Use Gemini on your headphones

When your headphones are connected to a phone or tablet using Gemini, you can chat with Gemini through your headphones. Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled headphones provide additional functionality.

To use Gemini on your headphones, you will need Gemini set as your primary Google assistant on an eligible phone or tablet.

We’re gradually releasing Gemini on headphones that are Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled, so it might not be available to you just yet.

When you choose to use a digital assistant with your headphones, Gemini will respond when Gemini is set as your primary assistant on your phone or tablet. Learn how to get started with the Gemini mobile app.

To turn your digital assistant off on your headphones:

1. Connect your phone or tablet.
   • If this is your first time using Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled headphones, follow the on-screen setup instructions.
2. Open your device settings. Tap Connected devices.
3. Choose your device and tap Settings Digital assistant Turn off assistant.

If your digital assistant is off for your Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled headphones, tapping Digital assistant will show options to turn it on for your headphones.

Tip: If you already use Google Assistant with your headphones, when you switch to Gemini as your default digital assistant, you may get a notification to use Gemini with your headphones.

To start a Gemini chat using your voice:

Connect your Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled headphones, then say "Hey Google." Make sure “Hey Google & Voice Match” is turned on for the phone or tablet connected to your earbuds or headphones. Learn how to turn on “Hey Google & Voice Match.”

To start a Gemini chat by touch:

You can chat with Gemini by touch on most Gemini-enabled and Google Assistant-enabled headphones when you customize the touch gestures. Check with the manufacturer to learn more about which touch gestures are available for your headphones.

Tip: To use headphones with Gemini Live, say “Hey Google, let’s talk” or open the Gemini app and tap Live . When chatting with Gemini Live, you can say “Stop.”

To talk with Gemini without unlocking your phone every time, connect and put on your headphones, and then unlock your phone. After that, you can talk to Gemini as if your phone is unlocked until you take off your headphones.

Important: This feature only works with headphones that have on-head detection. Gemini will automatically sense if your headphones have on-head detection.

To use Gemini when your screen is locked, make sure your “only require one unlock” setting is on:

1. Connect your headphones to your phone or tablet.
2. Open your device settings. Tap Connected devices.
3. Choose your device and tap Settings .
4. Tap Digital assistant Only require one unlock.
5. Turn Only require one unlock on or off.

This setting may be accessed from different areas depending on your device manufacturer.

Tip: "Only require one unlock" is only available on Gemini-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled headphones.

When you have your headphones in, if you want Gemini to read notifications like text messages, say “Hey Google,” then ask Gemini to read your notifications. To have Gemini read notifications to you when your headphones are connected, make sure Gemini has permission to access any apps that you want to receive notifications from, like Messages or Whatsapp.

You can also allow Gemini to read your notifications out loud by default: 

1. Connect your headphones.
2. Open your device settings. Tap Connected devices
3. Choose your device and tap Settings . Tap Digital assistant    Spoken notifications.
4. Turn Announce notifications on, then choose which apps you want to hear notifications from. 

This setting may be accessed from different areas depending on your device manufacturer.

Tip: To stop Gemini from reading a single notification, when Gemini is speaking, say "Hey Google, stop." To stop Gemini from reading all of your messages out loud, turn on Do Not Disturb.