How do you control an Android phone with your voice?

On Android, the tool that runs the whole phone by voice is Google's Voice Access app. Google's Play listing says it helps people who have difficulty using a touch screen use their Android device by voice ¹. Voice Access taps, scrolls and edits text on the screen ², which is different from a voice assistant that answers questions or sets a timer. Samsung Galaxy phones also have Bixby, which takes spoken or typed commands ³, and Google is changing its assistant from Google Assistant to Gemini ⁴.

Voice Access controls the whole phone

Google's listing describes the app as a way for people with difficulty using a touch screen, for example from paralysis, tremor, or a temporary injury, to use their Android device by voice ¹. That is the intended use. The listing does not say how well the app works for any group, so try it on your own phone before you rely on it.

Say "Help" at any time to see a short list of commands ⁵. The app also includes a tutorial that introduces the most common voice commands, covering starting the app, tapping, scrolling, basic text editing and getting help ². Run the tutorial once before you depend on the app, so you know the basic commands first. The Help list is inside the app and can change between versions, so use Help rather than a copied list.

You can start Voice Access by voice

You can start the app without touching the phone. Google says you can start Voice Access by saying "Hey Google, Voice Access", if Hey Google detection is turned on ⁶. Turn that setting on before you test the spoken start command. Google's listing does not say where the setting is, so search your phone's settings for "Hey Google".

Google is replacing Assistant with Gemini, so check your settings

Google's own blog, from 2025, says that it is "upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini" ⁴. A SamMobile article, last updated on August 6, 2026, reports that Google would start replacing Google Assistant with Gemini on Galaxy phones, tablets, watches, Buds and Android Auto on September 4, 2026 ⁷. We could not open Google's own support pages to confirm that date, so treat it as reported. That date has already passed, so check which assistant your phone opens when you say "Hey Google".

The switch matters because the assistant behind "Hey Google" is changing. After the switch, check that Hey Google detection is still on and that Voice Access starts the way you expect. Our guide to Galaxy voice typing covers the keyboard side of Samsung's voice features.

Galaxy phones have Bixby, and its privacy terms differ

Samsung says that you can use Bixby by speaking commands or by giving commands through text on Galaxy phones ³. Bixby is an assistant for commands, while Voice Access is the tool for tapping and scrolling the screen. A list of Bixby commands online may not match your phone, so check the phone itself.

Samsung's privacy policy also matters if you use Bixby. Its US policy says that it makes and collects recordings of your voice on its servers when you enable the voice command feature and use voice commands ⁸. Check your phone's privacy settings before you use Bixby for private conversations.

It depends: match the job to the tool

Voice Access is a separate app from the keyboard's voice typing. If you only want to write a message, the Android voice typing guide is the simpler choice. For the glossary terms, see the glossary entry for Voice Access, the glossary entry for voice command and the glossary entry for Samsung voice input.

What to do

1. Open Voice Access from Google Play, and run the tutorial once.
2. Say "Help" whenever you need the current list of commands.
3. Turn on Hey Google detection if you want to start the app without touching the phone, and check it again after the switch to Gemini.
4. Check Bixby's privacy settings on a Galaxy phone before you use it for private conversations.
5. If a command fails, say "Help" to check the exact command name, and run the tutorial again. If the problem is in a car, read the question on Android Auto voice commands not working.

For the iPhone side of the same question, read how to control your iPhone with your voice. For captions on calls, which work differently, read how to get captions on phone calls. The full set of phone tools is in our guide to Live Transcribe, Live Captions and Voice Control, and the wider group is in dictation and voice to text on iPhone and Android.