How to remove special features on the Xiaomi phone

Randomly enabling accessibility features is a common problem faced by owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones. Often users activate them by mistake, exploring the settings, or the function is triggered by a child playing with the device. The most common culprit of discomfort is TalkBack, which voices every touch of the screen, turning the usual control into a complex puzzle.

Turning off these features can seem difficult, especially if the screen responds in a non-standard way or requires complex gesture combinations. However, with the right sequence of actions, you can return the Android shell to normal operation in a few minutes. In this article, we will discuss all deactivation methods in detail, including situations where the menu is blocked.

It's important to understand that special features are designed for people with disabilities, but for the average user, their active mode can make the phone almost unusable, so you need to have a clear idea of where the switches are and how to safely turn them off without resetting important device data.

Why Special Opportunities Are Included and How It Affects Work

The MIUI and HyperOS special features include a range of tools, from zooming in the font to controlling the eye, and most often users are annoyed by TalkBack or Choice at Touch, which change the logic of touch screen interaction: single touch stops opening apps, and starts to frame them and voice the name.

Activation is often caused by accidentally pressing volume keys when you turn on your phone or in the settings menu. Some unscrupulous applications may also request access control permissions to introduce ads or collect data. Unlike standard permissions, access to special features gives the application full control over the screen and input data.

The effect on device performance with these services enabled can be noticeable: constant background processing and speech synthesis consume the processor resources and deplete the battery faster, and the interface becomes less responsive due to the delays necessary to voice the interface elements.

The main methods of disabling TalkBack on Xiaomi

If your phone starts talking and reacting to taps with secretions, the first thing you need to do is try to turn off the function in the standard way. In most cases, this can be done through the settings menu, if you can get there. To navigate in TalkBack mode, use the following rules: one touch highlights the element, double touch activates it, and scroll with two fingers.

The first is hotkeys. Many Xiaomi and Redmi models have a quick shutdown. Try to hold both volume buttons simultaneously and hold them for 3-5 seconds. If the function was activated via a keyboard combination, this action should deactivate it.

The second method is voice assistant. If you have a Google Assistant or Si setup, try activating them (usually by holding the power button or swiping out of the corner) and saying "Disable TalkBack" or "Switch off special features," which often works when touch control is difficult.

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If voice input is not working, try connecting the external USB-mouse-wise OTG-Adapter: The mouse works bypassing sensory limitations and allows you to click on the right menu items accurately.

Step-by-step instruction through system settings

The most reliable way to remove unnecessary features is to walk along the way in the settings menu. Even if the screen is voiced, taking steps consistently will get to the target. Remember that in Availability mode, navigation is changed, so act slowly and carefully.

You need to open Settings, then find the Additional Settings (or Advanced Settings) section, then select Special Opportunities. From the menu that opens, find the Vision tab or immediately go to TalkBack. You will need to double-click to log in and switch the switch toggle to "Off".

To consolidate the result, you should also check other active services. In the same Special Opportunities menu, view the list of Downloaded Services. If there are applications that you do not know that have active access rights, they should be disabled, which will prevent the irritating functions from being turned on again in the future.

Some versions of MIUI may have slightly different paths, such as HyperOS, where the accessibility menu is more prominent, look for a person icon or an "Accessibility" item in the main settings menu, and don't be afraid to experiment with double taps, because they're the primary way to confirm actions in this mode.

Menu layout table in different versions of MIUI

Xiaomi's shell interface is constantly updated, and the location of the items can change, so to make it easier for you to navigate, we have prepared a summary path table for different versions of the firmware, which will help save time when finding the right switch.

Note that item names may vary slightly depending on the regional firmware (Global, CN, EEA). If you don't find a match, look for synonyms or adjacent sections, the main thing is to get to the root menu of Special Opportunities.

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The exact path depends on the version of MIUI, but the keyword for searching in the settings is always the same – “Special features” or “Accessibility”.

What to do if the menu is blocked or unavailable

There are times when the interface freezes or the mode that blocks the exit of applications is turned on (for example, Lock in the window or Kiosk Mode). In such cases, standard methods may not work. If the screen does not respond to touches or buttons, try to perform a forced reboot.

To do this, press the power button and hold it for 10-15 seconds until the device vibrates and the Mi or Redmi logo appears. After rebooting, special features often turn off automatically unless they were rigidly fixed in the system. Immediately after turning on, quickly go to the settings and turn off unnecessary services until they are activated again.

If the problem is caused by a third-party application that requires access rights and prevents them from being managed, Safe Mode will be a salvation. Upload your phone to Safe Mode (usually by pressing the off button on the download screen until the appropriate offer appears), In this mode, third-party applications do not start, which will allow you to safely remove the culprit or take away his rights.

⚠️ Warning: If you can't leave the menu or the app is blocking the screen, don't try to disassemble the phone. Forced reboot is a safe method that doesn't delete your data.

Removing malicious applications and resetting settings

Sometimes the reason for the inclusion of TalkBack is viruses or advertising modules hidden in installed games and utilities. If after disabling the function it turns on again by itself, you need to audit the installed programs. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications and carefully study the list.

Look for apps without icons, with weird names, or ones you don't remember installing. Often, these programs masquerade as system processes like Flash Player, Wi-Fi Service, or Battery Saver. Removing suspicious software often solves the problem forever.

In extreme cases, if nothing works, you will have to go to radical measures: reset to factory settings (Hard Reset) is guaranteed to delete all user data and return the phone to its original state.

Prevention of Accidental Activation of Functions

To avoid a repeat of the situation in the future, you need to take several preventive measures, first of all, turn off the ability to activate TalkBack through the volume buttons, which is often turned on by default and causes problems when the phone is in your pocket.

To do this, go to the Special Opportunities menu and find the Special Opportunity Shortcut. Turn off the "Hold Volume buttons" option. It's also recommended to restrict access rights for new applications. When a program requests permission to manage accessibility, think seven times about whether it really needs it.

• 📱 Check the list of active services in availability settings regularly.
• 🔒 Install a lock from accidental pressing in your pocket.
• 🚫 Do not download apps from unknown sources outside the Google Play Store.
• 🔄 Keep an eye out for system updates, as they often fix interface bugs.

⚠️ Note: Be careful when installing APK-These are the ones that most often contain malicious code that requires special-purpose rights.

Digital hygiene and mindfulness when installing new software are the best protection, so if you share your phone with your children, set up guest mode or use Parental Control, which restricts access to system settings.

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Turning off the volume button shortcut in 90% of cases prevents the TalkBack from accidentally activating in your pocket or bag.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)