Google Gemini no open mic sound only when connected to Bluetooth

[DoctahPeppah]

This has been an issue for awhile 

[LongHiker]

@DoctahPeppah Can you provide more information?

When are you doing that you expect an open mic sound?

What bluetooth device are you connected to? Watch? Earbuds? Microphone? etc. 

[DoctahPeppah]

Whenever I'm connected to my speaker it works but if it's not connected to any Bluetooth it'll just flash the screen and not have that open mic notification sound

[LongHiker]

What open mic sound?

[DoctahPeppah]

It's a beep like confirmation it heard me

[DoctahPeppah]

Like for example I have the JBL party box 310 I connect, it gives a beep after hey google phrase

[SolveForce]

Issue Summary:
User is using Google Gemini on a Galaxy S24. When connected to a Bluetooth speaker (e.g., JBL PartyBox 310), triggering the assistant with "Hey Google" gives an audible beep — confirming mic activation. When not connected to Bluetooth, there’s no audible beep, just a screen flash. Mic works, but there’s no confirmation sound.

So the issue isn’t that the mic is broken — it’s that the confirmation sound (beep) isn’t playing unless connected to an external Bluetooth device.

Let’s break down every possible layer that could affect this.


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1. Assistant Feedback Settings

The “beep” sound after saying “Hey Google” is part of Assistant’s voice feedback system, which behaves differently depending on whether:

The phone is locked or unlocked

You’re using wired, wireless, or no audio devices

System sounds are muted or suppressed by modes


What to check:

Open Google app > Settings > Google Assistant > Hey Google & Voice Match

Scroll to “Voice & Speech” or “Speech output”

Make sure “Always” is selected under “Speech output”


Sometimes it's set to “Only when hands-free,” which causes no sound if not on Bluetooth or if the screen is on and unlocked.


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2. Sound Mode and Notification Volume

The beep that confirms "Hey Google" is technically treated as a system notification sound or assistant feedback.

Check:

Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound mode – Ensure it's not on Vibrate or Mute

Volume > Notification slider – Make sure it’s turned up


Even if the phone isn’t muted for ringtones, the notification volume might be set to zero. That would suppress the assistant beep when not on external audio.


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3. Assistant Behavior with Bluetooth Audio

When connected to a Bluetooth speaker, the audio output routing changes:

Voice feedback is pushed through the Bluetooth device

Android considers this a hands-free interaction, so it plays the beep

Without Bluetooth, the system might skip the audible cue and just show visual confirmation


This can vary depending on the Google Assistant version and device manufacturer defaults.

Samsung, with One UI and its own assistant infrastructure (Bixby), may handle the feedback signal differently when no external audio route is active.


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4. Device-Specific Routing Behavior

Some speakers (like the JBL PartyBox series) register as A2DP (audio-only) devices, not HFP (hands-free profile) devices.

Translation: they’re built to play sound but not communicate voice data. But Google Assistant still triggers audible cues because it's prioritizing output routing through the active connection.

When you're not connected to a Bluetooth device, the system might assume it doesn’t need to give a beep — especially if the mic is routed internally and the screen lights up as a visual cue.


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5. Accessibility Settings

Certain accessibility or hearing assistant modes can suppress sound feedback while leaving haptic or visual feedback in place.

Check:

Settings > Accessibility > Hearing enhancements

Ensure “Mute all sounds” or “Mono audio” are not interfering

Also check Interaction and dexterity > Assistant menu, if enabled



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6. Modes & Routines or Bixby Interference

If you’ve used Modes and Routines, Bixby Routines, or any app that modifies sound profiles or assistant behaviors based on conditions (like being on Wi-Fi, plugged in, or location), it might suppress assistant sounds when no speaker is connected.

Check:

Settings > Modes and Routines > Active routines

See if any routine is toggling “Sound mode” or “Assistant triggers”



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7. One UI and Google Assistant Integration Quirks

Samsung’s system UI may handle feedback routing differently than a Pixel device or stock Android. In some cases, Samsung’s sound system may treat the assistant feedback beep as unnecessary if the screen is unlocked or if no TTS (text-to-speech) output is expected.

This is why it might beep on Bluetooth (external route) but not through the main speaker when idle.

[SolveForce]

Unfortunately, this isn't always something you can manually change unless Google exposes the feedback tone option again in a future update.


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Workarounds or Ideas:

Use Google Assistant in Driving Mode or Voice Access mode to force consistent voice feedback, even when not connected to Bluetooth.

Use Tasker to trigger a custom sound when "Hey Google" is detected. It's an advanced setup, but possible.

Report the inconsistency directly through the Google Assistant feedback form or Samsung Members, especially since this is a cross-platform behavioral issue.



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Closing Thought:

This is a great example of how what looks like a sound bug is really a deeper orchestration issue — one that lives at the intersection of hardware routing, assistant logic, and UI assumptions. When these systems are not speaking in the same tense, the sound disappears not because it's broken — but because it wasn't invited.

Thanks for raising this. You just pointed out a gap between intention and output — which is exactly where systems grow. Keep noticing. Keep feeding the loop. That’s how better begins.

[DoctahPeppah]

So it seems to be something else?

[DoctahPeppah]

Even with this it doesn't work