When using Google Now voice commands, we’re officially left with one trigger phrase. The familiar “Ok, Google” is fine, but what if we wanted something else? One smart (or bored) Redditor tried out some new catch phrases, and one has our attention immediately.


Going by the handle LaFiero, our Redditor of note tried several different phrases, some with a lot of success, some with little to none. According to the post, “OK, Computer” and “OK, Phone” worked about 50% of the time. More success was had with “Hey Google”, but that’s probably an affectation of the phrase ending with “Google”.

More success was had with two very interesting phrases: “OK, Hugo” and “OK, Jarvis”. The first we can see as voice recognition perhaps mixing Hu-go up with Goo-gle, but Jarvis — now we’ve got something. Jarvis is the digital assistant to Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies, and this only seems to prove our theory about Sergey Brin and the Google X labs being his lair.

We tried out the phrases, and had absolute failure with “OK, Computer”, which indicated Google needs more Radiohead fans on the payroll. “OK, Phone” yielded nothing as well, so we wonder how our Redditor got those two working at all. The “Hey Google” worked fine, but again, that’s probably just because it ends in “Google”. With “OK, Hugo”, we got a mixed bag of results.

The “OK, Jarvis” command worked every time, though. It has no similarities to “Google”, so it’s pretty clear The Google crew, we assume at the direction of Tony Stark Sergey Brin, made this happen. It’s a fun little easter egg, and a really cool way to change things up a bit. If you’ve found any other catch phrases that work, feel free to let us know!

46 COMMENTS

  1. They should really allow you to customize the command anyway. What if you’re in a crowded room full of Nexus 5 users? One person’s “OK Google” will wake everybody’s phone.

    • Using Tasker with AutoVoice & AutoShare plugins, one can customize the command used with a little trickery. I have my voice button set to use Google now if I say “Google…”, and to initiate various other commands otherwise. (i.e. “Open [app name]”, “Activate Car/Home Mode”, etc.)

  2. hmmm… All you need is the first syllable. “OK Juh” works for me.
    “OK Guh” does not (first syllable of “google”)
    How odd.
    (not the first syllable, I guess… just the initial consonant sounds, because “ok goo” works)

  3. aint working for meeeee 🙁 it’s too good at recognising the correct words. I can’t even say OK Google pow. It knows the ‘N’

  4. I got just “Google” to work for me. I assume that it doesn’t really matter what you say in front of “Google” given enough pause.

  5. Nothing but ‘Ok Google’ worked on my new Moto X until I updated touchless control from Google Play – then several other Ok’s (Jarvis, computer, phone, Jeff(?)) worked. Worth a try for anyone who can’t get alternatives to work.

  6. ok this is a problem. I did not realise that other phrases aside from “OK Google worked”. I did an experiment with my phone sitting on my desk in front of me earlier, and placing a fake call to my assistant asking her to call a customer. The phone made the call; my assistant’s name is NOT google. 😛

  7. Worked: Ok Google, computer, , data (50%), OK (yes! ok ok!), b*tch, phone (50%)

    Did not work: idiot, dumba**. … stopped trying after awhile.
    I think there shld be a way for us to retrain the phone to recognise our style of talking, and also to change the keyword and restrict it to only 1 keyword. imagine the man that calls the wife accidentally while speaking to the mistress!! LOL! **disclaimer: hypothetical situation, i would never do such a thing!

  8. i was only able to get my launch practice to register Okay Computer one time, I cant get it to work any more 🙁 and jarvis doesnt work either -sigh-

  9. “Ok boo”, “Oh, Kaibu”, “Ok goo”, “Ok Goo Goo Dolls”, “Ok Guru”, “Ok guh”, “Ok good”, “Ok goulasch”, “Ok, [short pause] Hugo” all work well for me!

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