How To Disable Voice Command Feature permanently

Yes(1), and I can here you honking at me 🙂



(1) only in places where it's totally legal.

Just so everyone knows this guy isn't alone, I have the exact same problem.

I use the iPod app on the iPhone 3GS on my motorcycle and I'm getting the same problem with the audio getting interrupted.

In my case I usually don't notice it until the first time I try to skip a song, so I guess I've held down the button too long, but it's a severe pain in the *** to have to take my phone out of holster and cancel the voice control while riding. Even otherwise the audio gets choppy and randomly boosts and drops volume level. I thought that was a different problem but maybe it's the same issue somehow.

It's also an issue because when it gets accidentally activated, it sometimes hears the wind tell it to call one of my contacts, which can be a little embarrassing when I obviously can't reach down and cancel it.

In other words, this Voice Control thing is killing me. I thought it would be simple to just turn off.

oh, and I meant hear, not here.

overworked ftw 🙂

I feel your pain! I'm having the exact same problem whenever I'm running with my 3GS and using the Nike+iPod app. I can't begin to convey how frustrating it is to have your run constantly paused because the stupid voice control keeps activating... We need to have the ability to disable this feature!

The voice control turns on randomly for me when I'm running with the iphone 3GS headset and phone. It *****, I spent most of my workout trying to figure out how to turn it off by disabling most of the remote controls, etc. I think it's the sweat causing it to malfunction because it's fine after while when I'm not running.

I am having the same problem! I am running and the voice control picks up either wind or heavy breathing and stops music or skips songs. It is a real pain in the rear! I thought maybe the button was getting pressed by running strap but the last two times I held IPhone 3GS in my hand. The button was definately no touched. Please fix it!

Simple solution. Buy a cheap pair of earbuds/headphones off Ebay that dont
have a mic in them. :>

Then switch back to the normal iPhone buds when you need the mic.

I tested this just now with my stock headset that came with the 3Gs. I started playing music from the IPOD app and then locked the screen. I then simply held the microphone in my fingers, careful not to press the button at all, and blew very hard on the mic area. Nothing happened, as I expected.

The ONLY way to active the Voice Command function is with a prolonged key press on either the button on the headset or the home button on the iPhone itself.

I suspect that somehow this is what is happening to you.

This does not begin to address the danger of listening to music via headphones when operating any motor vehicle. I was under the impression that it was illegal everywhere to listen to music with headphones in both ears while driving.

I would be shocked and scared witless if I saw someone driving a car with headphones in both ears. The same should apply for anyone riding a motorcycle.

As was mentioned in another post here, if you are trying to change tracks then it may be that you are accidentally activating the voice command feature. When wearing gloves you do not have the same tactile response you have otherwise so it may be harder to do the double or triple tap on the remote and instead you may be holding the button to long and triggering the voice command function.

If this is an issue with sweat or moisture causing a short in the remote then that is something that Apple needs to address.

I just hope that no one would use sound isolating or noise canceling headphones while riding / driving.

I have had the same problem. The voice activation comes on automatically without touching anything. It only happens when the ear buds are in. I have bought new ones and it did the same thing. So what now? It would be a great idea to have an on/off button for that feature.

This sounds completely like a software bug, because I haven't had this problem and I've recreated the situation and the voice command still didn't turn on. The voice command feature should only come on when you either hold down the sleep button or the middle button on the 3GS headset. I agree that there should be an on/off option for voice option, but most likely Apple won't include it in future updates.

just an update for the bikers, unfortunately it won't help runners...

I noticed that if I tuck the mic portion up into my helmet, the problem with the mic activating voice control goes away. If you don't wear a full face, I guess that doesn't help, but I just tuck it right underneath the padded strap so I can still reach it to skip.

Also, I wear fingerless gloves, so the dexterity isn't an issue there.

I'm not going to let this turn into a parental lecture about what I should or shouldn't be doing on my bike, although the fact of the matter is I've got far more to worry about visually (not being seen, drivers blowing lights/stop signs, not signaling turns) than audibly. People don't honk at bikers, they ignore them (because they don't see them). I've been pulled over with them on and have never had it raised as an issue.

At any rate, I'm sitting here with my v-moda duo's, holding the mic, not touching the button, and blowing into it. It lowers the volume, at the very least, then comes back up, then goes back down. Sometimes it skips to the next song, sometimes it pauses the song, sometimes it restarts the song. I've also tested this with the stock earbuds. This is also my third phone (other 2 had mfg defects); I'm able to reproduce the problem on any 3GS.

Simple request - make this an optional software setting. Thanks!

It happens to me EVERY night in the gym - I go in, do 20 mins on the treadmill, everything is fine. If then do 20 minutes on the rowing machine and at some point during this the Voice Control feature goes haywire - my music cuts out, Voice Control activates, then cancels, then comes back 30 secs or so later.

After rowing I do the exercise bike, and everything is fine again. I've already had new earphones from Apple, so it's either a) a software issue, b) something to do with the speed/motion of the rowing machine or c) sweat getting into the mic.

Either way it is EXTREMELY annoying. I've already reported it to Apple.

I'd LOVE to be able to turn Voice Control (not just voice dialling) off completely.

I'm in the same boat. I have the 3gs with Apple's in-ear buds. I get flippn' frustrated every time I am cycling and my phone goes in to Voice Control. I have exchanged my earbuds because I thought it might be an issue with them. No dice. Still doing it.

Apple, please make this a feature that we can disable!

I have to chime in here because I'm experiencing the same problem - Voice Control Interrupting iPod playback on iPhone 3GS - and it's *extremely frustrating*.

Here's the issue. A lot of people, like myself, use the stock iPhone 3GS headset while running or working out with the iPhone 3GS. The stock headset is very susceptible to perspiration. A drop or two of sweat on the headset remote can cause spurious headset inputs. This is a well documented and widespread issue.

One or more of these inputs causes Voice Control to activate, even when one goes into the setting in Passcode menu and sets Voice Control to be "off when locked". Voice Control is still not really "off" and comes on constantly during iPod playback.

Bottom line is that we need a setting to turn voice control completely and totally off. Apple, please provide this in 3.1.

Message was edited by: Gary Kercheck

Message was edited by: Gary Kercheck