How to permanently disable voice assistant on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

Why do users want to get rid of the voice assistant?

The voice assistants on Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphones are both a useful tool and a source of constant irritation. Many owners face a situation where the phone suddenly activates the microphone, reacts to random phrases or even turns on music during an important conversation. Especially annoying is XiaoAI, a Xiaomi-branded assistant that often launches when you press a side button or voice command “OK, Google.”

According to surveys of Redmi Note 9 Pro users, more than 60 percent turn off voice assistants in the first months of use. The main reasons are battery drain (background processes eat up to 5 percent of the charge per day), accidental triggers (for example, in transport or on a noisy street), and privacy problems — not everyone is ready to constantly “listen” to the surrounding sounds. In this article, we will discuss all ways to completely deactivate both assistants — and Google Assistant, and XiaoAI — without losing the functionality of the smartphone.

Method 1: Disabling Google Assistant through Settings

The most obvious method is to deactivate Google Assistant in the settings menu, which is a good way to do it if you don’t use voice search and other features of the Google ecosystem, and it’s important to note that once you turn off some services (like fast-start apps with voice) will stop working.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Google app (the icon with the letter "G" on a colored background).
• 👤 In the upper right corner, tap on the account avatar. → Select Settings.
• 🔊 Go to the Google Assistant section → General settings.
• ⚙️ Find the Google Assistant and translate the slider to the position..
• 🗑️ For full deactivation, go back and select Devices. → Redmi Note 9 Pro → Shut down.

After this, the voice activation for the phrase "OK, Google" will stop working, but XiaoAI will remain active - it must be disabled separately (see next section).

Method 2: Deactivation of XiaoAI in MIUI

XiaoAI is a proprietary assistant from Xiaomi that is integrated into the MIUI firmware. It is activated not only by voice, but also when you hold the Home or Power button for a long time (depending on the firmware version). It is impossible to completely remove it without root rights, but you can turn off all functions.

Step-by-step:

1. 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
2. 🔍 In the search bar, enter XiaoAI (or "Voice Assistant" on Russian firmware).
3. ⚡ Select the app and click Disable (if the button is inactive, first tap Stop).
4. 🛡️ Go to Permits and disable Microphone, Contacts and Notifications.

Make sure the application is stopped in "Application Management"

Try holding the power button – there should be no assistant window.

Check that there is no microphone icon in the status bar

Run any app and say “OK Google” – there should be no reaction.-->

If XiaoAI continues to work after this, it is integrated into system processes, in which case only disabling through ADB (Method 4) or installing custom firmware will help.

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To temporarily block XiaoAI when you press the power button, go to Settings → Buttons and gestures → Power button and turn off the “Run Voice Assistant” option.

Method 3: Remove Google App Updates (for power users)

Google Assistant works through the Google app (com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox component) and if you roll it back to the factory version, some of the assistant's features will stop working, a method that is suitable for those who do not use other Google services (such as Google Lens or Discover).

How to do this:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Google.
• ⏮️ In the upper right corner, press three dots. → Remove updates.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 🚫 In Google Settings, disable App Auto Update (so that the system doesn’t restore the assistant).

⚠️ Note: After removing updates, some features, such as voice input in Google Docs or quick screen search, may stop working. If you are actively using Google services, this method is not recommended.

Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced)

If standard methods don't work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level system setup tool that allows you to disable Android-level assistants without physically removing them.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version → Return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Commands to disable:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox  # Google Assistant


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.voiceassist  # XiaoAI

Once you've done the commands, reboot your phone. The assistants will disappear from the app menu, and their processes won't start in the background. To get it back, use the same command, but with install instead of uninstall.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They only turn off the assistants for the current user, and after resetting the settings or updating the firmware, they will have to be re-run, and some system functions (for example, quickly starting the camera with a double press of the power button) may not work correctly.

Method 5: Using third-party applications (without root)

If you don’t want to dig into settings or use ADB, you can use permission management apps, such as App Ops or Package Disabler, which allow you to block access to the microphone and other resources for specific applications.

How it works:

• 📥 Install App Ops from Google Play.
• 🔍 Find the list in Google and XiaoAI.
• 🎤 Turn off the Microphone and Auto Start resolution.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

The advantage of this method is that you don't remove applications completely, you only limit their functionality, but some functions (such as processing voice commands) can continue to work in the background.

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Apps like App Ops don’t require root rights, but their effectiveness depends on the version of MIUI. On some firmware, Xiaomi blocks changes in permissions for system applications.

What if the assistant is still working?

If Google Assistant or XiaoAI continues to activate after all the manipulations, the problem may lie in:

• 🔄 Updates to the firmware - after the update MIUI some settings are reset.
• 📱 Brand gestures – check button settings and gestures in MIUI.
• 🎧 Connected accessories – some headphones or smartwatches automatically trigger the assistant.
• 🔊 Random voice commands – if music or video is played in the background with the phrase “OK, Google".

Decisions:

1. Check Settings → Linked devices and turn off automatic starts.
2. In Google Settings → Voice Match disable the Match option over Bluetooth.
3. Install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) that allows you to reassign button actions.

If neither method works, there are two options: installing custom firmware (like LineageOS) or physically shutting down the microphone (in the extreme case, it requires disassembling the phone).

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off voice assistants