What you need to know

  • It may soon be possible to send a text directly from the lock screen using Google Assistant.
  • The feature is currently being tested but it remains to be seen if it will be rolled out at all.
  • Currently, users are required to first unlock their device before sending a text message using Assistant.

The Google Assistant is arguably the most powerful virtual assistant out there, allowing users to easily perform tasks such as checking the weather, launching apps, looking for nearby restaurants, and a lot more. However, Assistant currently does not support sending texts directly from the lock screen. This is expected to change shortly as the folks over at 9to5Google have spotted a server-side test that enables the "send a text" command to allow the Assistant to send a text message directly from the lock screen. Interestingly, the test coincides with the release of the new Google app beta version 10.28.

As can be seen in the screenshots below, the new "send a text" command lets one send a text message from the lock screen by specifying the name of the recipient as well as the actual message. Once the text has been sent, Google Assistant provides the user with both visual as well as verbal confirmation. The functionality has been rolled out to only a small number of users righ tnow. 9to5Google says that they could use the lock screen texting feature on a Pixel 3 running on Android 9 Pie but not on a Pixel 3 running Android Q beta.

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Not all features tested by companies are rolled out to the public, so it is unclear if the lock screen texting feature for the Google Assistant will be rolled out widely.

Google Assistant: News, Tips, and Everything you need to know