Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where voice assistant activates spontaneously, interfering with the use of the device. Especially relevant question for the Redmi 9 model, which preinstalled several voice control systems. This can be both a built-in assistant from Google and a branded Mi Voice, which is integrated into the shell MIUI. Understanding the differences between them is the first step to full control over your gadget.
Random switching can occur when you take your phone out of your pocket or while you're talking, which annoys many users. In this article, we'll take a look at all the ways you can deactivate voice controls. You'll learn to customize the system so that it only responds to your commands or is completely disabled.
We're going to look at not only the standard methods through the settings menu, but also deeper configuration options. It's important to act consistently, because some features are hidden in different sections of the interface. On Redmi 9, it's critical to disable both Google Assistant and Mi Voice separately, as these are two different services. Only a comprehensive approach guarantees the desired result.
Differences between Google Assistant and Mi Voice on Redmi 9
Before you start making changes to the system, you need to be clear about what kind of tool you’re dealing with. Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi 9, often run two types of assistants in parallel. The first is Google’s global service, which is deeply integrated into the Android operating system, responsible for finding, managing the smart home and executing common queries.
The second type is Mi Voice, which is part of the MIUI shell, which is designed to control the phone itself: calls, apps, system settings, and users often confuse them by trying to turn off one but forgetting the other, which leads to ongoing problems with phantom activations.
Disabling each requires a separate approach and visiting different menu sections. If you want to get rid of voice control completely, you'll have to set up for both services. Ignoring one of the components will leave the "Hey Google" or similarly active feature.
💡
Before making changes, write down the current voice input settings to quickly return everything as it was if necessary.
Disabling Google Assistant through system settings
The most common way to remove intrusive responses from the search giant is to use the app's standard menu. To start, open the Google app on the home screen or in a list of all programs. Click on your profile icon in the top right corner to go to the acca menu.
In the list that opens, select Settings, then go to Google Assistant, and here you're interested in the Google Assistant tab where you want to find the Phone option, and that's where the main activation switches are hidden.
Find the Google Assistant bar and put the slider in an inactive state, which will completely prevent the assistant from running through the lock screen or power button, but if you have voice activation set up, additional actions.
☑️ Checking for Google Assistant Disconnection
Adjust activation by voice and power button
Even after the main shutdown, OK Google can continue to run in the background, waiting for the keyword phrase. To eliminate this, go back to the assistant settings menu and select Hey Google and Voice Match.
Special attention should be paid to the power button. On many versions of MIUI for Redmi 9, it is the voice assistant that causes a long press on the lock button, not the off menu. To change this behavior, go to Settings → Additional → On button.
In the menu that opens, you'll see the Long-Tap option. The default is Google Assistant. Change the value to Nothing or the Off Menu if you want to return the standard button behavior, which is a common cause of random launches in your pocket.
⚠️ Warning: After turning off the long power button, you won’t be able to call the ascent quickly in emergency situations when your hands are busy.
Managing the built-in Mi Voice assistant
Xiaomi's proprietary voice engine has its own settings, independent of Google's services. To access them, open your phone's Settings and search for the Additional Settings section. In the options list, look for Mi Voice or Voice Input.
Inside this menu, disable the option Voice control, which will prevent the phone from responding to voice commands intended to control the system, and you can also set activation via the headset or headphones, which is also recommended to deactivate.
If you use a Gboard keyboard or a standard MIUI keyboard, check the microphone settings on the keyboard, often where voice typing is hidden, which can be accidentally turned on when you type messages.
What if Mi Voice is still working?
Comparative table of assistant functions
For a better understanding of what you’re turning off, check out a comparison of the two systems’ capabilities to help you make a smart decision: remove all features or leave useful ones behind, deaktiviro only annoying ones.
Google Assistant has more powerful speech recognition algorithms and better understands the context of queries. Mi Voice, in turn, faster executes system commands, such as changing the brightness or turning on a flashlight, without access to the Internet.
| Function | Google Assistant | Mi Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Activation with a phrase | Hey Google / Ok Google | Xiao Ai (depending on region) |
| Smart home management | Full support | Limited support |
| Working without the Internet | Limited. | Basic commands (calls, alarm clock) |
| Integration with the system | Medium | Deep (MIUI) |
| Language recognition | High (multilingual) | Depends on the firmware region |
Limitation of background activity and permissions
If simple settings don't work, you can limit application rights at the system level. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go to Google's list (main app, not assistant).
Go to the Permissions section and find the Microphone, and you can turn it off completely, but that will prevent you from dictating messages or using voice search, and the softer option is to choose Ask mode, so that the system will request confirmation every time.
Also, check the AutoRun section of the app settings, make sure that Google and its associated services have a ban on automatic start-up, which will prevent voice recognition services from running immediately after the phone is turned on.
💡
Disabling the microphone for Google completely will deprive you of the ability to use voice text input in messengers and search.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This section provides answers to the most popular questions that Redmi 9 owners have when setting up voice control. If you didn't find the answer above, it may be here.