How to completely disable wiretapping on the Xiaomi Redmi phone: real methods and myths

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are regularly the subject of privacy discussions, with users wondering whether the phone can eavesdrop on conversations, record sound without the owner's knowledge, or share data with third parties. In this article, we will look at what mechanisms actually exist in the MIUI, How they work and what can be done to minimize the risks.

It’s important to understand that modern smartphones (not just Xiaomi) are technically capable of recording sound through a microphone, but that doesn’t mean they do it all the time. Most of the eavesdropping is about voice assistants, advertising services, or malware. We’ll focus on specific settings that will help you control access to the microphone, not conspiracy theories.

This article is relevant for Redmi Note devices 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/11 and other models based on MIUI 14/15 (If you have older firmware, some menu items may differ, we will warn you about this separately.

Myths and Reality: Does Xiaomi Listen to Users?

The first question that concerns Redmi owners is, is there really a wiretapping? Let's look at some of the most common claims.

• 🔍 "Xiaomi is transferring data to China, partly true, but not in the context that users think it is: Any smartphone (including an iPhone or Samsung) sends telemetry to the manufacturer to improve the software. MIUI This can be disabled in settings (more on this below), but there is no evidence of targeted audio transmission of regular users.
• 🎤 "The voice assistant is always listening — no, but it activates by a key phrase (e.g., "OK, Google" or "Hello Siri"). At Xiaomi, it works similarly: Xiao assistant. AI It only works after a command or pressing a button.
• 📱 "Apps in the background record sound, maybe, but only if you gave them permission to access the microphone, like Viber or WhatsApp can record voice messages, but they don't transmit them to outsiders.

The main conclusion: there is no mass wiretapping by Xiaomi, but there are risks associated with:

• 🛡️ Malware (if you install applications from unverified sources).
• 🔊 Applications with excessive permissions (for example, games that request access to the microphone).
• 📡 Data breaches through cloud services (e.g. Mi Cloud or Google Drive).

Next, we will look at how to close these “flavors” in the settings of Redmi.

Step 1: Disabling Microphone Access for Applications

The most obvious way to prevent wiretapping is to restrict access to the microphone for unnecessary applications. MIUI It's done this way:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Permissions → Microphone.
2. You'll see a list of all the apps that have ever requested access to a microphone, and you'll see system services like com.miui.voiceassist.
3. Three options are available for each application: 🚫 "Disable” – complete shutdown of access. 🔄 "Ask Every Time – The Recommended Option for Messengers. ✅ "Allow" - only for trusted applications (for example, Zoom or Recorder).

Pay particular attention to the following annexes:

• 🎮 Games (e.g., games, PUBG Mobile or Free Fire. They don't need a microphone unless you're using voice chat.
• 📊 Social media (TikTok, Instagram) They often request a microphone for recordings but may abuse it.
• 🛒 App stores (like Xiaomi's GetApps) don't need to access the microphone.

If you notice that an app is suspiciously requesting a microphone frequently (such as Mi Browser or Mi Video), it’s best to uninstall it or replace it with an alternative from Google Play.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (e.g. com.android.phone) can automatically turn on the microphone during calls, and it is not recommended to turn them off, this will cause malfunctions in the phone.

Step 2: Deactivate the Xiao voice assistant AI

Xiao's voice assistant AI (Or Google Assistant, if you use it, is one of the main suspects in wiretapping, and it's activated by voice command, which theoretically allows you to record sound in the background to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Special facilities → Xiao AI.
2. Turn off the switches: 🎙️ "Voice activation" (primary source of risk). 📱 "Activation by button" (unless you use it). 🔍 "Show on the lock screen".

"Shut down Xiao. AI"

If you use Google Assistant, its settings are in Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Voice Input → Google Assistant settings. You can turn it off here:

• 🗣️ "OK Google" (voice activation).
• 📱 "Assistant on the lock screen".

Once the assistants are turned off, the phone will stop listening to key phrases in the background, but that doesn’t mean the microphone is completely locked—it will still work for permissioned calls and apps.

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If you want to lock the microphone completely on the physical level, use a special plug for the microphone hole (sold on AliExpress), which is true for paranoid or journalists working with confidential information.

Step 3: Configure the privacy in MIUI

MIUI It has built-in privacy controls, but they're often hidden in the depths of the menu:

1. Disabling Personalized Advertising: Go to Settings → Google → Advertising. Turn off "Personalized Ads" and reset "Advertising Identifier." Go back to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Settings (⚙️) → Personalized recommendations and disable all switches.
2. Limitation of data collection MIUI: Open the Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode if it's not already on. → Additionally. → For developers, find the "Sending Error Reports" item and turn it off.
3. Blocking background activity: C Settings → Battery and productivity → Control battery consumption select “Limit background activity” for suspicious applications.

We also recommend checking the settings of Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud Storage):

• 📁 Open the Settings. → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Cloud.
• 🔍 Make sure that the synchronization of "Call Records" and "Voice Notes" is disabled.
• 🔒 If you’re not using Mi Cloud, it’s best to remove your Xiaomi account from your phone altogether (but this will turn off some features, such as device search).

⚠️ Note: Disable some features (e.g. Mi Cloud or Xiao) AI) Weigh the risks and benefits: If you don't store sensitive data on your phone, it may be enough to simply restrict access to the microphone for third-party apps.

Step 4: Checking for malware

One of the real threats of wiretapping is viruses and spyware, even if you haven't identified any suspicious ones. APK, Some Google Play apps may contain hidden modules to collect data:

1. Antivirus scanning: Install Malwarebytes or Bitdefender from Google Play. Run a full scan (not fast!) Remove anything the antivirus has labeled as Adware, Spyware or Riskware.
2. Checking permissions for installed applications: Open Settings → Annexes → App management. Sort the list by installation date (new apps are more likely to contain threats). Check the permissions for each: if the game requests a microphone, camera or other device. SMS, delete it.
3. Network activity analysis: Install NetGuard or PCAPdroid (root rights required for full analysis) See which applications are transferring data to suspicious servers (e.g. China or unknown sites). IP).

Pay special attention to the following types of applications:

• 🎲 Games with Chinese servers (Genshin Impact, Honor of Kings).
• 📺 Streaming apps (especially pirated versions of Kodi or TeaTV).
• 💰 Financial applications from unverified sources (e.g., cryptocurrency wallets).

If you find a suspicious app but are not sure about its security, check it out on VirusTotal (download it). APK-file).

Step 5: Use of alternative firmware (for advanced users)

If you're sure that MIUI collects too much data, you can consider the option of flashing the phone on custom firmware, for example:

• 📱 LineageOS – pure Android without unnecessary services.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• ✅ No built-in spyware modules MIUI.
• ✅ Regular security updates.
• ✅ Full control over permits.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Difficulty of installation (requires unlocking the bootloader that resets the phone).
• ❌ Possible loss of functionality (e.g., camera may perform worse).
• ❌ The risk of “bricking” the phone in case of an error.

If you decide to flash it, follow the official instructions for your model on the forum. XDA For Redmi Note 10 Pro (sweet) or Redmi 9 (lancelot) there are stable builds of LineageOS.

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking the bootloader and installing custom firmware will void the warranty and may result in data loss. TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.

Step 6: Physical Protection Methods

If you don’t trust the software methods, you can use physical ways to lock the microphone:

• 🔇 Microphone plugs are stickers or silicone plugs that block sound, suitable for paranoids or those who work with classified information.
• 📴 Flight mode -- shuts down all wireless modules, including data transmission, useful for important conversations.
• 🔌 Extraction SIM-Cards – if you are afraid of being wiretapped via mobile (relevant for journalists or activists).
• 📱 Using a second phone – some users keep a clean phone without unnecessary apps specifically for important calls.

You can also turn off the microphone at the hardware level (if you are willing to sacrifice calls):

1. Take your phone apart (you need tools and skills).
2. Find the microphone plume (usually it goes from the bottom of the board to the charging connector).
3. Disconnect the plume or seal the contacts with tape.

This method is radical and irreversible (repair is required to repair the microphone), but it is 100% guaranteed that the phone will not be able to record sound.

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No method offers 100% protection against wiretapping, and the best strategy is to combine software settings, antivirus and common sense when installing applications.

What to do if you suspect a targeted wiretapping?

If you have reason to believe that your Redmi is being tapped on purpose (such as a journalist, activist, or businessman), follow this algorithm:

1. Disconnect your phone immediately: Enable flight mode. Remove. SIM-memory-card.
2. Check your phone for spyware: Use Kaspersky Mobile or Cerberus for deep scanning. Check the list of running processes through ADB (command adb shell ps. -A).
3. Reset your phone to factory settings: Go to Settings → The phone. → Settings reset. Select "Delete Everything" (including internal memory).
4. Don't restore data from backups! If there was a wiretapping, it could have been saved in the backup. Set the phone up as new by installing only verified apps.
5. If you have serious suspicions, take your phone to a digital forensics lab.

If the wiretapping is related to your professional activities, consider buying a clean phone (e.g. a Google Pixel with GrapheneOS or an iPhone with cloud services disabled).

FAQ: Frequent questions about wiretapping on Xiaomi Redmi