Is Google Listening? Know All Truth About Voice Activity, Recordings, & Deletion

Google Voice Activity, a feature linked to your Google Account, has raised privacy concerns after users noticed ads related to recent conversations. While this has led some to wonder if Google is secretly recording conversations, the truth is more nuanced. Google Voice Activity saves your voice commands and search records to improve Google Assistant and deliver more accurate results. Whenever you use “Ok Google” or “Hey Google” to ask a question or perform a voice search, a recording may be stored in your account.

Does Google record without permission?

Google states that audio is recorded only when a user gives a voice command or grants microphone access. Accidental activations can occasionally trigger recordings, which is why some people believe their phones are always listening.

Viewing And Managing Voice Activity

To see which recordings Google has saved, visit your Google Account and open Activity Controls or My Activity. Under “Voice & Audio Activity,” users can see all saved recordings, along with their date and time, and listen to them if desired.

Deleting Or Disabling Voice Activity

Users can delete individual recordings or clear all saved Voice Activity. For more privacy, you can turn off the Voice & Audio Activity feature in Settings, preventing future voice commands from being saved.

Tips To Protect Your Privacy

To enhance privacy, regularly review your Google Account activity, limit microphone permissions to essential apps, and disable “Hey Google” if not in use. While Google Voice Activity is not a spy tool, it does store your voice commands to improve user experience.