Android: Google Recognizer Intent: EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE and API 33+

Question

Consider this Kotlin code to init a Google speech recognizer:

            recognizerIntent = Intent(RecognizerIntent.ACTION_RECOGNIZE_SPEECH)
            .apply {
                putExtra(
                    RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_LANGUAGE_MODEL,
                    RecognizerIntent.LANGUAGE_MODEL_FREE_FORM
                )
                putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_LANGUAGE, "en-US")
                putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_MAX_RESULTS, 3)
                putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE, true)
            }

This used to work up until SDK 32 but is failing since. The crux of the problem is the last put extra, EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE. If you don't include it, the recognizer is set up, but not always.

Apparently some OEMs include online recognitions and others don't, whereas others (inc. Pixel) enable users to control online/offline in their preferences.

Does anyone know of a way to detect the status of the device, and accordingly add this put extra for devices with SDK > 32?

Thanks!

Pratik Satani · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-15 09:55:44Z

0

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) { // API 31 (Android 12)
            if (SpeechRecognizer.isOnDeviceRecognitionAvailable(context)) {
                putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE, true)
            }
        } else {
          
            putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE, true)
        }

Try this. I have used it like this

val recognizer = if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S && SpeechRecognizer.isOnDeviceRecognitionAvailable(context)) {
    SpeechRecognizer.createOnDeviceSpeechRecognizer(context)
} else {
    SpeechRecognizer.createSpeechRecognizer(context)
}
recognizer.setRecognitionListener(yourListener)
recognizer.startListening(createRecognizerIntent(context))

answered Sep 15 at 9:55

Pratik Satani

1,2381 gold badge11 silver badges28 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Yanay Lehavi Sep 16 at 16:22

Thanks @Pratik. isOnDeviceRecognitionAvailable() fails for me on an emulator with SDK 35 (I don't have a real device that supports this level.) I get error code 13, whatever that is. ChatGPT insists that Google did not provide a method to detect whether offline is available on the device and, if so, whether the user enabled it in Settings. The documentation about this method leaves something to be desired. ChatGPT recommends try-and-catch but the user experience is ugly.

Pratik Satani Sep 17 at 10:29

Okay. Code 13 means no match found. I don’t think this is a code issue. I suggest trying it on a real device — it should work there.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Android: Google Recognizer Intent: EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE and API 33+

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related