Samsung pushes Bixby as its digital assistant way back, while as an Android phone you get Google Assistant too.
Install Alexa and that becomes an option – although Samsung will also let you access Finder and Samsung Internet too via the same route, which is not only in Galaxy S21 devices but also in the company’s other devices.
To set up and execute functions, One UI 3.1 also plays a vital role as it offers options to choose from options of digital assistance. Here are all the management options for those virtual assistants available in the S21 smartphones.
Access Google Assistant
A long press on virtual the on-screen home button will launch Google Assistant. You can then talk to Google and get the full experience as Mountain View intended. This is synced with your Google account from sign-in, so works with anything you’ve already set up Google Assistant to do. If you’re using Android 11 gestures, swipe diagonally in from the bottom corner to launch Assistant.
Turn on “Ok Google” hotword
The hot word to get Google to respond with just your voice is part of the Google app, but you’ll have to turn it on to get it to respond.
Head into the Google app, tap “more” in the bottom right-hand corner, settings > voice > voice match > hey Google. Toggle on the option and as long as there’s a voice match linked to your account, it will recognize you speaking and give you voice control of your phone.
Disable Google Assistant/all assistants
If you don’t want Google Assistant on that home button shortcut, you can remove the ability to launch it. Head into settings > apps and select default apps at the top of the page.
Then head into “Digital assistant app” then “Device assistance app” on the next page. You’ll now see the option to select “none”. Tap that option and nothing will then happen with a long press on the home button or when you swipe from the corners.
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Change your digital assistant to Alexa or Bixby Voice
If you’d rather launch Alexa on the home button, install the Alexa app and then, as above, switch the default device assistance app to Alexa – or Bixby Voice if you’d rather.
That will then mean you have Alexa or Bixby accessed through the home screen instead of Google. The Alexa hotword will not work.
Launch Bixby Voice
If you want to use Bixby, press and hold the side button and Bixby will launch. You’ll have to be logged in to a Samsung account using Bixby. You can also enable the “Hi Bixby” hot word. The easiest way to do this is to launch Bixby, swipe up from the bottom, and then open the menu top right.
This will bring up the Bixby Voice settings – tap “voice wake-up” and you’ll be able to get control of your voice. It’s off by default, so if you’re not going to use it, leave it turned off.
Re-assign the side button
There’s no longer a Bixby button like previous Galaxy S models had, instead there’s just one button. Head into settings > advanced features > side key.
Here you get all the options for that side key, so you can remove Bixby, you can set it to power off the phone with a long press, launch the camera with a double press or open an app of your choosing. Basically, you get to choose.
