Google Assistant is always ready to help you using your Android device via simple and intuitive voice commands, is your personal assistant, whom you can ask questions and tell it to do simple things.
This new feature is at the moment officially supported only on Google’s latest flagship smartphones like the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL.However, now there is a way through which you can install Google Assistant on your Android device even if i’s not a Pixel smartphone.
Among the devices that are known to work with this method we find : Google Nexus 6P, Google Nexus 6, Google Nexus 5X, Google Nexus 5, Google Nexus 4, Google Pixel C, OnePlus One, Moto G 2013, Moto G 2015 and Samsung Galaxy S5.
Before you get started with the Google Assistant installation process you’ll need to make sure you have :
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- The newest Google app
- KingoRoot app
- BuildProp Editor app
How to install Google Assistant on selected Android devices
Root your Android device
- To try out what Google Assistant has to offer, you need to have a rooted Android Nougat device.
As this process requires you to root your device, make sure you know what you are doing, because this process it can void your warranty.
- So if you’re not an advanced user, the safe way is to wait for the official release of Android Google Assistant to be available for your device. The rooting process will give you the privilege to have complete control over your Android device to install more apps, and tweak your device to work just the way you want it to.
- To root your Android device, use the KingoRoot app that can be downloaded as an apk file and installed like any other app on your Android device. To be able to install the file, make sure you allow your Android device to run apps from other sources. For that, go to Settings, tap on ‘Security’ and scroll down until you see the ‘Unknown sources’ option and tap it to turn it on.
- Next step is to go to the KingoRoot website on your device and to tap on ‘Download for Android’. Once downloaded, open the apk file and allow the installation.
- Once installed, open the KingoRoot app, tap ‘Root Device’ and let it complete the process.
- You can also use the Windows version, which requires you to connect your device to your PC.
Edit the Build.Prop file
- Install the BuildProp Editor app from the Google Play Store and load it up.
- Scroll down until you find the ro.product.model entry. This tells Android what your device name is; for example on OnePlus One, it says ro.product.model= OnePlus One.
- Tap on the entry, and in the ‘Value’ text box, type ‘Pixel XL’ to ensure that the device is listed as a Pixel XL and that it’s read as an eligible device for Google Assistant.
- Click ‘Save’ and the entry will now show : ro.product.model=Pixel XL.
- Now you will need to browse for the ro.opa.eligible_device entry. If you did not find it there, tap the three dots icon on the top-right corner of the screen and add ro.opa.eligible_device as the name. In the ‘Value’ text field, enter True.
- If the ro.opa.eligible_device value already exists change False with True.
- Once this changes have been made, save the file and exit out of editing.
- Now you need to entirely reboot your device.
- Once rebooted go to Settings->Apps ->Google app-> Storage and here clear all Data and Cache.
That’s it, Google Assistant should be available on your Android device .The access to the option should now be possible via a long press of the Home button on the device.