User Finds Temporary Workaround to Restore Google Assistant Default
One user found a temporary way to restore Google Assistant as the default by uninstalling Google app updates and opening the Assistant app from the Play Store.
Android Authority, citing Android Police, said the user described the process in a Reddit post. The user wrote that they uninstalled Google app updates from the app’s App info page and then opened the Assistant app on the Play Store. The report said the trick worked as expected on a Pixel device, and a few commenters appeared to confirm it.
The report called the fix a current, working option for users who prefer Assistant over Gemini, but not a permanent solution. It said the method works right now and did not present it as a long-term answer for those who want to keep using Assistant instead of Gemini.
The workaround follows Google’s broader move away from Assistant. Google had announced Gemini as its replacement for Assistant, and more recently began killing off Assistant on phones in favor of the newer experience, according to Android Authority. That shift has left some Assistant users looking for ways to switch back.
The report did not include a comment from Google on the workaround. It also did not say how long the method would continue to work or whether Google would take steps to block it.