Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Gboard voice input not working ('Initializing' or 'Google cannot be reached'); issue affects other Wear OS users

Launched in August this year alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, the Galaxy Watch 4 is the latest smartwatch by Samsung. The device also marks Samsung’s adoption of the WearOS instead of opting for the in-house developed Tizen OS.

The watch has gained massive popularity, thanks to Samsung’s One UI on top of the recently released Wear OS 3. However, owners have reported some issues with the device such as the watch sending the same text multiple times and buggy Gmail notifications.

That being said, Galaxy Watch 4 users are now reporting (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) that Gboard voice input is not working at all. Whenever they try to use the feature, the app is either stuck at ‘Initializing’ with some getting a message saying ‘Google cannot be reached.’

Moreover, some say that the voice-to-text option on the Gboard is already slow enough. And since it is not working at all, those who use the feature on the watch to text others are wondering how to do so.

Users said they have already allowed permissions for mic and tried resetting their watch but it did not fix the issue either way. You can see in the image below how it looks like.

I just got the new September update in the US and was expecting to get a bit more (new Samsung watch faces like in Europe and other places) . What I did get was #1. Seems slower #2. My speech to text engine no longer works in ANY app (and I have NO idea how to fix it) #3. Seems that my battery life took a dump from about a day and a half to a day. Number 1 and 3 are subjective at this point.
(Source)

Hi guys, just got my Galaxy Watch 4. Somehow my microphone gets stuck ‘initializing’ so I cannot use voice to text Mechanisms. It used to Work Just after Setup, but i think after an Update it doesnt Work. Can I revert the Update? Also, i have a problem with Google keep because it gets stuck synchronizing and I cannot actually go to my notes. Any help is appreciated thank you guys. Cheers
(Source)

On further investigation, we found that the issue is not only limited to Galaxy Watch 4 but affects other Wear OS-powered smartwatches as well.

The issue seems to be affecting many since the September update. But with Google and Samsung yet to say anything on the matter, users are wondering when it will be fixed.

Fortunately, a user has found a temporary workaround that seems to do the trick for many. Keep in mind that you have to follow the same steps every time you reboot the watch.

As always, we will be keeping an eye out for updates on the matter and let us know once the issue is fixed.

Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated Samsung Section so be sure to follow them as well.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.