Google Now Commands: The Many Ways To Talk To Your Phone

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Apple has Siri, Microsoft has Cortana, and Alphabet has Google Now. While the latter has, according to most, the least glorious sounding name, the Google team have evolved the app into a very lovely personal assistant for Android devices. Google Now commands, voice detection, voice assistance, and integration with other apps, all of these make it worthwhile to casually talk to an Android smart device.

Google Now Apps

Google Now can currently be found on the Google Play Store under two different apps. The first is currently simply called Google, and it was previously known as Google Now. The name change came when the app received a big update with increased and improved the number of Google Now voice commands, Google Now cards, and app integration.

The second app is called Google Now Launcher, and it is definitely recommended to people who enjoy using the app and who want to make the best of it. Google Now Launcher integrates Google Now into the device’s home screen. The main added benefit is that Google Now commands can be activated even while the device is locked. The feature does prove to be a small but constant added drain on the battery.

Using Google Now

Users can access and try out the many fun and useful Google Now Commands in two main ways.

Ok Google

While on the Android device’s homepage, saying “Ok Google” will prompt the app to wake up and listen to the user. Any of the Google Now commands can then be spoken.

On most devices, Google Now comes with the feature active but here is how users can set it up in case Ok Google does not automatically work for them.

Step 1: Find the Google Settings app and run it. It is a gray cog with a white Google “G” in the middle.

Step 2: Find the Search & Now option in Google Settings. Some scrolling may be required based on the size and resolution of the device.

Step 3: Find the Voice option in Search & Now.

Step 4: Find the “Ok Google” detection option in Voice.

Step 5: If the switch is a faded gray or set to the left, then the setting is off. Make sure that the setting is on.

The Google Now Launcher app supports the Ok Google voice trigger even while the device is locked or sleeping.

The Microphone Icon

Instead of just saying “Ok Google,” users can simply tap the microphone icon present in the Google search bar on their home screen. The widget is built in with most newer versions of Android, but it is also available as both a stand-alone widget, “Google app”, and as an app, “Voice Search”. Each of these options will take users to the same Google Now Commands vocal input screen.

And now, without further ado, the very comprehensive list of Google Now voice commands.

The List of Google Now Commands

The names and words between the brackets are randomly chosen by our team and are meant to be potential examples. Feel free to try out any others. Users who already had Google Now installed should make sure to check that the app is up to date.

Pop Culture References & Easter Eggs

Do a Barrel Roll
Tilt / Askew
When Am I?
Who Are You?
What Is the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything?
What Is the Nature of the Universe?
Who’s On First?
What’s The Loneliest Number?
How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck If a Woodchuck Could Chuck Wood?
What Is Your Favorite Color?
What Does the Fox Say?
When Does the Narwhal Bacon?
What Is the Bacon Number of [Matt Damon]?
Go Go Gadget [Camera]
Lions, and Tigers, and Bears…
Beam Me Up, Scotty! (the Tech Exploring team’s funniest / best pick)
Make Me a Sandwich
Sudo, Make Me a Sandwich!
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Up Up Down Down Left Right

These are generally just seen as the funny Google Now commands, but they can liven up some situations.

General Commands

Search for [Awesome Parkour Jumps]
Show Me Pictures of [Berlin Rooftops]
How Do You Say [Revenge] In [German]
Say [Good Evening] In [French]
Define [Sword of Damocles]
What Is [Collateral Damage]?
What Is the Meaning of [Existence]?
What Is [Apple] Trading at?
Stock Price of [Google]
Who Invented [The Cinema]?
Author of [A Clockwork Orange]
How Old Is [Malcolm McDowell]?
Where Was [Stanley Kubrick] Born?
Who Is Married to [Jason Momoa]?
Post to Google+ [I’m Reading an Article On Funny Google Now Commands]
Post to Twitter [I just posted on Google+] (Twitter app needs to be installed)

App Control

Launch [Facebook]
Open [Messenger]
Take A [Selfie/Picture/Photo]
Record A Video
Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS/Flashlight On/Off

Reminders, Notes, Alarms, And Calendar

Remind Me [Next Time I’m at] [Home/Work] [To Call My Parents/Send an Email To Rachel]
Remind Me to [Feed The Cat] at [8 PM]
Note to Self: [Buy Bananas]
Wake Me Up in [8 Hours]
Set Alarm for [6 AM]
Set A Timer for [10 Minutes]
Create a Calendar Event: [Work Meeting] [Friday at 1PM]
When Is My [Doctor Appointment]?
What Is My schedule for [Saturday]?

Date & Time

What Time Is It in [London]? (also works locally)
When Is The [Sunrise/Sunset][in Moscow]?
What Is the Time zone of [Tokyo]?
Time at [Work/Home/The Hotel]

Calling & Messaging

Listen to Voicemail
Call [James]
Call [SpaceX]
Send [SMS] To [James] [Have you watched The X-Files yet?]
Send [E-Mail] To [James], [Subject: Where Are You?], [Message: We’re All Waiting for You.]
Call [My Cousin] (requires preset contact data)
Find [James’] [Home Address/Home Number] (requires preset contact data)
When is [Jesse’s] Birthday? (requires preset contact data)

Weather

Weather
What Is the Weather Like?
Do I Need an Umbrella Today?
Is It Going to Rain [Tomorrow/Sunday]
What Is the Weather in [London]?
How Will the Weather in [Berlin] on [Monday] Be?

Maps & Navigation

Map of [Gotham]
Show Me The Nearby [Diners] On Map
Show Me The [Ruby Tuesday] Menu
Where Is My Hotel?
Where Is [The Post Office / The Golden Gate Bridge]
How Far Is [Gotham from Chicago]
Navigate to [Gotham] on car
Directions to [Gotham City Center]
Next Step (while using Navigation)
Mute/Unmute (while using Navigation)
When Will I Get There? (while using Navigation)
Find Gas Station (while using Navigation)
Show Route Overview (while using Navigation)
Show Alternative Routers (while using Navigation)
Resume Navigation
Exit Navigation
Where Is My Package? (requires tracking information from Gmail)

Calculations & Conversions

What Is the Tip for [$165]?
Convert [Currency/Metric] To [Other currency/Imperial]
How Much Is [19] Times [42]?
Square Root of [576]?
What Is [88] Percent of [4096] (and a lot less complicated but useful math)
[Arithmetic Expression] Equals

Flight Information

Show Me My Flights
Flight [AB 123]?
Flight Status of [AB 123]
Has [AB 123] Landed?
When Will [AB 123] [Land/Depart]?

Web Browsing

Open [Reddit.com]
Go to [IGN]
Show Me [nVIDIA.com]
Browse to [Dominos.com]

Entertainment

Listen to/Play [Diamonds] by [Rihanna]
YouTube [Funny Cat Compilation]
Who Acted in [Finding Dory]?
Who Is the Producer of [WarCraft]?
When Was [Captain America: Civil War] Released?
Runtime pf [The Conjuring 2]
Where Is [X-Men: Apocalypse] Playing?
Watch [Brave] (requires movie player and the movie to be in storage)
What Movies Are Playing [Tonight]?
Play Some Music (requires Google Play Music)
What’s This Song? (requires song to be played by the device)
What Songs Do [Journey] Sing?
Listen to TV (requires the app to be installed)
Read [Dracula] (requires book reader and book file to be in storage)

Sports

How Is [Manchester United] Doing?
When Is the Next [New York Yankees] Game?
Show Me The [Premier League] Table
Did [The New York Mets] Win Their Last Game?

The Google team has been hard at work for several years now to accurately integrate Google Now along the many Google and Android apps that made sense. However, the list of Google Now commands does not stop here. 3rd party apps like Commander further increases the number of Google Now commands. WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram, all have a supported voice command or two.

If the broad software range is not enough to convince people that Google Now is popular, that is fine. Motorola designed the Moto X series with the Touchless Control feature in mind. The entire point of Touchless Control is to operate the phone through Google Now commands.

New voice commands for Google Now are frequently added into the main apps so users can expect the list to get larger with the passing of time.

Which do you consider to be the best Google Now commands and did we miss any? Let us know.

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