Skip to main content

Assistant’s Continued Conversation feature lets you drop all the ‘Hey, Googles’

Image used with permission by copyright holder

We first learned that Google would be bringing a Continued Conversation feature to Assistant at Google I/O, when the tech giant unveiled a whole host of exciting new features that would make the smart helper more useful than ever. And now, Continued Conversation has been launched, and promises to make your interactions with Assistant more natural. In essence, it allows you to chat with the A.I. tool without constantly starting your sentences with “Hey Google.” After all, it’s not how you would speak to a fellow human, so Google thinks it’s not how you should speak to Assistant either.

“For the Google Assistant to have a natural conversation, it should be able to understand when it’s being spoken to and should be capable of responding to several requests during an interaction,” Google noted in an announcement. So rather than saying “Hey Google” multiple times, you now only have to say it once — from then on out, if you ask follow-up questions, you can just ask them as though you were asking anyone else.

Recommended Videos

The feature is rolling out today, June 21, on Google Home, Google Home Mini, and Google Home Max. You’ll be able to turn on Continued Conversations by going to Settings, then Preferences, and then toggling on the Continued Conversation option.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Once you’ve activated the feature, then when you ask Assistant something (which does still need to be cued by saying, “Hey Google,”) you can keep the rhythm going by asking a follow-up, setting a reminder, or adding something to your shopping list. Once you’re finished with your conversation, simply say “thank you” or “stop.” Or, Google says, Assistant will end the conversation herself “once [she] detects that you’re no longer talking to the Assistant.” With the new setting, Assistant should stay active long enough for you to say everything you need to say at once (plus, you can also now give Assistant multiple commands — up to three, to be exact). Google notes that Assistant will stay active for eight seconds tops if it does not detect any speech. The LED lights at the top of your Google Home device will stay illuminated while the helper is listening.

So moving forward, your interactions with Google could look something like this: “Hey Google, what’s the weather today?” … “And what about tomorrow?” … “Can you add a rain jacket to my shopping list” … “And remind me to bring an umbrella tomorrow morning” … “Thank you!”

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Have a Google Pixel phone? You’re about to get these new features
A person holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

One of the great things about Google’s Pixel phones is how often the company sweetens the pot with its Pixel Feature Drops. While they’re not always the most exciting updates, every so often, we get some pleasant surprises; this month’s Feature Drop fits into that latter category with some new goodies that will be of particular interest to owners of phones in the recent Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 8 lineups (and of course the Google Pixel Fold).

That doesn’t mean older Pixel phones are entirely left out of the party, though. There’s at least one helpful enhancement here for the Pixel 6 and even some smaller improvements that go back to the Pixel 5a. Let's dig into everything that's new.
New features coming to Pixel phones
Circle to Search Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
Google Assistant loses 17 features as the company lays off employees
google assistant mobile.

In an attempt to streamline the platform and "focus on quality and reliability," Google is axing 17 features from Google Assistant. The move corresponds with news the tech company is laying off hundreds of employees from its voice assistant division, as well as the exit of Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman.

Google hasn't revealed an exact date for removing features, but in the next few months, you'll no longer be able to use your voice to send emails or audio messages, reschedule events in Google Calendar with your voice, or check your travel itinerary by voice. The full list of removals is staggering, encompassing 17 abilities.

Read more
8 Google Assistant settings you should disable or adjust
Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen.

Smart home devices like Google Nest Audio and Google Nest Hub continue to grow more popular every year -- but so do privacy concerns about what data they’re collecting and what’s being shared with their manufacturers. It’s highly unlikely these products are tracking everything you say, but users will be glad to hear there are several settings you can adjust to ensure your information is secure. Beyond security, Google Assistant has plenty of other settings for you to tinker around with, allowing you to optimize its performance for your home.

From adjusting its listening sensitivity to offering up vegan recipes, here’s a look at a few Google Assistant settings you should adjust. Most of these changes take no more than a few seconds to complete but could radically improve your smart home experience.

Read more