Watch 6 LTE: Activate Hey Google without touching watch

[tangy1991]

Hi all, 

I have a Galaxy Watch 6. 

I am using this primarily due to parkinsons. I want to use voice activation only (hey google) to call carers and family. 

I currently have an issue where hey google only works if the screen is on (which requires me to either tap it or press a button) to activate the screen. I sometimes freeze and is unable to do so.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to activate hey google on the watch without me needing to make contact with the watch just like it does on the phone? 

[realaud]

You can try using Bixby instead.

[Ekamek]

Try getting the raise to wake feature turn on if you're able to. This will turn on the screen when you raise your hand. The other option to try is keeping AOD turned on, but it drains the battery.

[realaud]

He said he sometimes freezes. If he can't move to push a button, I doubt he can raise his wrist.

[Ekamek]

The keyword is sometimes. If the setting is made when he can, moving the hand activates the watch. I am sure he is able to take it off for charging at some point.

[realaud]

He's got Parkinson's, tremors will keep turning the watch on with that setting. Better to turn on voice activation in accessibility and use Bixby.

[realaud]

From what I've been reading, it looks like you absolutely should be able to wake Google Assistant with the watch screen off.  https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00090782/ 

In any case, I understand that Bixby will do what you want You can only have one assistant as default, but you can switch between them to see which one works best for your purposes.  

If you already are used to using Google Assistant and it won't wake the watch on voice wakeup it could be one of several issues - 1) you are not speaking loudly enough to activate it, 2) you don't have it actively running in the background, 3) it may need to be updated.  The whole point of a hands free assistant is to have it activate by voice and since screens are not on all the time, it would make no sense to not have it respond when the screen is off.  It probably will not wake if you have a security lock on the watch and the lock is engaged.  I do not believe that either assistant can unlock the screen.