Googleβs voice assistant may be useful, but not all Xiaomi Redmi Note users need it. Constant notifications, random activations via the Home button or side key, and hidden data collection about your queries are all annoying and eat up battery power. Unfortunately, MIUI doesnβt offer an obvious way to remove the Assistant completely, but there are several workarounds.
In this article, weβll look at all possible disabling methods, from basic settings to deep changes to the system (including ADB and Google Play services).Special attention will be paid to the Redmi Note 10/11/12 models and MIUI 14/15 firmware, where the assistantβs algorithms have changed. If you want to not just hide the icon, but completely stop it, read on.
Itβs worth noting that once youβre turned off, youβll lose access to some features, like quick smart home control via voice or automatic reminders, but for most users, thatβs a small price to pay for increased privacy and performance.
1. Basic disconnection via Android settings
The easiest way is to use the built-in options, which is suitable for most Redmi Note models (including the Note 8 Pro, Note 9T, Note 11 Pro+) and does not require superuser rights, but does not remove the assistant completely, only limits its activity.
Open the Google app (not to be confused with the Google Play Store!) and follow the following steps:
- π± Go to profile (icon in the upper right corner) β Settings β Google Assistant.
- π In the General section, select Google Assistant and turn off the slider at the top of the screen.
- π£οΈ In the Voice Input menu, deactivate the Hey Google option (this will turn off response to voice commands).
- π± Back to Settings β Annexes β All apps, search Google and click Stop (forced stop).
After that, the Assistant will stop activating in voice and by holding the Home button for a long time, but it will still be in the background, consuming resources. To check if the Assistant is disabled, try saying, "OK, Google," the system should not respond.
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If the Assistant is activated again after the reboot after the shutdown, clear the Google app cache in the settings (Settings β Apps β Google β Memory β Clear the cache).
2. Disconnect via MIUI settings (for firmware 12-15)
Xiaomi has added its own assistant management options in the latest versions of MIUI. This allows you to disable the Assistant call through hardware buttons, which is especially true for the Redmi Note 10 Pro and later, where the side key is used by default.
Follow the instructions:
- βοΈ Open the Settings. β Special facilities β Home button (or Side button, depending on the model).
- π In the Long Click section, select Do Nothing or Open the Power Menu.
- π Back to Settings β Annexes β Application management β Autostart and disable Autostart for Google.
- π΅ B Settings β Battery and performance β Battery management set for Google Limited mode.
These actions will not remove the Assistant, but will minimize its impact on the system, for example, it will stop starting when the screen is locked or buttons are accidentally pressed.
Long pressing of Home/side button does not call assistant |
Voice command "OK, Google" doesn't work |
Google App Doesn't Hang in the Background Processes (check in Task Manager)|
Auto-Running for Google is disabled in MIUI-->
3. Complete disabling via ADB (for power users)
If you need to permanently remove your Assistant without recovery (for example, due to corporate policies or paranoia about surveillance), the only reliable way to disable it is to disable it via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method works for all Redmi Notes with MIUI Android One, but requires a PC connection.
You'll need:
- π₯οΈ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
- π± Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) β The phone. β Version. MIUI β 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings β Additionally. β For developers β Debugging by USB).
- π USB-cable (preferably original).
Next, run commands in the terminal (cmd for Windows or Terminal for macOS/Linux):
adb shell
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistantOnce you restart, the Assistant will be completely deactivated and its icon will disappear from the menu.
pm install-existing --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchboxWhat if the ADB canβt see the device?
4. Disable data collection and personalization
Even if you disabled the Assistant, Google can continue to collect data about your activities through other services, and to completely stop this, you must manually deny access to key permissions.
Follow the following steps:
- π Open the Settings. β Google β Managing a Google Account β Data and personalization.
- π Find the Activity section in web search and applications and turn it off.
- π£οΈ In the Voice and Audio section, delete the history and disable the saving of new records.
- π± Back to Settings β Annexes β Google β Permits and Prohibit Access to: π Location, π€ Microphone, π Warehouse, π Telephone (for calls).
These actions will not remove the Assistant, but will prevent it from collecting information about you. Please note that some features of Google Maps, YouTube and other services may not work properly.
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Disabling data collection does not interfere with the work of the Assistant, but makes it useless β without access to the microphone and location, it will not be able to perform basic tasks.
5. Alternative methods: disabling via Xposed or custom firmware
For users willing to take drastic measures, there are two other options:
- Installation of the Xposed module (requires root): DisableFlags or App Settings module allows you to completely block the Assistant at the system level.
- Switching to custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience without Google services) is a drastic solution, but it requires unlocking the bootloader and can take away warranty.
Both methods are not recommended for beginners, as they carry risks:
- β οΈ Loss of warranty (when unlocking the bootloader).
- β οΈ Possible brick (turning the phone into a βbrickβ) in case of firmware error.
- β οΈ Some features are not stable (e.g. Google Pay will no longer work without Google services).
If you do decide to do so, follow the official instructions for your Redmi Note model on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums.
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Before you run your firmware, make a full backup via TWRP or MIUI Backup. Save backups to your PC - they can save your data if you crash.
6.What if the Assistant is turned on after the update?
One of the most annoying behaviors of MIUI is to automatically turn on the Assistant after a system update, which is because Google Play Services restores the standard settings to prevent it from happening:
- π After each update MIUI Repeat the steps from the first section (disable in Google settings).
- π΅ Install App Ops (requires) ADB) And stop Google from changing system settings.
- π‘οΈ Use Blokada or NetGuard to block internet access to the googleapis.com and assistant.google.com domains.
If the problem is repeated too often, consider turning off automatic MIUI updates:
- Go to Settings β About the phone β System update.
- Click on the three dots in the top corner and select Update Settings.
- Turn off the option of Automatic download via Wi-Fi.
List of domains to block in NetGuard
Comparison of methods of disabling the Assistant
To find the best way to do this, check out the table below, and we have evaluated the effectiveness, complexity and side effects of each method:
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | PC/root required | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Android settings | ββ (partial) | β (simple) | β No. | Assistant stays in the background |
| MIUI settings | ββ (partial) | β (simple) | β No. | Does not block voice commands |
| ADB-team | ββββ (full-fledged) | βββ (middle-of-the-road) | β Yes. | It may break down after updates. |
| Custom firmware | βββββ (full-fledged) | βββββ (difficult) | β Yes. | Loss of warranty, risk of brick |
| Domain locking | βββ (high-end) | ββ (middle-of-the-road) | β No. | Breaking other Google services |
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For most users, a combined approach is optimal: disabling in settings + blocking background activity via ADB or NetGuard, which strikes a balance between efficiency and security.