How to completely disable the feature for the blind on Android Xiaomi: all ways

TalkBack (or Screen Speaker in Russian) on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is designed for people with visual impairments. It voices all actions on the screen, but often activates accidentally — for example, when you triple press the power button or through a combination of keys. If you encounter the fact that the phone has started to “speak” all actions out loud, do not be afraid: you can turn off this mode in several ways, even if the screen is not visible due to a dark filter.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for disabling TalkBack on Xiaomi devices running MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS, including emergency options for cases where the touch screen does not respond to touch, and learn how to prevent accidental activation of the feature in the future and what to do if standard methods do not work.

Why TalkBack is enabled on Xiaomi and how to prevent it

TalkBack can be activated for several reasons:

• 🔄 Triple press of the power button – standard gesture for quick on/off (configured in Settings) → Special facilities → Special opportunity gestures).
• 🎯 Accidentally clicking on the special features menu, especially if a child or elderly person is using the phone.
• 🔧 Automatic Enablement After Updating MIUI — Sometimes resets of special features settings occur when you switch to a new version of the firmware.
• 🛠️ Resetting settings to factory – after a hard reset, all special features functions return to default values.

To avoid re-incorporation, it is recommended that:

1. Turn off the triple-click gesture in Settings → Special Features → Special Features gestures → TalkBack.
2. Set a password to the Special Features section (available on some models via Settings → Password & Security → Privacy → Settings Block).
3. Use Xiaomi Child Mode if children often take the phone.

Method 1: Disable TalkBack through standard settings (if screen is visible)

If you see a screen and can interact with your phone, follow this instruction:

1. Unlock your phone (if the screen is locked, use a fingerprint or PIN-code).
2. Swipe your finger across the screen from left to right, then top to bottom – this is a standard gesture for calling the notification bar in TalkBack mode.
3. Tap the Settings icon (cog) and hold your finger until you hear the confirmation beep (in TalkBack mode, you need to press elements twice, not once!).
4. In the settings menu, find the Special Features section (may be called Universal Access on some firmware).
5. Select TalkBack (or Screen Narrator) and move the slider to the Off position.
6. Confirm the disconnection by pressing OK in the window that appears.

If the screen remains dark or with a green filter after turning off, reboot the phone – this will reset the display settings.

Method 2: Disconnecting by gestures (if the sensor is not working)

If the touch screen doesn’t respond to touch because of TalkBack enabled, try using the hardware buttons:

1. Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds to trigger the off menu.
2. Use volume buttons to navigate the menu (up/down) and the power button to select.
3. Select the “Restart” option and confirm the action.

After the reboot, TalkBack can shut down automatically. If it doesn't, repeat Method 1.

For models with an infrared port (for example, Xiaomi Mi 10 or Redmi Note 9 Pro) you can try to control the phone through the Xiaomi Remote (Mi Remote app), but this method does not work on all firmware.

💡

If your phone doesn’t respond to the buttons, try connecting. USB-keyboard OTG-Adapter – in TalkBack mode, it will work as an alternative input method.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can disable TalkBack via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a computer and enabled USB debugging.

Step 1: Preparation

• 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on the computer.
• 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers).
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (use the original cable for a stable connection).

Step 2. Follow the commands:

adb devices

(Your device should appear on the list)

adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/.TalkBackService:0

adb shell pm disable-user com.google.android.marvin.talkback

After you execute the commands, restart your phone. If TalkBack is still active, try the additional command:

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_enabled 0

Method 4: Resetting special features settings

If TalkBack is enabled, but you can’t disable it through the settings, you can only reset the special features settings without affecting the rest of the phone data.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Scroll down and select Reset Special Opportunity Settings (or Restore Default Values).
3. Confirm the action.

This method will return all partition options to factory settings, including TalkBack, screen zoom, color filters, and other features.

💡

Resetting special features does not delete personal data (photos, contacts, messages), but resets all the accessibility parameters to the default values.

Method 5: Completely reset your phone (extreme case)

If none of these methods work, then you have to do hard reset, which is to completely reset your phone to factory settings, and this method will remove all the data from your device, so only use it as a last resort.

How to make a hard reset on Xiaomi:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power and volume buttons simultaneously before the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation and power button for confirmation).
4. Confirm the reset by selecting Yes.
5. After the process is complete, select Reboot.

Once rebooted, the phone will be like new — without TalkBack and other custom settings.

⚠️ Warning: Before resetting, remove SIM-card and memory card, if installed. After hard reset, all data (photos, videos, contacts) will be deleted without the possibility of recovery.

Additional settings after disabling TalkBack

After a successful shutdown, TalkBack is recommended to follow several steps to avoid re-enablement:

It’s also helpful to install the Xiaomi Tools app from Google Play – it lets you quickly manage hidden MIUI settings, including special features.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When disabling TalkBack, users often face the following problems:

• 🔳 The screen remains black after shutting down → Restart your phone or check if the color filter is included in your Settings → Screen. → Color mode.
• 🔊 TalkBack is turned on itself after the reboot → Reset the special features settings (see Method 4) or update the firmware.
• 🛑 The sensor is not working in TalkBack mode. → Use hardware buttons (see Method 2) or connect USB-mouse.
• 🔄 I can't get into the settings because of PIN-code → Unlock your phone with a fingerprint or pattern lock (if configured).

If the problem persists, check if third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or POCO Launcher) are installed on the phone – they may conflict with special features system features.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 or X-ray) POCO X3 Pro) TalkBack can be linked to Google Assistant. If voice commands stop working after shutdown, check Google's settings in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Google. FAQ: Answers to popular questions: Can I turn off TalkBack without restarting my phone? Yes, if the screen responds to touch. Use Method 1 (via settings) or Method 3 (via settings) ADB). If the sensor doesn't work, rebooting may be the only option. Why did the TalkBack turn green after you turned off? This turned on the color filter for color blind. Turn it off in Settings. → Special facilities → Color correction. How to turn off TalkBack on a locked phone? If the screen is locked, try unlocking the phone with a fingerprint or face (if configured). If this is not possible, use Method 2 (hard buttons) or Method 5 (hard reset). Can you return data after hard reset? No, full reset deletes all data without recovery. If you have synced with Mi Account or Google, contacts and some applications will recover automatically after logging in. Why does TalkBack turn on on itself? This can be caused by: a firmware failure (update MIUI to the latest version). Conflict with third-party applications (check newly installed programs). Hardware failure of the power button (if it is paid or damaged).