How to Hack Google Assistant on Your Computer
One day, every digital assistant will be at our fingertips, no matter which platform we prefer, so yelling at Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, or anyone else will be as easy as clicking an icon and fiddling with verbal commands . Until then, however, there are tricky workarounds to get things like Google Assistant on our Windows or Mac desktops.
If you want to experience this magic, know that the implementation – courtesy of the ” unofficial Google Assistant desktop client ” – isn’t perfect. You won’t be able to access Google routines from your desktop or your favorite streaming services. It is unclear if this is simply because this utility is so new, or if it is a complex technology issue. Stay tuned on this front.
Plus, you’ll have to go through the semi-cumbersome process of setting up the Google Assistant API on Google Cloud. There is a great guide to do this that walks you through the entire process so that you will lend a helping hand along the way. However, it’s not just “install the app and poop!” kind of a solution. You have to do a bit of work to get Google Assistant on your desktop.
When I checked it out, installing the app was an easy task. And when you run queries after running the unofficial helper, you get this unmissable message:
From there, I ran the installation guide and started progressing through the API process. The instructions are so well written that it took me less than ten minutes to get the app up and running with the Google Assistant API – eight, in particular if you were curious. Shortly thereafter, I had (almost entirely) a working version of Google Assistant on my desktop that, by default, could be launched by pressing the Windows + Shift + A keyboard shortcut.
While it’s fun in its basic form, I recommend tweaking a few options in the main settings window of the unofficial desktop client before you’re ready. Specifically:
- Enable microphone on app launch: If a microphone or webcam is connected to your system, this will ensure that Google Assistant is listening when the app is launched.
- Window Float Behavior: Select “Close on Blur” and your little Assistant screen will disappear the moment you click out of it. This is a little more convenient than pressing X every time.
- Theme: Select Use System Preferences to make the Assistant match your PC’s theme, whether you’re working in the dark, brightening, or switching frequently.
Unfortunately, you can’t change the default hotkey just in case Windows Key + Shift + A seems cumbersome to you. You can always use another application to remap this to something else, like a gaming mouse button or something else on your keyboard; but that’s ok once you get used to it, and a small fee for a virtual assistant on your desktop.