Android 10 first introduced the Smart Replies feature to millions of Android users. Smart Replies (now called Enhanced Notifications) allow quick responses and actions directly from the notification without opening the app. Smartphones on Android 10 and newer versions let you use suggested replies to respond to an incoming message from the notification area. The replies are limited to one or two words, except a few words in some cases. Similarly, suggested actions give you 1-click access to perform actions, such as opening web links or app links (YouTube, maps, etc.)
The Enhanced Notifications features are an excellent addition and helpful in many circumstances. However, it can be considered a peek into privacy since the system reads the incoming messages. It then processes it and suggests a possible reply. Google did not announce data usage in the Android 10 introductory post. But it is safe to count on the same promise Google made for the Android Messages app earlier i.e. data is entirely processed on-device and not uploaded to the Google cloud. Depending on your trust level, you might not like the new feature. Thankfully, it is easy to disable the smart replies, while it is unknown if Google’s machine learning still collects and processes the data from the notifications.
Manage Smart Replies (Suggested Replies and Actions)
Enhanced Notifications or Smart Replies come enabled by default on most Android phones. So, it is likely that you are looking for a way to turn them off which brought you here. The following guides should apply to most Android phones that run on stock Android or a similar lightly-customized skin. This includes phones from Google Pixel, Nokia, Motorola, Asus, Sony and Nothing. Phones from other brands might have the settings moved to a different place, so please look around if you do not find it.
For phones on Android 12 and Android 13
Google has been improving the suggested replies on Android for years. The feature is now clubbed and referred to as Enhanced Notifications starting with Android 12. Google has also revamped the UI in Android 12. Hence, the settings have moved a little bit. Here’s how to manage suggested actions and replies on phopnes running on Android 12 or newer.
- Open the Settings app.
- Navigate to Notifications.
- Scroll towards the end of the list to find “Enhanced notifications“.
- Turn off the toggle to disable suggested actions and replies.
For phones on Android 10 and Android 11
Android 10 adds a toggle into the system setting to turn Smart Replies on or off. The following steps are from a stock Android device. Different OEMs with a modified version of Android may move the setting to a different location. So, watch out if you do not see them in the same place.
- Open the Settings app.
- Navigate to Apps & notifications > Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap on Advanced.
- Finally, manage the toggle in front of Suggested actions and replies.
To disable Smart Replies, disable the toggle. And you can enable it if you decide to start using the feature again.
Do you like Suggested Replies?
I did not find the suggested replies of much use since I dislike those one-worded replies in most circumstances. They can indeed be helpful in some cases and work environments. What is your opinion about the Suggested Replies? Do you find them to be a feature useful to you? Do share your opinion in the comments!
I agree with Van, I despise suggested replies but would use suggested actions if that did not mean having to tolerate suggested replies. Thank you for helping me get rid of this annoying mal-feature. Not one suggested reply has ever been what I would actually reply and the risk of a misclick or pocket click is substantial.
got as far as 4. suggestions option is not there
I dislike suggested replies to the extreme and sadly they’re still present even though I’ve switched them off in settings.
I hate suggested replies! Twice now I’ve apparently accidentally chosen one while opening a message, and not even noticed until afterwards. Once in a chat with a friend (luckily it was just “I’m good, and you?” which is innocuous even if it’s not the way I talk). Second time I seem to have replied STOP to auto-texts that notify me about important appointments! I’m turning them off. This sucks.
Originally I thought they were interesting, but they have never captured how I wanted to respond. I’ve also accidentally tapped responses putting me in what feels like awkward situations to explain “that wasn’t me”.
I don’t like suggested replies – they take valuable screen space and are distracting. I couldn’t find anything under settings/notifications that worked to turn it off. I have a Samsung
I don’t like suggested replies and I want to turn it off and can’t. I went to settings and notifications and can’t find where to turn it off
Hi, which phone do you have?
My phone is an Android 10.
I wanted to know your phone’s manufacturer. Is it Nokia? Or is it Samsung? Or some other? Because the UI elements will change from manufacturer to manufacturer. I might have an idea if you tell about the company that made your phone.
But it would be nice if we could choose to add encouragement to the “mark as read” thing. Y’know, like instead of just indicating to someone that I read their text, it’d be nice to quickly let them know I laughed at or liked the message. But I also dislike the quick, stupid responses that show up right next to the “mark as read” link. Engineers/programmers may be code-smart, but they are also big fat nerds that don’t socialize like normal people, leading to easily-avoidable aggravations built in to simple features. Sorry for mansplaining.
This did not help whatsoever. I have tried and retried to do this with absolutely no success
Hi, which device do you have?
Bummer seeing that there’s only one toggle to control both suggested actions and suggested replies. I’ve only been using this version of Android for a few weeks and I’ve already had an awkward situation due to not noticing I had accidentally tapped to send a reply to a message, so I sure want to turn THAT part off… but I use the suggested ACTIONS all the time. Hmm. What a conundrum.
Thank you so much for this – I’ve been searchin everywhere today and couldn’t find the option. I could only find it in Messages!
I really appreciate this. It’s shocking that Google thinks it can force robotic responses on us so easily – and probably just as shocking that users are fine with it.
Turned the option off, but the phone ignores that setting and still shows the suggested replies, most of which would make me sound like a moronic 14 year old US girl.
That’s weird. Is it still showing suggestions for all apps? Or just for the messaging or SMS app? If it is for the SMS app, then it must be disabled from within the SMS app, I suppose.
Intrusive i.a functions are really bad. In this case and in my french experience, the result is ugly messages with no humanity, no relation with reality and do bad comprehension of the conversation.
It take more time to look suggestions than directly reply.
Agreed indeed. I do not see much use of these replies other than some corporate environments. And if this is what I get after allowing Google to read all of my notifications, then I must be a fool to be still using them :))
I personally do not like the new tool since it seems like the first step towards discouraging users to think independently for themselves by capitalizing on their assumed laziness to reply manually. By suggesting replies in what is an essentially a conversation between two or more human beings, Google sort of stealthily introduces a machine that adds content to a conversation between human beings, who are in many cases probably even unaware of that. I can imagine that this method of suggestions to discourage user from thinking independently will be eventually extended as part of Google’s tools, so that’s why I think it’s important to be aware of the consequences of using early, still simple versions of it.
+1
I wholeheartedly agree with this statement.
Thanks for showing where to turn these off. I, personally, hate them because they are too easily accidentally sent. I’ve sent a suggested reply more than once when intending to mark a message read. Really bad with work messages.
Exactly yes! I was waiting to see this. There have maybe been a few times I can definitely count of less 2 hands where I have used a suggested reply as it was intended just to shoot a quick affirmation “okay” or “sounds good.” Generally only while I am busy and on the move where typing it out would be a hassle but at the same time I want the person I’m talking to know I’ve followed up adequately with them.
Well I didn’t ask for this annoying quick response bar, and seem to be unable to get rid of it. It makes me seem like a not particularly smart or happy 12 year old girl whenever I accidentally press one of the buttons.
Why would anyone want to reply to a message with a stupid yellow face? What does that say about the sender or the human race as a whole?
Please get rid of this.
Using a NOKIA G21