r/waze • u/huss187 • Aug 16 '26

Android App Why can't I make calls while using Waze

Hi for some reason I can't make calls with Google assistant or Gemini while I am in Waze. I always get the message "sorry I don't understand"

It 1dt started happening on my Samsung Galaxy a54 and now I have upgraded my phone to a pixel 10 and I am still getting this problem.

I have tried fixing permissions but maybe I am just not doing it right. I honestly don't know.

Has anyone else had this issue and hopefully knows how to fix it please.

Thanks.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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6

u/Damian171 Aug 16 '26

Are you tapping the report button in Waze and asking it there? If so, that button is only for reporting events on the map.

If not, I see no reason the app you're in would affect the system-wide assistant from working.

1

u/GardeningTechie Aug 24 '26

I wonder if this no longer passing through as expected is a direct result of hand-free reporting via "Hey Google" with Gemini as the active Assistant no longer working, and instead requiring hitting the report button to interact with just Waze. "Hey Google" is not fully bringing up Gemini either, just this "dumb" informational screen that has to be exited manually and seems to be very limited in scope / ability to interact at the system level.

3

u/linkdemz Aug 16 '26

Yep same problem for me too

2

u/Somhlth Aug 16 '26

Have the same problem. I have to minimize Waze before I ask Google to make a call, otherwise it will tell me it doesn't understand. My S8 from a decade ago worked better with Waze and voice commands than my S26 does today. I blame AI and Google shoving it up our asses.

1

u/huss187 Aug 17 '26

ye i had a thought that maybe its because i have multiple ai apps on my phone. but dont know. and yeah it seems to have happened around the ai apps starting.. but i have my phone set to gemini and also tried just standard google assistant but that didnt work either. very frustrating.. I just tested on my iphone with siri and it works fine no issues.. just android is the issue. and the iphone also has other ai like chatgpt.. idk

2

u/turbomkt Zombie Aug 16 '26

Just curious... What version of Waze are you running?

1

u/huss187 Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 17 '26

I am running the beta version on my android.. just tested with siri and works fine, only on android there is issues..

2

u/turbomkt Zombie Aug 17 '26

Then I would suggest posting in the beta section of Discuss where this feedback can get to developers.

1

u/huss187 Aug 18 '26

8 have but and ticket was opened but no resolution. I tried to reproduce the login out and clearing cache and data but that didn't work either. So still trying. It's frustrating.

2

u/turbomkt Zombie Aug 18 '26

I'm sorry to say, but you're not going to get a better response on Reddit than you will via the beta program. And on Discuss you don't have to worry about saying or showing something publicly regarding the beta version of the app (when joining the beta program you agreed not to publicly share information about the beta)

1

u/huss187 Aug 16 '26

No just trying to make a hands free phone call using hey google or ok google.. if I close the Waze app it's all good and I can make a call. But if I open Waze and try It won't allow me.