Pixel 3A XL screen turns on when using Google Assistant on my Versa 3

[Grayda]

As the title suggests, whenever I press and hold the shortcut button on my Versa 3 to speak a command to Google Assistant, my phone's screen turns on. If my phone is in my pocket, then the thin material of my pants means my phone touching my leg sometimes gets registered as inputs, leading to anything from resuming music playback, to making accidental phone calls (e.g. if you've got a missed call notification and you can tap it to return the call)

I wouldn't imagine this is normal behaviour, so is there a way to change it so triggering Google Assistant on my watch doesn't wake my phone?

[Guy_]

Hi @Grayda - when the phone is off and you say hey Google to give a command does the phone also come on?

If so,  it is a phone setting that needs adjusting.

[Grayda]

Nope, I have the hotword detection off on my phone because I also have a bunch of Google Homes at home and I don't want the two competing for my voice command, so to say something to Google Assistant on my phone I need to manually activate it, and the same goes for my Versa 3 -- I need to manually enable it by holding down the left-hand side shortcut button, or by running the shortcut on my Versa 3, then I can ask for a command like start a timer or turn on the outside lights.

I also went into the Google Assistant settings for my phone (and in the Fitbit app), and there's no options that I could see, that would cause the screen to turn on when Assistant is opened on my Versa 3

[Guy_]

@Grayda- thanks, what phone screen comes on when you long press the Versa 3 button?

Try enabling hey Google and see if you get the same response when triggering the assistant on the phone without using a button.

Also see if there is any notification in the status bar when long pressing the Versa 3 button.

Do you use anything like Tasker or Macrodroid on the phone? If so try disabling and test again.

[Grayda]

When I long press, my phone vibrates very briefly, and I can just see my wallpaper (I've got screenshots, but I can't attach them here I think). My phone is still locked though, as pressing Back, Home or Switch Apps on my phone shows the usual lock screen with my notifications:

I turned on "Hey Google" on my phone, and when I said the hotword, it came up with the expected Google Assistant view, which consists of a black modal window that has slid upwards, the words "Hi, how can I help?" and the colourful glowing bars at the bottom. Again, I've got screenshots, but I can't attach them here.

When I say "Hey Google" to wake my phone, then long press my Versa 3, the "Hi how can I help?" box disappears, but the glowing bars are still visible at the bottom of the screen.

I don't have Tasker or Macrodroid on my phone. I used to have Tasker installed, but I hadn't used it in years, so I uninstalled it about a year before I got my Versa 3 (and I made sure to follow their uninstallation instructions so it wouldn't leave anything behind)

I've also just been in to the app settings in Android, and made sure the Fitbit app had all the necessary permissions enabled, but I'm still getting the same result. Interestingly though, sometimes (once out of every four or so long presses) the screen doesn't turn on but Assistant on my Versa 3 works exactly as expected. It's weird.

[Guy_]

@Grayda  - thanks for the interesting observations.

It may be related to your lock screen settings.

On my phone (S9+) when the screen is blank (I don't use lock screen) and I say hey Google it operates in background without turning on the phone screen.

Also long press on my watch brings up only the watch Google prompt (with nothing on the phone), saying hey Google to the phone at this point gets no response from the phone (or the watch as the microphone is broken, pending resolution, so allows me to do that test). It means the watch has exclisuve control.

What you could try is logout of the app and restart both watch and phone.

Login to the app and reconnect Google Assistant and try again.