How to turn off Xiaomi voice control: the full guide

Smartphone owners often face a situation where voice control functions start to work autonomously, activating at inappropriate moments or consuming battery power. In Xiaomi devices, several system components are responsible for this, including Google Assistant and proprietary service Mi AI. Understanding what mechanism causes concern is the first step to full control of your gadget.

Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to simply disable one setting in the menu to completely isolate the device from listening. However, the Android ecosystem on which the MIUI or HyperOS shell is based has a multi-level permission structure. Below we will discuss in detail each aspect of the setup so that you can choose the best option for your needs.

It’s worth noting that shutting down all services completely can affect some applications that use voice input to dictate messages, so it’s important to act consistently, checking the result after each step. In this article, we’ll look at all possible methods, from standard settings to advanced options through ADB.

Disabling Google Assistant at the System Level

The main source of voice control in most Xiaomi smartphones sold outside China is the Google Assistant.It is deeply integrated into the operating system and is often activated by swiping at the corner of the screen or holding the power button.

Open the Google app on your device and click on the profile icon in the top right corner. In the menu that opens, select Settings, then go to Google Assistant, and you will need to find the Phone or Google Home Devices category where the main activity switches are hidden.

Inside the settings menu, find Google Assistant and put the slider in an inactive position. The system can request confirmation of your actions, warning of a decrease in functionality. It is also recommended to disable the "Hey Google" option so that the smartphone stops responding to voice commands in standby mode.

• 📱 Open the Google app and log in to your profile.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Google Assistant.
• 🚫 Turn off the main switch of the assistant activity.
• 🔇 Turn off the phrase “OK, Google” recognition».

⚠️ Note: After disabling Google Assistant, you will not be able to use voice search in the Chrome browser and the Dial feature via voice commands.

If you want to save the search functionality but remove activation from the button, go to the Google Assistant section in the phone’s main settings, where you can change the action by long pressing the power button or HOME by selecting Nothing or running another application.

Set up and disable Mi AI (Xiao AI)

Devices designed for the Chinese market, as well as global versions with Mi AI services installed, have Xiaomi’s own voice assistant, which can work in parallel with Google products, creating conflicts and unnecessary background processes, and can be managed through a special “Mi AI” application or through system settings.

To turn off completely, look for a section in the settings menu that could be called "Mi AI," "Xiao AI," or "Voice Assistant." Depending on the version of MIUI firmware, the path may differ. Often this item is hidden in the "Additional Settings" or "Special Features" submenument.

Inside the menu, find the service activation switch and deactivate it. If the "Disable" option is not available (shadowed), try to clear the application data first. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Mi AI and click "Clean Data", then try to turn off the service again.

It is also important to check the settings (wake-ups). Even if the assistant is off, the voice-wake function can remain active in the background, consuming microphone resources. Make sure all activation options, including "Raising the phone" or "shaking", are also deactivated.

Managing navigation buttons and gestures

Often the problem is not the assistant itself, but the way it is called. Xiaomi defaults to a long press of the power button or a special navigation button to trigger voice input, changing this behavior to avoid accidental activation in your pocket or when you wear your phone.

Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Press and Hold Power button. Here you will see a list of available actions. The default is often “Google Assistant” or “Mi AI.” Select “Nothing” option or reassign the action to start the camera or flashlight if this option is supported by your version of the software.

For devices with on-screen navigation buttons, the situation is similar. Go to Settings → Additional settings → System navigation. If you have buttons on, find settings for long pressing the center button or home button. Disabling the voice assistant here will prevent it from starting when you accidentally touch it.

• 🔘 Go to Additional System Settings.
• 🖱️ Find the power button control point.
• ✅ Select the “Nothing” action for a long press.
• 📱 Check the navigation button settings.

In new versions of HyperOS, the logic of the buttons may have changed, so if you don't find the items described, search by settings, typing in the "power button" or "assistant" query, the system will tell you the current path for your model.

Restriction of Microphone Rights and Data Access

Even if you disable visible interfaces, apps can still access the microphone. To maximize privacy and ensure that voice control won't work, you need to limit access rights at the Android security level.

Open Settings → Security and Privacy → Permissions Manager. Select Microphone. You will see a list of all the apps that have access to the recording. You will find Google, Google Play Services and Xiaomi system services.

For each of these services, change the permission to “Disallow” or “Ask” and this will result in the system blocking the request or silently ignoring it, not transmitting the data to the servers when you try to activate voice input.

⚠️ Warning: Complete ban on access to the microphone for Google system services may disrupt the function “Finded device” (search phone voice) and the accuracy of dictation in messengers.

Use this method with caution. If you notice strange behavior after you apply the settings, return permissions for Google Play Services to Ask.

Clearing History and Deleting Voice Data

Disabling functions is only half the story, and for complete privacy, you need to remove the accumulated history of voice queries that are stored on corporate servers, which is irreversible but effectively clears the digital footprint.

To clear Google history, go to myactivity.google.com in your browser or through the app. Select the Products filter and leave only Search and Assistant. Click Delete and select the All-Time period.

For users of Xiaomi services, the procedure may be different: Go to the settings of your Mi Account on the official website or in the Security app on your phone, search the Privacy section and request deletion of data associated with voice commands.

It is recommended to set up automatic deletion of history. In the settings of Google Account there is a function "Auto-delete", which allows you to select a period of storage (for example, 3 months), after which the old records will be deleted automatically without your participation.

Advanced Methods through ADB (for experienced)

If standard methods don’t work, or you want to cut the voice components out of the system completely, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging, which requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge.

First, you need to turn on developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the build number. Then activate “Debugging USB” in the Developer menu. Connect the phone to your PC and execute a command to delete or freeze packets.

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

This command disables Google’s app, which is the primary carrier of the voice assistant.To completely remove Xiaomi system components, root rights may be required, which is not recommended for ordinary users due to the risk of losing warranty.

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Be sure to make a full backup of the data before using ADB. Disabling system packages can lead to unstable interface operation or a cyclical reboot of the device.

To get things back to normal, use the adb shell pm enable com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox command to restore the application and all related services to their original state.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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A comprehensive approach to setting up privacy includes not only disabling functions, but also regularly cleaning history and checking application access rights.