Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer users a wide range of features, including integration with Google’s voice assistant. However, many device owners notice that Google Assistant is often activated accidentally when you unlock the screen or press the power button. This can be annoying, especially if you prefer silence or do not use voice control in everyday life.
Disabling this service completely requires understanding the structure of the Android operating system and the MIUI or HyperOS shell. Unlike simple applications, the assistant is deeply integrated into system processes, so a standard switch “Stop” in one menu may not exist.
In this article, we'll look at all the available methods, from simple menu settings to hotkey locking, how to prevent accidental launches and how to free up system resources that the assistant's background process consumes. Let's start with the basic settings of the application itself.
Disconnecting through Google Assistant settings
The first and most logical step is to address the native settings of the service itself. Google has provided the ability to limit the work of its assistant, although it does not allow you to remove it completely without root rights. First, you need to open the Google app on your Xiaomi smartphone.
Once you start the app, go to your profile by clicking on the avatar in the top right corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, select Settings, and then look for Google Assistant, and that's where the main controls for functionality are.
Inside the assistant menu, you're interested in the All settings or Devices tab, where you can turn off specific activation triggers, such as disabling the "Ok Google" or turning off the response to a long home button press (if your model supports this feature).
- 📱 Open the Google app and go to your profile settings.
- 🔍 Select the Assistant section and find the "Hey Google and Voice Match" option».
- 🚫 Turn the “Hey Google” switch to the “Off” position».
- 🔒 In the “Screen Lock” section, disable the assistant access when the device is locked.
It's important to note that disabling the "Hey Google" feature will stop responding to voice commands, but won't delete the app itself. However, for most users, that's enough to stop constant interruptions. If you use Miui Optimization, the changes can take effect instantly.
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Once voice activation is disabled, the assistant can still run through widgets or shortcuts.Remove the Google widget from the desktop for complete silence.
Managing the power button on Xiaomi
One of the most common reasons for accidentally launching the assistant on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones is the setting of the power button. By default, in many regions and firmware versions, a long press on the power button (about 0.5-1 seconds) is caused by Google Assistant, not the turn off menu.
To return the classic button behavior, you need to change the system settings in the device. This process does not require third-party software and takes less than a minute.Look for the settings menu section "Additional features" or "Special features", the name can vary depending on the version of MIUI.
Inside this menu, look for the "Push and Hold Power button" option. The default option is "Google Assistant," and you need to switch it to "Stop Menu," and then a long tap will open the standard window with the sliders to turn off and reboot.
Settings → Additional features → Pressing and holding the power button → Shutdown menuIf you can't find this item in "Additional Features," try searching by settings. Type "power button" or "assistant" into the search box, and the system will highlight the desired section. On some global firmware versions, this option may be hidden in the "Home screen and recent" section.
☑️ Checking the settings of the power button
⚠️ Note: On some global firmware versions, changing this setting may require changing the region in the “Additional” menu to “India” or “Russia”, as in some countries (for example, the United States) this change is blocked by law.
Disabling voice search in the Google app
Even if you disable basic features, Google's app can continue to run in the background, waiting for commands. For deeper deactivation, you can use the Android System Application Manager. This action will actually "freeze" the service, preventing it from running by any means necessary.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Google app (not Chrome, but the blue G icon) on the list. Click on it and select Notifications. You can completely disable notifications here, but we're interested in something else.
Go back and find the "Disable" or "Stop" button. If the "Disable" button is active (not grey), the system allows you to completely deactivate the application. However, on most modern Xiaomi smartphones, this button is hidden, since Google is a system component.
- 🛑 Go to the settings of the Google application.
- 💾 Select "Memory" or "Storage».
- 🧹 Click on “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache».
- 🔙 Then click Settings Reset (if available) to return the app to its original state without your preferences.
If the shutdown button is not available, you can try to limit background activity. In the app menu, find the Battery section and select No Limits mode (so that the system does not kill the process if you want to use search) or, conversely, Hard Limitation, if your goal is to maximize resource savings and you are ready for the search widget to stop working correctly.
Why can’t you just remove the app?
Set up the launcher and desktop
The MIUI interface and the new HyperOS provide their own desktop management tools that can also conflict with or run the assistant. Often users are unaware that a swipe to the right of the home screen opens Google Discover tape, which is closely linked to the assistant.
To remove this tape, press the empty space on your desktop or pinch it with two fingers to open the page editing menu. Swipe to the leftmost page (Google Discover) and click on a switch or cross to hide it, which will remove one of the main ways Google services are activated.
It’s also worth checking your gesture settings. In Settings → Home screen make sure no actions are assigned to double.tap or other gestures that might trigger a search. In some design themes, these features can be added by third-party developers.
| Interface element | Where to turn off | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| Google Discover Tape | Desktop Editor (swipe left) | Removes news feed and quick search |
| Search widget | Desktop (removal of widget) | Remove the search bar from the screen |
| Voice input on the keyboard | Keyboard settings (Gboard) | Turns off the microphone on the keyboard. |
| Smart speaker | Settings → Google → Devices | Turns off the constant wiretapping mode |
Another important aspect is the keyboard, and if you're using Gboard, it also has a built-in voice input function, so to turn it off, go to the keyboard settings, select Voice, and turn it off, and that will prevent you from accidentally activating dictation when you type.
Using ADB for Advanced Users
For those who want to maximize their results and completely remove the assistant package, there is a method using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and having basic command line skills. Using ADB allows you to remove system applications without root rights, but requires caution.
First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on either MIUI Version or OS Version. Once you have the message “You’ve become a developer,” go back to the main settings menu.
In the "Additional" or "Extended Settings" section, find the "Developers" option. Activate the top switch and turn on "Debugging USB." Connect your phone to your PC with a cable and confirm the debugging request on your smartphone screen.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchboxThis command will disable Google's Quick Search Package, which is responsible for widgets, feeds and often the assistant itself. If you want to remove the assistant component, use the command:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistantOnce the command is complete, the application will disappear from the installed list and stop running. To return everything back, use the command adb shell pm enable com.google.android.apps.googleassistant. Be careful when entering packet names, an error can lead to instability of the system.
⚠️ Note: Disabling system packages through ADB It can disrupt other applications that rely on Google services (such as weather widgets, smart homes) and only do so if you understand the risks.
Frequent problems and their solution
Even after completing all the settings, users may experience nuances, such as the assistant being able to “resurrect” after a system update or when resetting Google’s account settings, which is normal behavior, as updates often return standard configurations.
If you notice your phone is heating up or running out quickly, check the battery statistics. The Google Assistant or Google App process can consume resources even if it is visually disabled, working in the background to synchronize data, in which case a complete cleaning of the application data helps.
Also worth mentioning are conflicts with third-party launchers. If you have installed a Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, make sure that their settings don't spell out a default Google Assistant call. Often launchers have their own button settings that override the system.
- 🔄 After updating MIUI Check the settings of the power button.
- 🔋 Keep an eye on battery statistics for hidden Google processes.
- 📲 Check the settings of third-party launchers for the presence of assigned actions.
- 🗣 Make sure that messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) do not activate Google voice input by default.
In some cases, a temporary Internet shutdown helps, and the assistant can't function without the network, so if you're in flight mode, it's guaranteed to not start, but it's a radical method that doesn't work for all situations.
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An integrated approach, including disabling voice activation, changing the settings of the power button and limiting background work, gives 100% result in the fight against an intrusive assistant.