The Redmi Note 8 Pro line of smartphones offers powerful functionality to users, but sometimes redundant system services can be annoying. Voice assistants such as the Google Assistant or proprietary Mi AI are often activated accidentally when removing the phone from your pocket or while talking. This not only consumes battery power, but can also lead to unintentional actions, such as sending messages or launching applications.
Owners of MIUI shell devices often face the need to fine-tune the interface to improve user experience. Disabling voice input is a popular request, as many users prefer text input or manual control. In this guide, we will discuss all available ways to deactivate these functions without obtaining root rights and installing third-party software.
The setup process can vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and the modification of the MIUI shell installed on your Redmi Note 8 Pro. Below are the current techniques to help you regain full control of the device and get rid of intrusive reminders or accidental launches.
Disable Google Assistant through System Settings
The primary voice assistant in the Android ecosystem is Google's service. On Xiaomi smartphones, it's integrated deep into the system, but it can be completely deactivated. First, you go to the Settings menu and find the section that's in charge of apps or directly for Google.
In the options list that opens, you should look for Google, which is usually at the top of the list or in the Google Services category. Going inside, you will see many options related to account and sync. We are interested in the Settings tab for Google apps, where you need to select Search, Assistant and RuTub (or simply Search and Assistant).
Then the system will redirect you to the Assistant Control menu, where you need to select Google Assistant and find the Google Assistant switch, and when you put it in an inactive state, you will prevent the system from responding to voice commands and the call button, which does not delete the application, but completely blocks its functionality.
⚠️ Note: After disabling Google Assistant will stop working function “Ok Google” to unlock the screen and voice dialing through the system interface.
If you use your device daily for navigation or a smart home, think twice before turning it off completely.However, for the Redmi Note 8 Pro, which is often used as a multimedia center, such a measure is often justified to save CPU resources.
📊 Do you use voice commands every day?
Yeah, all the time.
Sometimes for a timer.
Only for calls.
Never, ever, ever.
One of the most annoying features of modern Xiaomi smartphones is the binding of a voice assistant call to a long press of the power button. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, this behavior can be changed by returning the classic off menu or reassigning the action.
To change the logic of the button, go to Settings and select Additional. In the list of options, find the Power button (or Press and Hold the Power button), and by default, Google Assistant can be the default value.
Change the setting to the Shutdown Menu. Now, with a long clamping of the side key, a standard window will appear with the choice of rebooting or turning off the device, which is especially convenient if you often use the phone with gloves or in the dark, when random pressing leads to the start of an unnecessary service.
It’s worth noting that in some versions of MIUI (especially global ones), this option can be hidden or replaced with a Mi AI call. If you don’t find this item, try updating the Security app or Google’s service itself through the Play Market.
What to do if the item is not on the menu?
If the option to change the button action is not available in the "Additional" menu, try searching for settings to type the phrase "power button." In some builds MIUI This item is placed in a separate subsection called "Special features" or "Simplified mode." Also check if the "In pocket" mode is enabled, which can block the change of certain parameters. AI In global versions of firmware Xiaomi often preinstalled its own voice assistant company – Mi AI. Even if you use the European version of the software, the service can remain active in the background, consuming RAM. AI, Open the Settings app and enter "Mi" in the search bar AI» or "Voice Assistant." If the search is not working, go to the section Additional → Mi AI. You need to turn off all switches, including Voice Awakening and Standby Answers, and you should also prevent this service from auto-starting. → Annexes → All applications. Find it on the Mi list. AI (It can be called Voice Assistant or have a logo with colored dots. Go to AutoStart and uncheck the box. Parameter Default Value Recommended System Impact Voice Awakening On Microphone Not Listening to the phrase Access to Lock screen Allowed Data Security Requests History Preserved Confidentiality Clean AutoRun is Allowed Prohibited Saving RAM After performing these actions Mi AI It will not respond to commands and will not start automatically, which will significantly reduce the battery load of your Redmi Note 8 Pro. Even if the main functionality of the assistant is disabled, the hot phrase recognition function can remain active. This means that the smartphone microphone constantly scans the surrounding space for the subject of the command “Ok Google”. To completely disable this function, open the Google application (the icon with the letter G). Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner and select Settings. Next, go to the Voice input → Voice Match (or “Voice Match”). Here you will see the Access switch with Voice Match. The assistant will warn that you will not activate your voice sample from the menu. ⚠️ Warning: Removing the voice model will make it impossible to use personalized search results and access personal information through voice commands, a setup that is critical to maintaining privacy. Continuous listening to the microphone, even in passive mode, could theoretically be used to collect data about the user's environment. If standard disablement methods don't seem reliable enough, you can take a more radical approach, which is to restrict the access rights of applications. This will not remove the service, but will deprive it of the ability to function. Go to Settings → Annexes → All apps. Search for Google Play services. Click on Permission. You must deny Microphone, Geolocation, and Contacts. Without access to the microphone, the voice assistant will not be able to hear your commands physically, but it is worth considering that restricting the rights of system applications can lead to unstable work of other functions, such as voice input in instant messengers. 💡Before limiting the rights of system applications, create a restore point or remember the original settings to quickly return functionality if necessary. Alternatively, use Do Not Disturb mode or special profiles in Xiaomi’s Security app, where you can block background activity for selected processes. Clear history and reset assistant After disabling all functions, it is recommended to clear the accumulated data. Voice assistants store the history of your requests, which takes place in memory and may be of interest to third parties. Go back to the Google Assistant settings (via Google → Settings → Assistant). Find your activity section in Assistant. Click Delete and select Delete All History. Confirm Action. Also clear the app's cache. Search Google in the App menu, go to Memory and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear All Data button as this will reset all Google services on the phone. Regularly clearing history is a good habit to maintain. Redmi Note 8's cache, find Google Memory and click Clear Cache and Cache, although it can also release several mega-bases from Google's memory. Some third-party applications may also have permission to use the microphone and simulate an assistant call. Check the list of recently installed programs. Does disabling the assistant affect the navigation? Voice control in Google Maps works independently of the primary assistant, and you can still use voice route search, you just can’t activate common alarm commands through the map interface unless you manually enable the corresponding permissions. Can you delete Google Assistant completely? Without root rights, you can't remove the system component. ADB-commands or applications like Universal Android Debloater, but this requires a PC connection and can disrupt the system's warranty or stability? Yes, the messenger dictation function uses a system input service (Gboard), which operates separately from the Google Assistant. Disabling the assistant will not affect the ability to dictate messages. How to return all settings back? Just go through all the instructions steps in reverse. Turn on the switches in Google settings, restore access to the microphone, and retrain the phone to recognize the phrase "Ok Google" in the Voice Match menu.