How To Enable Google Now On The Nexus 5

nexus-5-01Google Now is a fun voice-activated feature that turns your device into an intelligent personal assistant (similar to Apple’s Siri). It was originally launched on July 9, 2012, growing and expanding in terms of capabilities over the years. Popular Science Magazine even named Google Now “Innovation of The Year” for 2012.

When you originally set up a Google Nexus 5 device, you’ll be asked whether or not you want Google Now activated. If you choose “no,” you may have a difficult time locating this option under the normal settings of your device. Don’t worry, we’re going to show you how to turn this brilliant feature back on.

Steps To Enabling Google Now On The Nexus 5

  1. Drag your finger from the top of your Nexus 5 screen down to reveal the notifications window.
  2. Tap the “Quick Settings” option in the upper right-hand corner.
  3. Scroll through your device settings until you see “Accounts.”
  4. Tap the Google account you wish to use with Google Now. Note: Google Now may tie certain actions, such as reservations and memos, to your account. This is why it’s important to use your normal, everyday Google account.
  5. Scroll to the bottom of your account options and tap the “Search” button.
  6. Under “Accounts and Privacy,” tap the first item listed.
  7. Tap “Sign out.”
  8. Repeat the steps but tap your email address instead of sign out.

If you followed the steps listed above, your Google Nexus 5 device should prompt you to enable Google Now. Click the accept button and voila, you’ll now be able to take advantage of all the neat features offered by Google Now! If you happen to change Google accounts, go back and repeat the steps using your new email address. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it, but it’s still a bit more complicated than toggling on/off a typical feature.

Still Need Help?

You can also read a full walkthrough on how to enable Google Now on the Nexus 5 device at Slashgear.com. They offer a pretty good explanation on how to navigate through this feature using the KitKat Android operating system.

With Google Now up and running on your Nexus 5 device, feel free to use it for making dinner reservations, creating calender appointments, taking notes, asking questions, adding phone numbers, etc. It’s more than just novelty tool; you’ll likely find Google Now is a power personal assistant that’s capable of performing a wide variety of tasks.

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