Can you switch back from Gemini to Google Assistant?

On a phone, you may still be able to switch back, but only if your Gemini app still has the option and Google has not removed Assistant from your device. The two sources we checked disagree. Google's help page describes a switch back, and a September 28, 2026 report says the option is gone in some app builds and that users can no longer switch back. Check your own app before you rely on either one.

Google's help page describes a switch back

Google's help page for the Gemini app describes the path. Open the Gemini app on your Android phone or tablet, tap Menu, then your profile picture or initial, then Switch to Google Assistant. In the dialog, tap Switch. Google says you can switch to Google Assistant as your primary assistant on your phone or tablet in your settings ¹. The steps come from the copy of the page we could read in an archive, and the live page may differ.

The page is clear about the mechanism, but it is not a promise. Google also says Gemini replaces Google Assistant as the primary assistant when you switch, and that is the state you are switching away from ².

A later report says the option is gone from some app builds

On September 28, 2026, 9to5Google reported that the "Switch to Google Assistant" shortcut no longer appears at the bottom of the Gemini app's account menu in Google app 17.60 stable and 17.62 beta ³. The same article said that users can no longer use or switch back to Google Assistant on their phone, tablet or paired devices ⁴.

SamMobile reported the same end point: once Google Assistant is removed from a device that supports Gemini, the user cannot access it or switch back to it ⁵. These are reports, not a Google policy statement, so the first check is your own menu.

It depends on what you own

The answer changes by device, so sort your devices into three groups.

For speakers and displays, Google says that once a home switches to Gemini for Home, it cannot switch back to Google Assistant ⁶. That rule applies to the whole home, not one speaker, so decide before you switch.

Other devices with Assistant built in are not part of the phone switch. Google says Assistant keeps responding to "Hey Google" on locked non-mobile devices, including cars, smart displays, smart speakers and TVs ⁷. Gemini for Home can still replace it on speakers and displays, as covered above.

What to do

1. Open the Gemini app's menu. Tap Menu, then your profile picture or initial, and look for Switch to Google Assistant. If it is there, you may still be able to switch back.
2. Test your commands before you switch. If you need Assistant for reminders, routines or music, check those first. The question on which Assistant features Gemini lacks explains the known gaps.
3. If the option is gone, use the devices that keep Assistant. A car or TV with built-in Assistant keeps responding to "Hey Google" when it is locked, even when your phone has moved to Gemini. Each device listens for its own wake word.
4. Set up Hey Google again after any switch. When you switch assistants, the wake phrase has to be turned on for the assistant that is now primary. The steps are in the question on how to turn on Hey Google.

For the full picture of the change, read the question on whether Gemini is replacing Google Assistant. The guide to Google Assistant voice commands lists each command and what Gemini does with it. For the wider category, see our overview of speech to text and AI.