The Speech Services by Google introduction came silently and many users were wondering what’s the deal with this new service. It didn’t help that the first experience wasn’t exactly positive as the reports about Speech Services by Google not downloading started coming in. We made sure to explain what’s the deal with this service and how to fix possible issues.
What is Speech Services by Google and why is it downloading on my phone?
Speech Services by Google is the recently-revamped system service that covers the TTS engine (text-to-speech) while also being an essential part of speech-to-text in third-party apps and services. It basically deals with dictation in all Google apps, including Gboard, the Google app, Chrome, etc.
If you see that it’s downloading on your phone or that’s downloading language updates in the background, you shouldn’t worry. The language base is being perpetually updated and optimized. However, some users claim that the updates just get stuck and the notification won’t get away. Sometimes, users are informed that Speech Services by Google is Waiting for Network Connection. If that’s the case with you, check the instructions we provided below.
1. Clear data from Speech Services by Google
The first thing you should do is clear data from Speech Services by Google in App Settings. This should kickstart the download process and, hopefully, you won’t have to move to the next step. Due to advanced functionality in comparison to some present versions, Speech Services by Google might take a lot more storage space.
Here’s how to clear data from Speech Services by Google:
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Choose Speech Services by Google from the list of available apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Clear data and restart your phone.
You can also open Notifications and disable all notifications if the notification is bothering you.
2. Uninstall updates and update the app manually
The next thing you can try if the issues persist is to uninstall updates from the app and update it in Play Store after that. There are reports that certain releases had bugs and I’ve personally experienced issues with English Update. However, I haven’t run into the same problem for quite some time. So, we can recommend uninstalling updates and updating the app manually, in hope that the latest release doesn’t retain the same issues.
Here’s how to uninstall updates from Speech Services by Google in a few simple steps:
- Once again, open Settings > Apps > Speech Services by Google.
- Tap on the 3-dots menu at the top and select Uninstall updates.
- Restart your Android.
- Navigate once more to Settings > Apps > Speech Services by Google.
- Tap on “App details in store“.
- Tap Update.
3. Update the firmware on your Android
Another thing you can try is updating the firmware on your Android. Maybe the problem isn’t with the service itself but with the integration in the current Android version your phone is running. Also, there’s always a possibility of a system bug causing the perpetual download in the background.
To update your Android, navigate to Settings > Software update or Settings > System > Software update. Check for available updates and install them.
4. Disable Speech Services by Google
In the end, there’s always an option to disable Speech Services by Google if you don’t rely on TTS or STT (text-to-speech or speech-to-text). Have in mind that this might not be an option on Pixel devices and that some functionality might be affected. Most other OEMs have their own TTS engines so it’s not compulsory to stick with Google.
Therefore, it’s completely safe to disable this service, if your device allows it. You can freely turn off Google Text-to-Speech on Android. Or you can disable Speech Services by Google and never see that annoying notification again, navigate to Settings > Apps > Speech Services by Google and disable the app there.
With that said, we can wrap up this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share your experience with us. Were the instructions we provided here helpful? Tell us in the comments section below.
