Google Assistant on Xiaomi smartphones is often activated by accident — just press the Home button or say “OK, Google.” For many users, this feature is useless, but it is not so easy to turn it off: MIUI hides the settings in different menus, and in some versions of the firmware, the assistant turns on itself after updates.
In this article, 5 working ways to fully deactivate Google Assistant on any Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO or Black Shark device (including models on MIUI 12/13/14). We will break down both standard methods through settings and hidden tricks for stubborn versions of software. And also explain why the assistant can turn on voluntarily after a reset or update - and how to prevent this.
Why Google Assistant is a problem: 3 main problems
Even if you have never used a voice assistant, it can be a problem:
- 🔋 Battery consumption. The assistant is in the background, listening to "OK, Google" all the time, and consuming up to 5-7% Charge per day (according to the tests) XDA Developers).
- 📱 Random positives. Just press the Home button in your pocket, and the assistant activates, locking the screen or opening unnecessary windows.
- 🛡️ Data collection: Google captures all voice queries (even the erroneous ones) and uses them for targeted advertising.
On some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO F3), the assistant is integrated at the firmware level, which means that even after manually shutting down, it can return after:
- ⚡ Updates MIUI through OTA.
- 🔄 Resetting settings to factory.
- 📦 Install applications from Google Play related to Google services (e.g. Google App).
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) Part of the Assistant feature may be blocked due to restrictions of Google Mobile Services (GMS). However, the service itself continues to work in the background.
Method 1: Disconnect via Google Settings (the easiest)
This method works on 90% of Xiaomi devices with Google services installed.Suitable for MIUI 12/13/14 and most models, including the Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi 12T and POCO X4 Pro.
Instructions:
- Open the Google app (the icon with the letter "G" on a color background).
- Translate the Google Assistant slider to the off position.
After that, the assistant will stop responding to voice commands and the Home button retention. However, background processes (such as data collection) may continue.
Turn off “OK Google” in Settings → Google → Voice Search |
Delete Google app data in Settings → Apps|
Turn off Autoplay for Google and Google Play Services in Settings → Battery → AutoRun |
Disable notifications from Google Assistant in Settings → Notifications
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On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11) the Home button may stop working after the assistant is disabled.
- Go to Settings → System → Gestures.
- Select the Home button and assign it another action (e.g., Recent Apps).
⚠️ Note: If after disabling the assistant in the Google menu appears a notification "Function not available in your region", then your device has a global version installed. MIUI with limited Google services, in which case use Method 3 (disable via ADB).
Method 2: Deactivate via MIUI settings (for Chinese firmware)
On devices with the Chinese version of MIUI (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro for the domestic market) or GMS-free firmware (e.g. Black Shark 5 for China), the standard method may not work.
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
- Find the Google (or Google App) list and tap it.
- Select Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).
- Confirm the action by clicking Disable the application.
This method completely blocks all functions of the assistant, but has side effects:
- ❌ Voice search in the browser and other applications will stop working.
- ❌ Google widgets on the home screen may disappear.
- ❌ Some system functions (such as Smart Reply in Messages) will stop working.
If you have problems with other Google services after you turn off, return your settings and use Method 4 (Limitation Through Rights).
What to do if the “Disable” button is inactive?
Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods fail and the assistant continues to activate, the only reliable way to disable it is through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which works on all versions of MIUI, including MIUI 14 and Chinese firmware.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
- 📱 USB-Type C Cable (original, for stable connection).
- 🔧 Included debugging by USB smartphone.
Step-by-step:
- Turn on USB debugging: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI until the notification "You're a developer" appears. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB debugging and confirm the action.
- Connect your phone to your computer: Download ADB Tools and unpack your archive. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal in macOS/Linux) in the ADB folder. Enter the command: adb devices If the device appears in the list, go on. If not, install Xiaomi drivers and reconnect.
- Turn off Google Assistant: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistant If the command didn't work, try an alternative: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
- Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot
After the reboot, the assistant will be completely disabled, including:
- 🎤 Voice activation by command "OK, Google".
- 🔘 Reaction to Holding the Home Button.
- 📊 Background data collection (unless other Google services are used).
⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5) after-out ADB Google Play Market may be lost. To return it, follow the command: adb shell pm enable com.android.vending
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If the Home button stopped working after the assistant was turned off, assign another action to it through Settings → System → Gestures → Home button.
Method 4: Restriction of Application Rights (without root)
If you don’t want to completely disable Google Assistant, but you want to block its activity, you can restrict the rights of the application.This method does not require ADB and is suitable for users who sometimes use voice search, but want to control its performance.
How to limit rights:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find Google or Google App and open its settings.
- Select Permissions and Disable: 🎤 Microphone (blocks voice commands). 📍 Location (prevents the collection of geodata). 📁 Storage (prohibits access to files).
Battery → Limit background activity
Auto-start
Google Play Services
Effects of restriction of rights:
| Action. | Up to limit | After restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Voice activation (OK, Google) | It always works. | Not working (no access to microphone) |
| Holding the Home button | Opens the assistant. | Google Search or nothing |
| Background battery consumption | Up to 5-7% a day | 1-2% (only basic processes) |
| Location data collection | On. | Unplugged. |
The downside of this method is that voice search will stop working in all apps, including YouTube and Google Maps. If you only need partial locking (like holding the Home button only), use Method 5.
💡
Restricting rights through MIUI settings is the safest way, as it does not require changes to system files and is easily canceled.
Method 5: Reassign the Home button (for MIUI 13/14)
Newer versions of MIUI (starting with 13) have the ability to reassign button actions, including Home retention, which allows you to disable Assistant calling without affecting other Google features.
Instructions:
- Open the settings → System → Gestures.
- Select the Home button (or Navigation buttons if you use gestures).
- In the Long Click section, select action instead of Google Assistant: 🔍 Google Search (Opens the Search Line). 📱 Recent Apps (will show multitasking). ⚙️ No action (to completely disable the reaction).
Save the changes and check the button.
This method doesn't shut down the assistant completely, but it does eliminate the most annoying thing, which is random positives. Voice activation (OK, Google) will remain active, so combine this with a restriction to block it completely.
On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra), the Home button reassignment option may be hidden to unlock it:
- Activate the Developer Mode (as in Method 3).
- Enable the option to Allow System Settings to Change in the Developer Menu.
- Reset the device.
The reasons for this behaviour are:
- System application autorecovery. MIUI has a system component protection mechanism. If Google Assistant has been disabled through ADB or manually, it can automatically turn on as a critical service after a firmware update. Solution: Repeat disabling using Method 3 after each update.
- Sync with your Google account. If you are logged in to your Google account on your device, the assistant settings can sync to the cloud. For example, if another device is enabled, it can also be activated on Xiaomi. Solution: Turn off sync to Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync (check the Assistant).
- Background updates to Google Play Services. The Google Play Services app is regularly updated through the store and can restore disabled components, including the assistant.Solution: Stop automatic updates for Google Play Services in Settings → Apps → Google Play Services → Three points → Disable auto-update.
⚠️ Note: On devices with the Chinese version MIUI (For example, Xiaomi 13 for the domestic market), the assistant may be enabled due to integration with the service XiaoAI. In this case, disable XiaoAI in Settings. → Appendices, and then repeat the steps from Method 3.