Google Assistant’s final chapter on Android now has a date. Google will begin removing its long-running voice assistant from supported Android phones and tablets on September 4, 2026, completing its move to Gemini.
The change is not limited to phones. Google Assistant will also begin disappearing from connected Wear OS watches, compatible headphones and earbuds, and Android Auto when it is projected from a phone. Google says the rollout may take several weeks to reach everyone.
- Removal begins September 4, 2026.
- Gemini becomes the Android assistant experience.
- Phones, tablets, Wear OS, headphones, earbuds, and Android Auto are included.
- Once Assistant is removed, users cannot switch back to it.
Gemini replaces Assistant on Android
Google has been moving users from Assistant to Gemini for more than a year, but September 4 marks the beginning of the permanent transition for remaining Assistant users. Gemini keeps the familiar assistant role on Android, including voice access through “Hey Google,” while adding a more conversational AI experience.
For Google, the switch makes sense: maintaining two competing assistants on the same platform was never going to last. For users, however, it means Gemini is no longer simply an option. It will be the assistant experience on supported devices.
Which devices are affected?
The distinction matters for anyone who uses Assistant across multiple screens. Your phone may move to Gemini in September while Assistant remains available on some home and in-car devices for now.
What should Assistant users do now?
If you have kept Google Assistant as your default, this is a good time to try Gemini before the forced change reaches your device. Check the tasks you use most often: calling or messaging people, controlling smart-home devices, starting navigation, setting timers, and managing music.
Gemini can handle many of the same everyday requests, but it is a different product with a different interface and behavior. Testing it early gives you time to decide whether its voice settings, connected apps, and permissions are set up the way you want.
Google Assistant helped define the modern Android voice assistant after its 2016 debut. Its retirement is a clear sign that Google now sees Gemini, rather than Assistant, as the foundation for how people interact with Android.
Google’s Assistant-to-Gemini transition will start September 4 and continue over the following weeks. For the latest official context on Google’s broader migration plan, see Google’s Gemini announcement.