Google Assistant button - remap workaround?

madbilly

Hi everyone,

The new 3.2 and 4.2 have a dedicated button for calling the Google Assistant app. AFAIK it cannot be remapped, Google forbid this, however, I wonder if it can be made to call another app by changing the default "assistant" app. This can already be done in Android 8.1, I don't know if it's possible in Android 9. Any app which say it is an "assistant" can be made to be default and then called by long-pressing the home button e.g. Firefox!

So, the question is, does this work for the dedicated assistant button?

Let me know when you get your 3.2 or 4.2!

Cheers

Tsapana

It should be possible, but looks like this system setting not working at least on nokia 7.2 - other assistant apps can not be selected. Looks like a bug in nokia's software layer.

Deb Ghosh

Yes. Apparently it worked for an XDA guy. But didnt work for me.

singhnsk

Yes, setting a different assist app works on all phones I tried. Last was a Nokia 2.2. I was able to pull Microsoft's Cortana using the GA button. Google would hate me doing that on a video 🤤

Yep, Firefox worked too. I could open a new Fox tab by pressing that handy button. But I'd have liked it more if I could just open existing opened tabs instead of a new blank tab :))

madbilly

Hi @singhnsk, I agree, the new tab function isn't much use except that I think it's possible to combine it with some sort of voice assist if you find the right add-on to work with Firefox for Android. I think it is or was an add-on which allowed voice input for various search engines. I never got it to work properly though.

Cheers 🙂

EDIT - Voice Fill! It was a Firefox Test Pilot add-on.

Philip_05

Google Assistant button should be customized

@sandi2708

https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/141723#Comment_141723

It has worked for me. Using a button mapper app.

@sandi2708

https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/138987#Comment_138987

First you have to turn assistant off from the settings and then install a button mapper to customize. I have customised the assistant button to take screenshots, splitscreen for supported apps and toggle flashlight. Till now it has been working flawlessly in my 7.2. No root was required.

madbilly

Hi Sandi2708,

First, I can't work out how to tag you with an @ at the front of your name - can you remove it please? 🙂

Second, thanks for the tips! This is very useful to know 😃

Cheers 🙂