How to Change the Default Assistant to Xiaomi: From Mi AI to Google

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the intrusiveness of the built-in voice assistant Mi AI when trying to use familiar services. By default, the system prioritizes the company's own development, which creates inconvenience for users accustomed to the functionality of Google Assistant. Changing the priority application requires understanding the architecture of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, since a simple switch may not be in the main settings.

The replacement process affects system permissions and hardware button access settings, which are often hidden in the depths of the menu. Voice input is a critical feature for, so misconfiguring can lead to conflicts when two different services respond to a single click. In this guide, we will break down all the nuances of reconfiguring to make your smartphone respond exactly as you need it to.

Note that the menu interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and the regional binding of the device. However, the logic of the Android resolution system remains the same for all models, whether it is a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi 14.

Why Xiaomi is insisting on using Mi AI

Xiaomi is actively developing its ecosystem, and the built-in Mi AI assistant is a key element of it. Unlike global services, this assistant is more deeply integrated into local services in China, such as managing a smart home through the Mi Home application and working with regional applications. For users from CIS countries and Europe, this integration is often redundant and even hinders, since Russian support in Mi AI is implemented worse than competitors.

System constraints are imposed specifically to keep the user from leaving the manufacturer's ecosystem. When you (long hold) the power button or swipe from the corner of the screen, the system defaults to the native service. This behavior is "sewn" at the firmware level, which requires the user to perform additional actions to default. It is impossible to simply remove Mi AI without root rights, but you can completely neutralize its influence.

⚠️ Note: Forced removal of system components AI through ADB-commands without proper preparation can lead to unstable interface operation or cyclic reboot of the device.

Xiaomi also updates its security policy periodically, changing the way it’s set up, and if one version of MIUI 14 had a menu in one place, the HyperOS structure might have changed, and it’s important to understand that the struggle is not to remove the hardware triggers (buttons and gestures) but to reassign them to a third-party app.

Preparation for the change of voice assistant

Before making changes to your system settings, make sure that the alternative app is installed and ready to go. Most users choose Google Assistant, which is already built into Google Play services, but also popular with Yandex Alice or Marusya. Make sure that the selected application is updated to the latest version through the Play Market store or GetApps.

The second important step is to back up critical data, and while changing assistants is considered safe, any manipulation of system permissions carries minimal risk of resetting some personalized settings, backing up contacts and notes will take a couple of minutes, but save you from losing information in the event of an unforeseen failure.

It is also recommended to check for updates to the operating system itself. Often, the assistant switching bugs are fixed in security patches. Go to Settings → About phone and click on MIUI or HyperOS to check the software's relevance.

How to disable the start by the power button

The most common conflict occurs when you press the power button long enough. The default action in newer versions of the shell is Mi AI. To change this behavior, you need to find a hidden setting in the button menu. The path may differ, but it is usually in Settings → Additional Features → Power button.

In the menu that opens, you will see Long Press (or 0.5 seconds Press) and you will find two options: Voice Assistant and Off Menu. You must select the Off Menu, which will break the link between the physical button and the Mi AI assistant, freeing up the trigger for other tasks, or simply returning the screen shutdown function.

• 🔘 Go to the main settings of the smartphone.
• 🔘 Find the section "Additional functions" or "Special features».
• 🔘 Select the "Inclusion button" item».
• 🔘 Switch from Voice Assistant to Shutdown Menu».

After that, a long press on the power button will stop waking up Mi AI. However, this does not mean that Google Assistant will become the default voice commands called (for example, a swipe or a phrase).

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If the “On button” item is not in the menu, use the search by settings by entering the “button” or “power button”.

Setting up Google Assistant as the main one

To make the system use Google Assistant instead of Mi AI for voice queries, you need to change the default settings in the app section. Android allows you to choose which application will be responsible for processing voice input. Open Settings → Apps → All applications.

In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select "Default Apps." In the list, find "Help" or "Voice Assistant." Click on it and select Google from the list of available options. If Google isn't there, make sure the app is running at least once and it's given all the necessary permissions.

Once Google has selected, the system may request confirmation or suggest setting "OK Google." Follow the on-screen instructions to train the assistant to recognize your voice, which will improve the accuracy of the handless activation.

Configure activation by swipe and phrase

Many users are used to calling the assistant swipe from the bottom corner of the screen. In Xiaomi shells, this gesture is often rigidly tied to Mi AI. To reassign it, you need to go to the settings of the Google Assistant itself. Open the Google app, click on the profile avatar and select Settings → Google Assistant → All settings of the Assistant.

You need to find the "Hey Google and Voice Match" section and activate the options you want, but in order for the swipe to work systematically, you sometimes need to turn off a similar feature in the Mi AI settings, if there is one, go to the Mi AI settings and find the "Gestural Management" or "Swipe" option to deactivate it.

⚠️ Warning: Simultaneous activation of voice awakening (phrase) for two assistants can cause them to “cry out” each other or start chaoticly.

Also worth checking is the Digital Assistant app settings. In some versions of Android, the path looks like Settings → Apps → Access to Special Features → Digital Assistant. Make sure Google is chosen there.

Use of third-party launchers and macros

If standard methods don't give you complete control, you can use macro applications like MacroDroid or Tasker, which allow you to reassign almost any action on the device, for example, you can create a macro: "With a long press of the volume button down" → "Run Google Assistant."

For advanced users, the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method is available. With the computer and command line, you can disable the Mi AI component without removing it completely. The command looks something like this: pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.voiceassist. This will hide the assistant from the system for the current user.

• 🛠 Install. ADB computer.
• 🛠 Put the debugging on. USB phone-on.
• 🛠 Connect the phone to the PC and enter the disconnect command.
• 🛠 Restart the device to apply changes.

Using third-party launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher can also override some system gestures, but they rarely have access to the home system button or power without root rights.

Possible problems and solutions

Even after the right setup, there can be conflicts, such as when you call an assistant, the screen may flash or the command does not execute, often due to aggressive energy savings in MIUI. The system can "kill" Google's process in the background, considering it to be inactive.

To fix this, you need to prevent the system from closing Google. Go to Settings → Apps → Google → Autostart and turn it on. Also, in the Battery section for the Google app, select No Limits mode. This ensures that the background process is always ready for command.

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The main cause of failures is aggressive optimization of the MIUI battery, which closes the background processes of the assistant.

Another problem is language desynchronization, so if Mi AI is set to Chinese and Google is set to Russian, if you accidentally run the first one, you'll get an answer in a language you don't understand, and check the language settings in both apps carefully to avoid confusion.

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Check Google app updates periodically. Newer versions often improve speech recognition and fix Xiaomi shell compatibility bugs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)