How to find and turn on the voice assistant on the phone Xiaomi: detailed instructions

Voice assistants on Xiaomi smartphones have become an integral part of everyday use: they help to control the device without hands, quickly find information and automate routine tasks. However, many users face difficulties when starting a first launch — especially if we are talking about models with a proprietary shell MIUI or HyperOS, where several assistants are available at once: the standard Google Assistant, Chinese Xiao AI (often absent on global firmware) and integrated features from Mi Voice.

In this article, we will look at how to find an assistant on the phone menu, what types of assistants are available on different Xiaomi models (from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14), and how to set them up correctly. We will focus on typical problems, such as when the assistant does not respond to voice commands or does not support Russian, and you will learn how to replace the standard assistant with an alternative one (for example, Alice from Yandex), and what hidden MIUI functions allow you to launch the assistant with a gesture or power button.

What voice assistants are available on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphones support several types of voice assistants, and their availability depends on the model, firmware region and version of the MIUI/HyperOS.

• 🤖 Google Assistant is a universal assistant from Google, works on all phones with Google services (available on global and European firmware). Supports Russian, integrated with search, calendar and smart home.
• Xiao 🗣️ AI is a proprietary assistant from Xiaomi, originally developed for the Chinese market. It is rare on global firmware, but it can be installed manually (Chinese Mi Account requires).
• 🎤 Mi Voice is a simplified version of voice control in MIUI, allowing you to run apps, call contacts and manage some of the phone's functions without full AI.
• 🌍 Alternative assistants, like Alice from Yandex or Siri (through third-party apps), require separate installation.

It's important to understand that Xiao AI and Google Assistant are competing services, and Chinese firmware has Xiao AI installed by default, and global firmware has Google Assistant, and you can switch between them in settings, but they won't work at the same time.

How to find Google Assistant on Xiaomi phone

If your smartphone is running on global or European firmware, Google Assistant is already pre-installed.

1. Open the Google app (the icon with the color letter "G").
2. In the lower right corner, tap the microphone icon or the words "Assistant".
3. If the assistant is not activated, the system will offer to undergo a brief setup (you will need to confirm access to the microphone and geodata).

You can also start the assistant with a voice:

• 🎙️ Say “OK, Google” (the phrase only works if the voice activation function is enabled).
• 🔘 Press the Home button (on older models) or swipe diagonally from the corner of the screen (on newer versions MIUI 12+).

Update Google App to Play Market|

Check your internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) |

Enable microphone access in privacy settings|

Activate the "OK, Google" function in the assistant settings-->

If the assistant is not on Google, check if it is disabled in the system settings. Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → Google and make sure the service is active.

⚠️ Warning: Some Xiaomi models (e.g., the Redmi Note 12 for the Chinese market) may not have Google Assistant due to firmware limitations, requiring manual installation via APK or a change of firmware region.

Where to look for Xiao AI on Xiaomi smartphones

Xiao AI is a Xiaomi assistant that was originally designed for the Chinese market, and is rare on global firmware, but can be activated manually. Here's how to do this:

If your phone is in Chinese firmware (MIUI China), then:

1. Press the Home button (on models with a physical button) or swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger on the screen.
2. In the window that appears, click on the icon “Xiao AI” (stylized robot).
3. Sign in through your Chinese Mi Account (if required).

Xiao AI is hidden on global firmware, but it can be installed separately:

• 📥 Download the APK- Xiao AI file from a trusted source (e.g., APKMirror).
• 🔧 Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Privacy → Special Permits.
• 🔄 Once installed, restart your phone and try to launch the assistant with a long press on the Home button.

Note that Xiao AI is the default language for Chinese, but you can try changing the language to English in the settings. Russian is not supported.

Setting up voice activation and gestures

So if the assistant is going to respond to voice commands or be triggered by a handy gesture, you have to adjust the settings, and let's look at both.

Voice activation (OK, Google)

To enable the voice launch of Google Assistant:

1. Open the Google app and go to the Assistant section (the icon in the lower right corner).
2. Select Voice Assistant → Voice Match.
3. Activate the “OK, Google” switch and get trained (repeat the phrase several times to recognize voice).

Gestures and buttons for quick start

MIUI/HyperOS has hidden functions for calling an assistant:

• 👆 Diagonally — on the newer versions of MIUI 14+, you can configure the assistant to swipe from the corner of the screen. Path: Settings → Special Features → Gestures → Quick start of the assistant.
• 🔘 Long press power button — on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13T), this action calls Google Assistant by default. If the feature doesn't work, check the button settings in Settings → Buttons and gestures.

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If voice activation doesn’t work, check to see if the microphone for the Google app is turned off in the privacy settings, and make sure the phone doesn’t have an active power saving mode — it can block the assistant’s background work.

Resolving problems with the assistant's job

If the voice assistant doesn't respond or doesn't work properly, the causes can range from simple setup errors to system failures.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the assistant settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google.
2. Press "Storage" → "Clear the data".
3. Reboot the phone and reset the assistant.

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi models with Chinese firmware (MIUI China), some of the Google Assistant features may be blocked at the system level, in which case only flashing to the global version or using VPN to circumvent regional restrictions will help.

Alternative Assistants: Alice, Siri and others

If standard assistants don’t suit you, you can install third-party solutions, for example, Alice from Yandex is well adapted for Russian-speaking users and supports integration with a smart home.

To set Alice up:

1. Download the Yandex or Yandex Browser application from the Play Market.
2. Launch the application and log in.
3. Activate the voice assistant in the application settings (section "Alice").
4. Set up voice activation by saying "Hi Alice."

To run Alice in voice without opening the app:

• 🔗 Connect it to Google Assistant via IFTTT or Tasker.
• 📱 Use Alice's widget on the home screen for quick access.

Other popular alternatives:

• 🍎 Siri – You can run it through the Siri Shortcuts app (requires an iPhone or iPad to work properly).
• 🤖 Bixby is Samsung’s assistant, but it can be installed on Xiaomi via the APK (The functionality will be limited).
• 🌐 Alexa is suitable for smart home management, but requires a separate Amazon Alexa app.

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The Yandex Alice is best suited for Russian-speaking users due to its deep integration with local services (maps, weather, news), but it is inferior to Google Assistant for managing the phone’s system functions (such as turning on Wi-Fi).

Hidden functions of assistants on Xiaomi

Many users are unaware that voice assistants on Xiaomi support hidden commands and automation that are not documented in the official instructions.

• 📡 Network Management – Say “Put your mobile data on” or “Switch off your Wi-Fi” and the assistant will execute the command (only works with Google Assistant on global firmware).
• 🔋 Battery Control – The phrase “Enable Power Saving Mode” activates the appropriate setting.
• 📸 Quick camera start-up – say “take a selfie” and the phone will open the front camera.
• 🎵 Music Control — Teams like "Put a Song on Pause" or "Next Track" even work with a locked screen.

For Xiao AI (on Chinese firmware), unique commands are available:

• 🌡️ "What's the air quality index today?" shows data from Chinese weather stations.
• 🚗 "Where is my car?" - if the car's geo-location was previously tied.
• 💡 Turn on the Living Room Lights – works with Xiaomi Mi Home devices.

To see the full list of supported commands, tell the assistant:

"What do you know?" or "Show me the team list."

FAQ: Frequent questions about voice assistants on Xiaomi