How to Make Google Home Play a Sound When You Say “OK, Google”

Google Home is usually pretty good at recognizing when you’re talking to it, but sometimes it fails. By default, Google Home will show colorful lights whenever you activate it, but if you want it to make a sound too, you can do so.

Those lights are handy, but you can’t see them from every angle, or if you’re busy looking at something else. If you’re not paying attention, you can recite a lengthy voice command to an empty room before you realize Google isn’t listening.  In the Home app, you can enable a setting that will make a dinging noise whenever you say “Ok, Google” so you know for sure whether or not Google’s listening.

To turn this feature on, open the Home app on your phone or tablet and tap the devices button in the top-right corner.

Scroll to your Google Home in the device list and tap the three-dot menu button, then tap Settings.

 

Scroll down and tap Accessibility.

Here, you’ll see two buttons. You can enable “Start of request,” “End of request,” or both. Whichever you prefer.

Now, whenever you say “Ok, Google,” you should hear a dinging sound from Google Home. Just like every other device that runs Google Assistant.