How to Setup OK Google on iPhones and Replace Apple's Siri Voice Assist

The digital assistants or personal assistants have been quite popular over the past couple of years. The issue, however, is each of the platforms have their own digital personal assistants, and they do not work as effectively as they should on the rival platforms. Siri on Apple iOS, Google Assistant on Android, and Cortana on the now forgotten Windows Phone are just a few examples. But, have you ever attempted using Google Assistant on an iPhone? Check out the functionality and possibility in the following paragraphs. In this post, we help you explain how to setup OK Google on iPhones.

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Can you Setup OK Google on iPhones instead of Apple’s Siri?

Well, the personal assistants have moved away from the war that has always been found to be involved in. In fact, Alexa and Cortana have begun working together. We, however, amongst all the personal assistants, will rate Google Assistant as one of the best choices. So, is it possible to use Google Assistant on iPhone as your primary option for communicating hands-free with your device?

It is a little tricky in more ways than one. Siri is integrated deeply into Apple iOS ecosystem and the speed with which you can access it would make it an exceptional choice. However, if you are someone who has used all those Personal Assistant options before – you will understand that Google Assistant has been quite popular and efficient than most of them.

Of course, you can add a shortcut to the home screen and use the Google Assistant option. What if you want to use the opportunity right away without the need to touch your device at all?

However, a recent update to Google Assistant has brought a new change, and now you can use the Google Assistant as a shortcut on your Apple Siri. Let us check how.

How to add Google Assistant to Siri Shortcuts?

Well, as such – there is no way you would be able to use Google Assistant directly over Apple Siri. That was the position only until recently. The situation has changed now, and Google has made it easy to work with Apple Siri and can be added to Siri shortcuts.

Here is what you should do to make it work.

Download and install the Google Assistant app for iOS. You know how to do it. Just head on to your Apple app store and install the app as you would with any of your favorite iOS apps.

At this stage, you can only use Google Assistant through the home screen shortcut that we just referred to.

We need to add the Google Assistant hot word OK Google to Siri and make it launch the app. This should be rather easy if you have already added shortcuts to your Apple Siri before. If not, continue the journey with us.

Launch Google Assistant. You should find the option that says Add OK Google to Siri. Tap on it. Tap on Add To Siri and you are done with the task.

You are expected to define a shortcut for each of the actions that you would want Google Assistant to take over. The best option would be to use the command Hey Siri, OK Google. This will help arrive at the best choice for so that you can launch Apple Siri and let it launch Google Assistant and go to rest.

In fact, instead of OK Google, you can perform any other options or phrases to activate the Google Assistant. However, if you think you would want to preserve that unique experience of working with Google Assistant, it may be a great idea to use the OK Google option itself.

Another option you would be able to use for adding Google Assistant to Apple Siri is to follow the tips here below –

Launch the Shortcuts app on your iOS
Click on the Library tab
Next up, tap on Create Shortcut
Search for the option of Google Assistant.
Next on click on Hey Google.
Next on tap on the Done option
Choose Add to Siri
Tap on the button colored in red, and that creates your command.

That does it. Click on Done twice, and your settings will be saved.

Why Use Google Assistant instead of Apple Siri?

That was an obvious question. When you have an excellent personal assistant that works effectively on iOS and works seamlessly with the operating system, why would one need to go with Google Assistant?

Well, those who have used Google Assistant should know it better. Even for the die-hard, Apple users consider the performance of Apple Siri is quite terrible. In fact, iOS is a closed operating system and does not allow using any third party applications as such.

Moreover, if you are someone who is not willing to go with the concept of a closed or locked down approach, it may make you frustrated. While Google Assistant is available on the iOS app store, you would find it a little awkward to use the personal assistant in a not so personalized manner.

Any other methods you can use?

Well, there were a few options that iOS users had been using to invoke Google Assistant from within Siri. One of them was to use a Cydia activator. However, these options will need you to go with the jailbroken device and may not be the right option. You will lose the security that the Apple ecosystem has been providing you. A true Apple fan will never want to jailbreak their device just for the sake of using Google Assistant.

It was practice for this reason that Google has provided this option with its recent update so that Google Assistant fans would be using the application with ease from within the iOS operating system.

Google and iOS have always been fierce competitors, and you may not be lucky enough to expect any other more comfortable option to use Google Assistant from within Apple Siri. Now that the trick that we shared here is baked within the Apple ecosystem and works the best from within iOS in an entirely permitted manner, we would think this is the best that could have happened for us Google Assistant fans.

The Parting Thoughts

Finding Google offering its best services from within a rival framework should make it an excellent option to work with. It is quite a heartening update, and the very fact that you do not need to jailbreak your device or opt for any third party alternative makes a significant update.

Check if the workaround functions as it should on your iPhone and share your experiences of using Google Assistant on Siri. As for completing doing away with Siri and replacing it with Google Assistant is not possible at this stage. For the time being, you will need to invoke Google Assistant from within Siri, and once that done – Siri can go to sleep and reigns are handed over to Google’s assistant.

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