Moto phrase], show me my last messages," and it will offer to read them. Just substitute Moto for Google. What's interesting, however, is that that the Trusted Voice option in Security is off, and cannot be turned on because of the microphone issue.

 

[beeare]

Thanks. Well, that appears to work! I can say, "Ok [Moto phrase], show me my last messages," and it will offer to read them. Just substitute Moto for Google. What's interesting, however, is that that the Trusted Voice option in Security is off, and cannot be turned on because of the microphone issue.

I don't think this is the result of a mic issue. Moto Voice doesn't appear to be compatible with this setting whereas"OK Google" is. I personally use Moto Voice instead of "OK Google".

At this point it appears like all Moto Voice does is go to Google Now, so it probably makes no difference at all. In the past, some of the Moto phones were optimized to preserve battery while the always listening feature was turned on. I haven't seen any comparisons drawn between how Moto Voice, vs. "Ok Google" impacts battery, but if anyone has some insight, I'd be very interested to hear about it.

I would be tempted to change over simply due to trusted voice capability, but I haven't wanted to mess around with my settings since my phone has been running so smoothly and battery life has been phenomenal.

 

[elvee68]

When I try to set up voice recognition with OK Google through my settings\trusted voice from any screen, my phone "listens," but then reports, "Can't use the microphone. Restart your device." Restarting does not help. OK Google is insstalled, and I can get it to hear me if I tap the microphone icon in the Google bar on my home screen. I also have the Moto app installed, and it works okay. I do receive text messages through the blue-tooth in my vehicle. Thanks.

I get this same issue with the DATE.

 

[J Dubbs]

You need to setup OK Google first, then setup Moto voice in that order if you want Moto voice to work properly. If you just want OK Google then don't activate Moto voice. Moto voice just uses OK Google but adds a few cool features like reading incoming texts out loud hands free, and letting you respond hands free... announcing incoming callers and letting you answer, ignore, or send a text back hands free, and gives you the option to send a text back hands free if you can't answer the phone at the moment and the call is missed.

All of these options are available through the phone or Bluetooth. Moto voice isn't a separate assistant, it's just OK Google with a few extra features. Personally it's one of the main reasons I use Moto phones.... Very few other Android phones do hands free this well.

When you have Moto voice activated you'll see the OK Google appear in the search bar when you first turn your phone on...Then it will dissapear. If you want OK Google instead just go into the Moto app and under voice turn Moto voice off

 

[Jimmy_W]

Thanks, but I still can's set up OK Google. I disabled Moto and forced it to stop. I then restarted my phone. When I tried top set up OK Google, I received the same microphone message.

 

[edison201201]

I ran into the same problem as Jimmy-w. I may need to factory reset and start over, but that's a PITA I'd like to avoid.

 

[Jimmy_W]

I wonder whether it will pay to contact Verizon tech support, although I'm sure that others have done so. As you pointed out, a reset is a big pain, and Verizon's techs usually end up suggesting a reset when they don't have a solution to a problem.

 

[Jimmy_W]

Well, I spoke with the local Verizon tech and she suggested that I try "Reset app preferences" in the Settings. Before I try that, I was wondering how a big a pain it will be to restore my preference to where they were, and whether anyone else has tried this to fix the microphone issue. Thanks.

 

[Jimmy_W]

You need to setup OK Google first, then setup Moto voice in that order if you want Moto voice to work properly. If you just want OK Google then don't activate Moto voice. Moto voice just uses OK Google but adds a few cool features like reading incoming texts out loud hands free, and letting you respond hands free... announcing incoming callers and letting you answer, ignore, or send a text back hands free, and gives you the option to send a text back hands free if you can't answer the phone at the moment and the call is missed.
If you want OK Google instead just go into the Moto app and under voice turn Moto voice off...

I ran into the same problem as Jimmy-w. I may need to factory reset and start over, but that's a PITA I'd like to avoid.

Thanks. I finally did a factory reset, and the issue is fixed. I was able to set up OK Google as a trusted voice. I have not, however, set up Moto voice. I'm afraid that it may kill the OK Google trusted voice, which I could not get to use as a trusted voice, at least when OK Google had the mic issue. If I do set up Moto Voice, it will be after OKG is set up as a trusted voice, as others have suggested. I'm still unclear about whether Moto Voice offers advantages over OKG.