Activation of Alice voice on Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Voice assistant Alice from Yandex has long been an integral part of the smartphone ecosystem, but on Xiaomi devices, its activation has its own peculiarities. Unlike phones on pure Android, where Alice is integrated by default, owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi have to take additional steps — especially if you want to launch the assistant with a voice command without unlocking the screen. This article covers all the current methods, including hidden MIUI settings, circumventing restrictions and solving typical problems.

We will not only discuss the standard method through the Yandex application, but also alternative options for devices with a MIUI 12-14 shell, where voice activation can be blocked by the system. Particular attention will be paid to models with Google Assistant by default, which requires reassignment of voice commands. All instructions are tested on current firmware in 2026 and take into account regional features (for example, the absence of Alice in global versions of MIUI).

Does your Xiaomi smartphone support Alice voice activation?

Before you try to set up voice launch, make sure your device is compatible.Alice officially works on all Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI, but there are nuances:

• ✅ Out of the box support: Models for the Russian market (Redmi Note) 11/12/13, POCO X5/M5, Mi 11/12 and newer) have a pre-installed application Yandex with Alice.
• ⚠️ Global Firmware: On Devices with MIUI Global (for example, bought in Europe or China) Alice will have to be installed manually through the APK.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI: On older versions. MIUI 12.5 may require manual permissions to be set up for voice launch.
• 📱 Old models: On Redmi 9/Note 9 and similar devices 2020 Alice works, but voice activation can slow down due to weak iron.

To check compatibility, open Settings → Applications → Application Management and find Yandex. If it is not available, download the official APK from Yandex Mobile. Global firmware may require changing the region to Russia in your phone settings.

Method 1: Standard activation through Yandex application

This is the simplest method that works on most devices with Yandex preinstalled.

1. Open the Yandex app (an icon with the letter "I" on a blue background).
2. In the lower right corner, tap on the profile icon (or in older versions).
3. Select Settings → Alice → Voice Activation.
4. Activate the switch to Listen to Alice and Listen to Hey Alice.
5. Pass a short voice tuning while repeating phrases to train the assistant.

After that, Alice will respond to the commands Okay, Alice or Hey, Alice even from the locked screen (if allowed in the security settings). MIUI Additional permission may be required:

Important: On some MIUI firmware, voice activation only works when the screen is unlocked. To fix this, go to Settings → Lock Screen → Additional → Voice Assistant and select Yandex instead of Google Assistant.

Method 2: Voice command via Google Assistant (for global firmware)

If you have MIUI Global and you don't have Yandex preinstalled, you can reconfigure Google Assistant to run Alice, which requires you to install additional apps:

1. Download and install Yandex with Alice from the official source.
2. Install the Tasker (or MacroDroid) app from Google Play.
3. In Google Assistant, open your settings and create a Routine with a voice command, such as Hey Google, run Alice.
4. As an action, select Launch the application → Yandex.

You can use Tasker for automation:

Profile: Voice Command (Event → Plugin → AutoVoice)


Task: Launch Alice (Action → Launch App → Yandex)

This method is less reliable than standard activation, but works on devices without root rights. The main disadvantage is the delay between the team and Alice’s launch (1-2 seconds).

💡

If Alice does not respond to the voice from the locked screen, add the Yandex app to the battery optimization exceptions list (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization).

Method 3: Activate via Bixby (for Samsung users on Xiaomi)

This method is suitable for those who have previously used Samsung smartphones and are used to the Bixby voice button.

• 📱 Install the Button Mapper app from Google Play.
• 🔧 Set a long press on the Power button (or Volume Up) to launch Alice.
• 🎤 In the Button Mapper settings, select the Action Launch the Application → Yandex.

For voice activation without clicking, additionally set up Google Assistant to run Alice on command (as in Method 2).

Solving problems: Alice doesn't respond to voice

If Alice ignores voice commands after setting up, check out the following points:

If the problem persists, try resetting Alice's settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Yandex → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
3. Restart the application and reset again.

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On devices with MIUI 14 and later, Alice can conflict with the built-in Xiao AI assistant. To avoid problems, disable Xiao AI in the settings: Settings → Additional → Xiao AI → Disable.

How to activate Alice on Xiaomi without the Internet?

Alice requires a network connection to handle voice commands, but there is a workaround for offline mode:

• 📲 Install the Yandex.Browser application (it contains a simplified version of Alice).
• 🔄 Turn on the mode Save traffic in the browser settings – this caches part of the answers.
• 🎙️ Use simple commands like Set an alarm clock or Open a calculator – they can work without the Internet.

Offline mode restrictions:

• ❌ Requests that require online search (weather, news) are not working).
• ❌ Voice activation OK, Alice is not available without the internet.
• ✅ Only local actions are available (timers, application launches).

If you don’t have the Internet, consider alternatives like Google Assistant in offline mode (supports basic commands without connection).

Security: the risks of using voice assistants on Xiaomi

Activating Alice with voice is convenient, but comes with potential privacy threats.

⚠️ Attention: Voice assistants are constantly listening to ambient sounds while waiting for the command. MIUI This may result in data breaches if:

• 🔍 Yandex App has access to Call Log and SMS (disable these permissions in settings).
• 📡 The phone is connected to unreliable Wi-Fi networks (voice data is transmitted to Yandex servers).
• 🔊 Other applications with microphone access are running in the background (e.g, VK TikTok).

To minimize the risks:

1. Limit permissions for Yandex: leave only the Microphone, Warehouse and Phone (for calls).
2. Turn off Ad Personalization in Alice's settings.
3. Use a VPN when connecting to public networks.

On devices with MIUI, you should also check the privacy settings:

Settings → Privacy → Special access → Access to the microphone

Make sure that, apart from Yandex, no application has permanent access to the microphone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Alice on Xiaomi