How to Disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi Phone

Smart assistants are certainly a powerful tool in the arsenal of modern smartphones, but not every Xiaomi user needs constant listening or automatic prompts. Often the built-in Google Assistant is activated accidentally when unlocking the device or pressing the power button, which causes irritation and consumes battery power in the background. Especially relevant for owners of budget models, where every megabyte of RAM and battery charge percentage is on the account.

It's possible to shut down the service completely, but standard MIUI or HyperOS settings don't always allow you to do it with a single button. You'll have to go through multiple menu levels, and in some cases, use additional tools to deep-clean the system of intrusive functions. It's important to understand that this is not just about hiding an icon, but about blocking the processes responsible for voice control.

In this article, we will look at all the known ways, from simple switches in the interface to advanced methods through the computer, you will learn how to prevent the assistant from accidentally starting and completely eliminate its impact on the operation of your smartphone. Follow the instructions carefully, as some settings can be hidden deep in the system menu.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that the procedure may vary slightly depending on the version of the Android operating system and the manufacturer's shell. However, the basic principles remain the same for all devices in the Redmi, Poco and Xiaomi line, and be prepared that after a shutdown, some voice commands may stop working, but that's exactly what we're looking for.

Basic configuration through the system menu

The first and most obvious step that any user should take is to refer to the standard settings of the Google app itself, where the main switch responsible for the activity of the assistant resides, and without changing these parameters, any further action may be useless, since the service will automatically reactivate the system.

To start, look for a Google icon on your desktop or app list (the color letter G). Click on it to open the app, then tap your avatar in the top right corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, select Settings, then go to Google Assistant. Here we are interested in the All Assistant Settings tab or simply Assistant tab, where you need to find the Google Assistant option and turn the slider to the "Off" position.

⚠️ Warning: After these steps are completed, the assistant will stop responding to voice commands “OK, Google”, but can continue to start with a long press of the power button or a swipe from the corner of the screen.

Then, in the same menu, you need to turn off the “Hey Google” or “OK Google” function so that the phone’s microphone stops constantly scanning the surrounding space for keywords, which will save battery life, and it is also recommended to disable the personalization of results so that Google stops collecting data about your actions to generate answers.

If the standard path doesn’t get you the desired result, try looking for the Apps section in your phone’s settings and looking for Google. You can try stopping the service or limiting background activity from the app menu, although modern versions of Android often block the system components from completely shutting down in this way.

Disconnection via power button and gestures

One of the most annoying features in Xiaomi shells is to run Google Assistant or Xiao AI (often replaced by Google in global versions) with a long-term click on the power button. This is by default, and you can only change the behavior of the button in special system settings. To do this, go to Settings and in the search bar at the top, type the word "button" or "power".

In the Power button (or Power button press and hold) menu that opens, you'll see options. The default option is Google Assistant. You'll need to change that option to "Switch off me" or "Nothing" if that option is available in your firmware version, and this will prevent the assistant from accidentally starting up when you just want to turn off the screen quickly or reboot the device.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Advanced settings (the path may be different).
• 🔍 Find the item related to managing the power button or gestures.
• 🚫 Select the option to disable the assistant launch or change the action to call the off menu.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to apply changes.

Also worth checking is the gesture settings. In the Settings → Additional settings → gesture control (or “Special features”), sometimes the option of swiping the voice assistant from the bottom corner of the screen is hidden, and if this feature is active, it must be deactivated, as it often works in your pocket or when you carry your phone in your hand.

Deep cleaning through application settings

If simple switches don’t work, you need to move to more radical measures inside the application management, which restricts Google Assistant rights and prevents it from running in the background. Be careful, as interference with system processes can affect other Google services, such as Search or Voice Input.

Open Settings → Applications → All apps. Find Google in the list. Click on it and select Permissions. You have to manually disable access to microphone, location and contacts. Without these permissions, the assistant will not be able to physically function properly, which effectively equates it to a disabled state.

Next, in the app menu, find the "Delete Updates" button. When you click on it, you roll back the Google app to the factory version. Then go back to the app settings and click "Disable" (if the button is active), which will turn the app into a system-wide plugged component that will not consume resources.

⚠️ Note: Disabling the Google system app can cause Play Market, Gmail and Navigator to malfunction. Use this method only if you fully understand the consequences.

In some versions of MIUI, the "Disable" button may be inactive, so you can try clearing the data and cache of the application before you try to disable it, and then select "Memory" from the app menu and click "Clear all data" to reset all your personalized assistant settings.

Using ADB to Advance Disconnect

For users who are not afraid of the command line and want a guaranteed result, the best solution is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method allows you to completely freeze or delete the package responsible for the assistant, without root rights. USB-cable.

First, turn on the developer mode on your phone. To do this, quickly click seven times on the build number in the About Phone section. Then, in the Developer menu that appears, activate Debugging on USB. Connect the phone to your computer and start the command line (or terminal) with the ADB installed.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistant

This command forcibly disables the Google Assistant component for the current user. If you want to make sure the service doesn't launch, you can also disable the main Google package, but it's risky. A safer command to disable only the voice assistant:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

• 💻 Install the drivers. ADB computer.
• 🔌 Connect your phone in debugging mode.
• ⌨️ Enter a command to disable the assistant package.
• ✅ Check that the assistant is no longer responding to commands.

To get it back, use the command to replace disable-user with enable, which is the most effective method, as it works at the system level and ignores the limitations of the Xiaomi interface.

Comparison of disconnection methods

To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you assess the risks and effectiveness of each method depending on your goals and level of training.

As you can see from the table, for most users, a combination of settings inside the application and changing the behavior of the power button is enough. Using ADB is only justified if you want to completely clean the system of excess code and have the relevant experience.

Remember that after updating the MIUI or HyperOS system, some settings may reset, so after a major update, it is recommended to check the status of the assistant and repeat the disabling procedure if necessary.

Possible problems and solutions

You may encounter a number of challenges when you turn off, such as the "Disable" button being gray, and settings being reset by themselves, and these are Android security mechanisms that try to keep their services functional.

If settings are reset, check to see if you have a Google account that syncs the assistant data, sometimes you need to temporarily disconnect the Internet before you take the shutdown action so that the server does not have time to return the configuration, and you can also have problems with third-party launchers that intercept control of the buttons.

⚠️ Warning: If after disconnecting the phone began to work unstable, just reset the settings to the factory or use the command ADB packet-in.

Another common problem is that you can't turn off the microphone for Google. In newer versions of Android (12, 13, 14), access to the microphone is regulated by security. You can see the microphone indicator in the status bar even if the assistant is turned off. This is normal if other apps are running, but if the indicator is constantly on, check the list of recently used apps in the privacy settings.

💡

Use Do Not Disturb or special profiles to limit background activity, including Google, at night.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

💡

Disabling Google Assistant on Xiaomi requires a comprehensive approach: settings within the application, changing button actions, and, if necessary, using ADB to block system processes.