Stoop my android phone from reading things outloud
August 2, 2021 8:27 AM Subscribe
My Samsung j6+ with android 10 suddenly decided to read out loud when I have a whatsapp message or upcoming meetings. I never turned this on and there is no scenario where I would want this to happen. How do I turn it off?
I'm pretty sure this is google assistant related as its the same voice. I went into the assistant's settings and it doesn't have a 'turn off voice' option, only 'on' & 'hands free' . I set it to hands free, no dice.
I'm thinking of removing the assistant or throwing my phone into the middle of the street, but am willing to entertain milder options for a few hours.
I'm pretty sure this is google assistant related as its the same voice. I went into the assistant's settings and it doesn't have a 'turn off voice' option, only 'on' & 'hands free' . I set it to hands free, no dice.
I'm thinking of removing the assistant or throwing my phone into the middle of the street, but am willing to entertain milder options for a few hours.
Response by poster: Thank for the answer, I don't have the talkback option under accessibility, but it is listed under installed services, where it's already off.
posted by signal at 8:50 AM on August 2, 2021
posted by signal at 8:50 AM on August 2, 2021
If it is Google Assistant, which is possible as you can tell GA to read my texts for example, tell it to stop reading aloud. "Hey Google, stop reading aloud". That might work or will lead you in a direction that might work.
If that does not work, go to the Samsung website and try to ask someone there or at your carrier.
posted by AugustWest at 8:59 AM on August 2, 2021
If that does not work, go to the Samsung website and try to ask someone there or at your carrier.
posted by AugustWest at 8:59 AM on August 2, 2021
I have Assistant turned off entirely. Maybe that will shut the phone the F up?
If you toss it in the street, I highly recommend you light it on fire first. Much satisfaction from seeing your phone on fire.
posted by AugustWest at 9:03 AM on August 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you toss it in the street, I highly recommend you light it on fire first. Much satisfaction from seeing your phone on fire.
posted by AugustWest at 9:03 AM on August 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Turned off Google Assistant, still getting voice notifications when I get a whatsapp message.
posted by signal at 9:55 AM on August 2, 2021
posted by signal at 9:55 AM on August 2, 2021
I don't have an Android phone anymore but two possibilities: Driving Mode is on or try turning Google App Notifications off.
Unlikely third possibility: Samsung's voice assistant Bixby was turned on.
I would also suggest turning hands free off, as that sounds like it would be more likely to read messages outloud similar to driving mode.
If none of these work, I would try deleting and reinstalling the Google and Google Voice Assistant Apps.
posted by mundo at 10:24 AM on August 2, 2021
Unlikely third possibility: Samsung's voice assistant Bixby was turned on.
I would also suggest turning hands free off, as that sounds like it would be more likely to read messages outloud similar to driving mode.
If none of these work, I would try deleting and reinstalling the Google and Google Voice Assistant Apps.
posted by mundo at 10:24 AM on August 2, 2021
It's been a while since I've use Android and I forgot you probably can't delete the Google App or the Google Assistant Apps. You could try disabling the Apps as a stop gap measure until you find an alternative solution.
posted by mundo at 10:35 AM on August 2, 2021
posted by mundo at 10:35 AM on August 2, 2021
My last ditch idea would be to backup the phone and do a factory reset.
posted by AugustWest at 11:56 AM on August 2, 2021
posted by AugustWest at 11:56 AM on August 2, 2021
This support question may be helpful. It shows how to uninstall Google Voice Assistant and how to restore Google Assistant to factory settings.
posted by mundo at 11:56 AM on August 2, 2021
posted by mundo at 11:56 AM on August 2, 2021
The narrator/talkback feature got turned on. It should be inside "Accessibility" in settings app. Or hold both volume buttons for 5 seconds should turn it off too.
posted by kschang at 2:30 PM on August 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by kschang at 2:30 PM on August 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
hold both volume buttons for 5 seconds should turn it off too
I believe that's a toggle, and since volume buttons are subject to being pressed randomly against stuff, almost certainly how it got turned on.
90% of the challenge of dealing with the current generation of touch-screen frustration inducers is figuring out how to undo and then prevent accidental activation of features you didn't know were there and have no earthly use for.
That all these features have cutesy marketing names doesn't help, and neither does the fact that the physical control resources on touchscreen machines are so abysmally impoverished that wedging all those feature controls into them requires a range of control gestures so obscure as to make the stereotypical 00:00 VHS clock problem look totally trivial.
posted by flabdablet at 6:50 PM on August 2, 2021
I believe that's a toggle, and since volume buttons are subject to being pressed randomly against stuff, almost certainly how it got turned on.
90% of the challenge of dealing with the current generation of touch-screen frustration inducers is figuring out how to undo and then prevent accidental activation of features you didn't know were there and have no earthly use for.
That all these features have cutesy marketing names doesn't help, and neither does the fact that the physical control resources on touchscreen machines are so abysmally impoverished that wedging all those feature controls into them requires a range of control gestures so obscure as to make the stereotypical 00:00 VHS clock problem look totally trivial.
posted by flabdablet at 6:50 PM on August 2, 2021
Response by poster: Hmm. It stopped. I think it might be turning off the assistant.
posted by signal at 7:40 AM on August 4, 2021
posted by signal at 7:40 AM on August 4, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by AugustWest at 8:41 AM on August 2, 2021