Sometimes your hands are full and can't grab your phone to type out a text message. Thankfully, Google Assistant makes it easy to send SMS with only your voice. We'll show you how it works on phones and smart speakers.

The process for sending a text message with Google Assistant is actually identical on every device. The only difference is how you wake up Assistant to start listening.

It has come to our attention that sending messages through smart speakers and displays, like with the Nest Mini and Nest Hub, might require additional setup. We have removed this section from the post until we can determine those steps.

Related: What Is Google Assistant, and What Can It Do?

On an Android phone or tablet, launch Assistant by saying, "OK, Google," or by swiping in from the bottom-left or -right corner. It will immediately start listening.

swipe to open google assistant
Launching Google Assistant on Android

On an iPhone or iPad, you'll need to install the Google Assistant app and launch it from the home screen. After you open the app, say, "OK, Google" or tap the microphone icon, and Assistant will begin listening.

ios launch google assistant
Open Google Assistant on iPhone

Once Google Assistant has begun listening on your device of choice, it's just a matter of saying one of the following commands:

  • "Send a message to Mom."
  • "Send a message."
send a message with assistant

If you say "Send a Message" without a contact name, Google will ask who you want to send the message to. Say the name of anyone in your contacts.

choose a contact

After you've chosen a person, Google will ask for the message that you want to send. Simply say what you would like to send to that person.

say the message

Lastly, Google will confirm the message with you and it will then be sent. You will have an opportunity to change it at this time if it's not quite right.

the message will be sent

That's all there is to it! If a text message isn't working for you, there's also the option to send an audio message with Google Assistant. It works in a very similar way.

Related: How to Send Audio Messages with Google Assistant