There is this annoying error message some users have been getting while using the camera or voice recording feature of their phone. It is an error that pops up when you are either taking a video recording from the camera app or any of the app such as WhatsApp, Facebook, or Twitter.
The same error pops up again whenever you are using the mic when making voice calls on any of the mobile apps; Snapchat, Messenger, and Telegram among all the voice calling apps. Coincidentally, most users reporting of this error are using Huawei phones, and it just so happens I am one of those users.
I own a Huawei GR5, and it has been working perfectly for a little over a year now. However, when Google launched a dedicated Google Now app for smartphone (and I was among the first to install it and activate all its available features) I started noticing the error below:
audio.com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox:interactor
The error pops up as soon as you tap the record button while using the camera, and disappears when you tab its ‘ok’ button, but pops up again and again and again. While the video will record just fine (when you playback after ending your recording), during the recording session, a big part of the screen will be showing this error message. It is irritating, to say the least, because it prevents you from seeing the image you are recording.
The same error pops up when you are in a voice call (or even video call) using any of the multiple Over The Top (OTT) voice and video calling apps. That is the likes of Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, etc.
How to Fix the error message
While most of the users reporting these complain are using Huawei phones, it is possible there are users out there using different brands of phones with the same problem. Nonetheless, read on for the fix.
Go to the Google Now app on your phone; not the Google Search bar you find on the home screen, Google Now has a dedicated app that looks like what’s in the screenshot below.
Tap the ‘G’ icon to open the Google Now app. Tap the hamburger icon at the top right corner then go to Settings > Voice > ‘Ok Google’ detection > Say ‘Ok Google’ any time.
Toggle the switch off to disable Google Now from detecting voice commands of ‘Ok Google’ while you are using any app.
The Diagnosis
It appears Google Now is always using the mic on your phone, so when you open another app (say Camera app or make a video/voice call), you are using the same app for two applications. This brings a problem for the simple reason; your mic cannot serve two masters at the same time.
To stop the pesky error, simple disable Google Now from continuously using the mic, and free it app for use by your camera and other apps.