How to turn off voice control on Android Xiaomi

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with many smart features designed to simplify interaction with the device. However, often users are faced with a situation where the voice assistant is activated accidentally in their pocket or interferes with their intrusiveness while working with other applications.

Owners of MIUI and HyperOS devices often wonder how to fully deactivate this option to regain full control of the gadget. The process of turning off can vary depending on the version of the operating system and regional firmware. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to fix the problem, including hidden settings and system restrictions.

Now, you have to understand that turning off voice control doesn't affect the basic functionality of the phone, but it does remove the background listening processes, and this is especially true for those who value privacy and don't trust the constant collection of data by the microphone. Let's look at the basic methods of setting up.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling Google system components may cause some applications tied to the search ecosystem to work in an unstable way.

Disable Google Assistant through System Settings

The most common scenario is the Google Assistant built-in, which is activated by default on all certified devices, and to limit its functionality, you need to go to the settings menu of the app itself, which is a basic level of control that is available to every user without the need for root rights.

First, open the Google app on your smartphone and click on the profile avatar in the top right corner. In the menu that opens, select Settings, then go to Google Assistant, and that's where all the key switches that control voice interface behavior are concentrated.

Inside the menu, find the Google Assistant section and select the option "Hey Google and Voice Match." This will require you to put the slider in the inactive position for the "Hey Google" feature, which will prevent the phone from responding to voice commands while the screen is off or locked.

• 📱 Open the Google app and log in to your profile.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Google Assistant → Hey Google.
• 🚫 Turn off the activation option by voice command.
• ✅ Save the changes and check the result.

After doing this, Android will stop listening to the environment in anticipation of the trigger phrase, but it is worth noting that the assistant itself will remain available when manually starting or pressing the power button long enough, unless this is disabled separately.

⚠️ Note: On some global firmware MIUI settings can be duplicated in the system menu, so check the "Applications" section as well».

Managing the Power Button Activation Function

One of the most annoying features for many users is to launch the assistant with a long press of the lock button. In the latest versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 shells, this option is often turned on by default. You can change the behavior of the physical key through system settings.

To do this, go to the Settings menu of your Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone. Find the Additional Features or Special Features section where the Power Button is located. Depending on the device model, the section name may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same.

In the menu that opens, you'll see the option "Run voice assistant with a long press." You need to uncheck or switch the switch to the "Off" position. After that, prolonged holding of the button will cause the off menu or work according to other scenarios you set, but not activate voice input.

Settings → Additional functions → Power button → Starting the assistant (Off)

If the standard path doesn't work, try searching by settings, type "power button" or "voice button" in the search box, and the system will suggest the menu item you want, which is a universal method for any version of Android.

Set up and disable Mi AI (Xiao AI)

The Chinese firmware versions, as well as some global models, pre-installed Xiaomi’s own Mi AI (or Xiao AI) assistant, which is deeply integrated into the system and can conflict with Google Assistant or work in parallel, creating inconvenience.

To manage this component, look for the Mi AI or Xiao AI app on your desktop. If the icon is hidden, search for apps. Inside the app, you need to log in to your Mi Account, and then you can access your voice control settings.

In the settings section, look for “Voice activation” or “Wake up word.” Turn off the ability to wake the device by voice command. It is also recommended to turn off the display of the floating assistant button on the screen if such an option is present in the interface.

However, disabling through settings effectively stops its operation and resource consumption.

Restriction of access rights and permissions

Even if you have disabled basic features, the assistant app can save certain permissions that allow it to function in the background. To ensure a result, you need to manually check access rights in the privacy settings.

Go to Apps → All Apps. Go to Google or Google Assistant. Click App Permissions. You should not allow microphone access if you want to eliminate voice control altogether.

Also, check the Auto Start item, and make sure that Google and Mi AI are not allowed to start automatically, which will prevent the processes from starting immediately after the smartphone is turned on, which will positively affect the performance of the system.

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 📂 Find Google and Google Assistant in the list.
• 🛑 Revoke permission to use the microphone.
• 🔋 Turn off autostart to save battery.

After changing the settings, it is recommended to restart the device so that all changes take effect.Android will apply new security policies and stop allocating resources to the background tasks of the assistant.

⚠️ Warning: Denial of microphone access can disrupt voice recorder, instant messenger video calls and the OK Google search function.

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Use Do Not Disturb at night to completely eliminate random screen and voice activations, even if settings are lost.

Using ADB to Advance Disconnect

For power users who want to get the most out of it, there is a method to disable components via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to deactivate system packages that do not turn off through the usual settings interface.

First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to About Phone and quickly press the MIUI build number 7 times. Then, in the advanced settings, turn on "Debugging USB." Connect the phone to your computer and execute a command to check the connection.

adb devices


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

Executing this command will disable Google’s Quick Search Package, which is often responsible for voice input. Be extremely careful: improper use of ADB commands can lead to unstable system operation or a “bootloop” (cyclical reboot).

If the phone is not behaving properly after the commands are applied, you can always return the changes by replacing the disable-user setting in the command with enable, which will restore the factory settings of the packets without the need for a complete data reset.

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The ADB method gives you maximum control, but you need to be careful. Always check the syntax of the commands before you type.

Possible problems and solutions

Sometimes users experience resets after a system update or reboot, which may be caused by a MIUI optimizer that forces system services to run, requiring additional battery setup.

In the Battery and Performance section, find the Google Assistant app. Set the power saving mode to “No Limits” (paradoxically, but this sometimes helps to lock in a state) or vice versa, to “Strict Limit” so that the system kills the process.

Also check for system updates. In new security patches, Xiaomi often changes the logic of voice functions. If the problem appears after the update, it makes sense to clear the cache of the Google app through the storage menu.