Google is working a lot on automation in the Google Assistant ecosystem and they are frequently implementing new features. We welcome it since Google Assistant Routines are, at worst useful and at best (with a proper setup) can make life so much easier and automation more accessible to regular users. Sadly, some users report that Google Assistant routines are not working for them on Android as of recently.
We have more than a few solutions for this ache and you can find them below.
Table of contents:
- Disable and re-enable routines
- Check Language and region settings
- Check Google app permissions
- Disable DND and modes in Digital Wellbeing
- Set Google as the default Assistant
- Clear cache and data from the Google app
- Uninstall Google app updates
- Register your Voice Match again
- Sign out and sign in with your Google Account
- How do I fix my Google Home (Nest) routine?
How to fix Google Assistant Routines on Android
1. Disable and re-enable routines
The first thing you should do is to toggle problematic routines OFF and then ON. Google is constantly upgrading and improving Google Assistant routines on all platforms and the most recent one is the Daylong routines feature. With it, you can set action triggers at different times over a day.
And all those frequent changes are welcome but they often negatively affect essentials. So, we recommend navigating to Routines in Google Assistant settings and disabling and re-enabling your routines.
As a side note, don’t forget that the on-phone routine macro requires a network connection to work so make sure that your device is connected.
In case you have any automation apps with macros like IFTTT, make sure to disable all Google Assistant-related macros and try again. This might cause problems or interfere with native Assistant routines.
If routines include certain smart devices, make sure to remove them from the list in Assistant > Profile > Home control. Add them again (sign in if required) and check for improvements. Also, confirm that trigger commands for routines are not using the same words as Shortcuts.
If that doesn’t help, consider resetting the devices and adding them again. Some smart devices require apps to be configured while others you can set up directly from the Google Home app.
2. Check Language and region settings
The next thing that some users suggested is changing the language to English (U.S.). It seems that even regional variations of English won’t cut it in some regions. You can find the list of supported languages in certain regions in the image below.
With that in mind, here’s how to change Google Assistant Language settings on your Android:
- Open Google Assistant and tap on the Snapshot button in the bottom left corner.
- Tap on your Profile icon at the top.
- Select Languages.
- Choose English (United States) from the list and check if the routines are working or not.
In case you are still experiencing issues with Google Assistant routines, check the next step.
3. Check Google app permissions
Google Assistant is a part of the Google app. And, since Google comes as a pre-installed app on the majority of Android devices, it usually has all permissions granted by default.
However, it won’t take too much of your time to double-check if that’s the case. Ensure that Google Assistant has all required permissions, with a special focus on Location, Storage, Microphone, and Phone.
Here’s how to check permissions for the Google app:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps. Expand all apps or open App manager (Manage apps).
- Select Google from the list of installed apps.
- Tap Permissions.
- Grant the highest degree of permission to Google.
- Test routines again.
If Google Assistant Routines are still not working, check the next step on the list.
4. Disable DND and modes in Digital Wellbeing
The next thing to do is check DND (Do Not Disturb) and Bedtime/Focus/Driving modes in Digital Wellbeing. Make sure that everything is disabled. If enabled, they might limit the background actions of Google Assistant routines.
You can disable DND from Quick Access tiles and Digital Wellbeing modes from Settings > Digital Wellbeing. Hopefully, routines will work after that.
Also, disable the Battery saver if active and look for improvements.
5. Set Google as the default Assistant
To avoid possible interference with other digital assistants, we recommend setting Google Assistant as the default one. This is especially important on Samsung devices that come with Bixby as the default option. If you don’t change this setting, your device might prioritize Bixby Routines over Google Assistant Routines.
Here’s how to change the default Digital Assistant on your Android:
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps (Apps & notifications).
- Choose Default apps. On some Android skins, tap the 3-dots menu and select Default apps from there.
- Select the Assistant app or Digital assistant.
- Set Google as the default device assistance service.
6. Clear cache and data from the Google app
Since Google Assistant is a part of the Google app and it relies on various Google services to work, the next troubleshooting step focuses on that. The initial step should include clearing the local data from the Google app, which will reset it.
Here’s how to clear local data from the Google app on Android:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Expand all apps and open Google from the list of available apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Select Manage storage.
- Clear all data and restart your Android.
- Trigger Google Assistant, accept terms again and follow instructions. Test Google Assistant Routines and see if there are changes.
You can also clear local data for the following services:
- Google Play Services
- Google Services Framework
- and Google Assistant
To see Google Services Framework and Google Assistant on the list of installed apps, tap on the 3-dots menu and choose to Show system processes.
If that doesn’t help and Google Assistant routines are still not working on your Android, try uninstalling updates from the Google app.
7. Uninstall Google app updates
The next thing you should do is uninstall Google app updates. Since this is a built-in app, you can’t uninstall it completely. You can disable it or uninstall updates from it and restore it to factory values. This will restore the app to the version that came with the system. After that, update the app and test routines.
Here’s how to uninstall Google app updates on your Android:
- Again, navigate to Settings > Apps > All apps > Google.
- Tap on the 3-dots menu and tap Uninstall updates.
- Restart your device, update the Google app, and look for improvements.
Also, if you are an early adopter of the Google app, make sure to leave the beta program. To do so, follow these steps:
- Open Play Store.
- Look for the Google app and expand it.
- Swipe down and tap Leave under the Beta tester section.
- Navigate to Settings > Apps > All apps > Google > Storage > Manage data and clear all data again.
- Update the Google app and check for improvements.
8. Register your Voice Match again
Moving on. If Google Assistant routines are not working, you can try fixing the problem by re-registering your Voice Match in the Google Assistant settings. Of course, this troubleshooting step is suggested if the routines are triggered by voice.
Follow these instructions to remove and add your voice match in Google Assistant:
- Summon Google Assistant.
- Tap on the Snapshot button in the bottom left corner.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top and open Hey Google & Voice Match.
- In the This phone section, enable Hey Google.
- Tap Voice model.
- Tap Delete voice model.
- Record a new voice model by following the on-screen instructions.
- Get back to Google Assistant settings and open Personal results.
- Enable Personal results.
9. Sign out and sign in with your Google Account
Both third-party and first-party operations and services on Android are associated with a Google Account. Of course, this is super important for Google Assistant, a service provided by Google and inaccessible without an account.
A common troubleshooting step when issues with Google’s apps and services occur is to remove your Google Account (the one you use on your device as the main account) and add it again. Don’t forget to skip the restoration process as you’ll be prompted to do so.
Here’s how to sign out and sign in again with your Google Account on Android:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Accounts. You need to open Manage accounts on some devices.
- Select Google.
- Remove the Google account.
- Reboot your device and sign in again.
- Skip restoring apps from the backup, configure Google Assistant, and check if routines are working or not.
If you are still experiencing issues with Google Assistant, make sure to report the problem to Google. You should also consider resetting your device to factory settings. Although, we can’t guarantee that this will solve the problem.
10. How do I fix my Google Home (Nest) routine?
Finally, we can’t forget to mention that the aforementioned issues with Google Assistant routines mostly plague Google Nest (Google Home) users. It seems that routines are often hit or miss and they stop working for no apparent reason after working quite fine previously.
Here are some steps we can suggest to fix this problem:
- Restart your Google Nest/Google Home speaker or display.
- Restart all smart devices included in routines and reboot your Wi-Fi router.
- Disable routines and add them again.
- Change the language to English (United States) in Google Assistant settings.
- Remove Google Home/Nest device and add it again via the Google Home app.
- Enable Personal results for your Google Home/Nest device in Google Home > Your device > Settings > Recognition & sharing > Personal results.
- Check the wording in routine commands and make sure that there are no shortcuts that use the same command. Disable IFTTT.
- Wait for firmware updates since updates fixed issues with routines in the past.
- Reset your Google Home/Nest device to factory settings.
That should do it. Thank you for reading and feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions with us in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
