Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where Google’s voice assistant is activated accidentally, intercepting screen control or blocking access to other features, such as pulling your phone out of your pocket, pressing the lock screen, or simply tapping the volume buttons inadvertently. Voice control is really useful, but when it interferes, you want to get rid of it.
You can't completely remove a system component without losing warranty and disrupting other services, but deactivating all its functions is a solvable task. In this article, we'll look at all the methods available, from standard settings to hotkey locking, and you'll learn to configure your MIUI or HyperOS so that the phone listens only to you.
We're going to look at not only software switches, but also the nuances of working with Google App, which is often a source of intrusive sentences. Understanding how the background processes work will allow you to manage your device effectively.
Basic deactivation through system settings
The first and most obvious step is to go to the internal settings of the Google app itself, and that's where the main switch for listening to the "OK, Google" commands is hidden, and you have to open a list of all the apps you've installed and find the search engine itself.
Once you log in to the app section, look for Voice Control, which has a key slider on it, OK, Google, and disabling this one stops the microphone from constantly recording audio in the background, which is critical for those who are concerned about privacy and don't want their phones listening to conversations.
However, even after you turn off the listening, the assistant can start manually or other triggers, so in the same menu, find the Google Assistant section and go to All Assistant Settings, where you need to find the Phone tab and disable the Google Assistant itself, and then the system will stop responding to voice commands.
Note that the interface may vary slightly depending on the Android version and the MIUI shell. If you can’t find the right item, use a search by settings inside the Google app itself by entering the word “Assistant”.
Disabling the reaction to the power and volume button
One of the most annoying features is activating the assistant when you press the power button long enough, and in modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS, this behavior is built-in by default and often interferes with the usual turn-off of the screen, and to fix this, you need to go to the system settings.
Go to Settings → Additional Features → Power button. Here you will see the option "Push 0.5 sec." The default is "Google Assistant." You need to change this value to "Do Nothing" or "Switch Off Menu" if you want to keep the button functionality to turn off your phone.
A similar situation can occur with volume buttons. Some users set up the voice input when the audio keys are pressed. Check Settings → Advanced Settings → Button Management. If the Assistant is activated there, just turn off this switch.
It's important to understand that changing the button settings affects the entire system, and if you choose to do nothing, pressing the power button for a long time will stop doing anything, which can be uncomfortable in situations where you need to call the reboot menu quickly.
For users who are used to a particular use case, such changes may take time to get used to, but if your goal is to maximize autonomy from Google’s services, this step is necessary.
Control widget and lock screen
Often, the Assistant pops up when swiping right on the desktop or lock screen, which is what's called Google Tape or Google Discover, and to remove it, press and hold your finger on the empty area of your desktop.
In the desktop settings menu that opens, find the Google Tape switch or "-1 Now, if you flip to the left, you'll see only your widgets or the void, not the news feed with the microphone button.
As for the lock screen, it's more complicated, because in some regions and firmware versions, the microphone button is built into the locker's system interface, and you can't always remove it completely without root permissions, but you can try to disable the widgets on the locked screen.
Go to Settings → Lock screen and look for options related to shortcuts or widgets. Disabling access to the camera and flashlight from a locked screen sometimes helps remove unnecessary elements of the Google interface.
Why is the microphone button coming back?
It's also worth checking the settings of the Google app itself, and inside the Assistant's settings, there's a lock screen section, and make sure that it's turned off search results and personalized data so that the phone doesn't show information before unlocking.
These measures will significantly reduce the likelihood of accidental activation, and the phone will behave more predictably, responding only to direct user commands through the touch screen.
Hiding and removing application shortcuts
Even if the functionality is disabled, the app icon can be horny or accidentally touched by a finger. You can’t completely delete the Google system app, but you can hide it from the app menu.
In MIUI, this is done through app hiding. Go to Settings → Apps → Hidden Apps (the path may vary depending on the version). Add the Google app and Google Assistant.
Now these icons will disappear from the list, and to run them (if you need them), you will need to type in a special code in the dialer or use a search if it is not blocked, which is a great way to clean the interface.
An alternative method is to use third-party launchers, and installing an alternative desktop, such as Nova Launcher or Launcher 3, allows you to completely ignore the system settings of Google widgets.
☑️ Checking the Assist's shutdown
When using third-party launchers, remember that some MIUI features, such as gestures or themes, may not work properly.
Hiding shortcuts is a cosmetic measure, but it helps avoid accidental launches when the phone is lying in a bag or pocket next to other items.
Table: Comparison of disconnection methods
To make it easier for you to navigate the setup, we have prepared a summary table that will help you choose the most suitable method depending on your purpose and device model.
| Method | What's off? | Difficulty | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google App settings | Voice recognition and responses | Low. | Minimum |
| Button settings | Long-press launch | Low. | Changes the behavior of the power button |
| Hiding applications | Visibility of the icon on the menu | Medium | No. |
| Third-party launcher | Widgets and news feed | Tall. | Change the entire interface |
As you can see from the table, the most effective and safe way to do this is to combine the first two methods, which require no additional software installation and are easily reversible.
Using third-party launchers is a radical move that suits power users looking to fully customize their Android.
Blocking through ADB (for advanced users)
If standard methods are not completely restful, you can use the ADB tool (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to turn off system components at the packet level.
You will need a computer, a cable. USB And the developer menu on the phone is enabled. In the developer menu, activate "Debug by" USB".
Connect your phone to your PC and type a command to disable the Google Assistant package:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistant