How to permanently disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi Mi9 with MIUI 12:5 proven methods

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Turning off Google Assistant is not as easy as it might seem. Removing the icon from your desktop is not enough, as the assistant continues to work in the background, consuming traffic and battery power. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including system settings, ADB-All the methods are tested on Xiaomi and disable via Mi Account. Mi9 custom-made MIUI 12.

It's important to remember that some of these things require developer rights or root access, and if you're not prepared for radical measures, start with the simplest of them, which will help minimize the impact of the assistant without deep interference.

Why does Google Assistant work on Xiaomi Mi9 even after being shut down?

Many users complain that after disabling Google Assistant through settings, it continues to work, due to several factors:

1. Integration with MIUI 12 at the firmware level. Xiaomi preinstalles Google services in the system partition, so simply removing the com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox app won't help - it will recover after the reboot.

2. Background Processes. Even if you have disabled voice control, Google Play Services continues to run the analytics and sync assistant components.

3. Home button and gestures. On the Mi9, the long tap on Home is the default for the assistant call, which is a behavior that is written in Lawnchair (Google launcher) and requires a separate reassignment.

To really deactivate the assistant completely, you have to combine several methods, and we'll break them down by their complexity, from basic to advanced.

Method 1: Disconnect via Google Settings (without root)

The easiest way is to use Google’s built-in options.It won’t remove the assistant completely, but it will stop most background processes and voice or button activations.

Steps:

Open the Google app (the icon with the letter "G" on a color background).
Slip on your avatar in the upper right corner → Settings.
Select Google Assistant → go to General section.
Turn off the switches: 🔄 Google Assistant (Main Tumbler) 🎤 Voice input 📱 Assistant on the lock screen

Settings

The device

A match in voice.

After this action, the assistant will stop responding to voice commands and long presses on Home, but the background processes of com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox will still be active.

There is no response to “OK, Google"|Long press on Home doesn't call an assistant|Google has no active assistant options|Google App Not Appearing in Newly Opened List-->

Method 2: Reassign the Home button (for MIUI 12)

On the Xiaomi Mi9, a long tap on Home calls Google Assistant by default. To fix this, you need to change the action of the button through the MIUI settings.

Instructions:

Go to Settings → System and device → Buttons and gestures.
Select the Home button (or Navigation buttons if you use gestures).
In the section Long press change the action to: 🔍 Google Search (less intrusive) 📱 No action (to completely disable the reaction) 🔄 Recent annexes (alternative)

Save the changes and restart the device.

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Note: If the Home button has stopped working correctly after changing, reset the gesture settings to Settings → Additional → Resetting (does not affect user data).

This method does not disable the Google Assistant itself, but prevents it from accidentally running.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (without root but with PC)

If the standard settings do not help, you can block Google Assistant at the system level using the help of the ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method does not require root, but you will need a computer and a computer. USB-cable.

Preparation:

Turn on Developer Mode on Mi9: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate Debugging on USB.

ADB Tools

Mi9

Commands to disable:

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


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox




adb shell pm clear com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

These teams:

Remove updates to Google Assistant.
Disable the application for the current user.
Clearing the cache and data.
Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Find Google and Google Assistant, then: Turn off AutoRun. Disable Microphone and Location. Limit Background activity.

This method does not remove the assistant, but it significantly limits its capabilities, and a combination with ADB or root access will be required to completely disable it.

What to do if Google Assistant continues to run?

If the Assistant is still activated after all the manipulations of Google, check: 1. MIUI Updates: Some versions of MIUI 12.5+ return standard settings after the update. 2. Lawnchair Launcher: If you use an alternative launcher, it may have its own attachments to the assistant. 3. Google Play Services: Try disabling the auto-update for com.google.android.gms in Settings → Apps. 4. Reset: In extreme cases, reset to factory settings (with data saved) via Settings. → Additional →

Method 5: Complete removal with root rights (for power users)

If you're ready for radical measures, root access allows you to remove Google Assistant at the system file level, which is suitable for firmware with an unlocked bootloader.

Tools required:

📱 Xiaomi Mi9 bootloader.
🔧 Installed by Magisk or SuperSU.
💻 Root Explorer or Titanium Backup.

The removal process:

Open Root Explorer and go to /system/priv-app/.
Find folders: Velvet (the main assistant component) GoogleQuickSearchBox

.bak

Velvet.bak

Reset the device.

Titanium Backup

Google Assistant

Uninstall

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Note: Deleting system applications can cause MIUI to work unstable. Before you do this, back up your system via TWRP or OrangeFox. If you have errors (such as Google Play Market crashes) after you delete, restore deleted files from the backup.

After Google is completely removed, Assistant will stop consuming resources, but some features (such as voice search in Google Maps) may not work properly.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To determine the best way, compare all options on key parameters:

Method	Difficulty	PC required	Root is required.	Efficiency	Risks.
Google settings	⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	⚠️ Partial	Minimum
Home reassignment	⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	⚠️ Partial	Resetting gestures
ADB-team	⭐⭐	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	✅ Tall.	Recovery after reboot
Mi Account	⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	⚠️ Medium	Limitation of Account Functions
Root removal	⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	✅ Complete.	System instability

For most Xiaomi Mi9 users, the best solution is a combination of Method 1 (Google Settings) + Method 3 (ADB), which will give the maximum effect without the risk of damage to the system.

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If you notice notification problems from Google Services (such as Gmail or Calendar) after disabling Google Assistant, check your sync settings in Settings → Accounts → Google. You may need to manually enable sync for the desired applications.

Frequent problems and solutions

When you turn off Google Assistant on MIUI 12, the following difficulties may occur:

1.The assistant is activated again after the MIUI update

Solution: After updating your firmware, repeat the steps from Method 3 (ADB) or use Tasker to automatically shut down.

2.The Home button does not respond after reassignment

Solution: Reset your gesture settings to Settings → System → Gestures or return the standard button action.

3. Google Play Errors After Deleting Through Root

Solution: Restore deleted files from the backup or reinstall Google Play Services via APKMirror.

4. Voice search in other apps doesn't work

Solution: Install an alternative voice assistant (e.g. Siri via iOS emulator or Yandex Alice).

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Note: On some versions of MIUI 12 for Xiaomi Mi9 (e.g. MIUI 12.5 Enhanced), disabling Google Assistant may cause Google Pay to crash.If you use contactless payments, test them after the changes.

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On the Xiaomi Mi9 with MIUI 12 Global, disabling Google Assistant via ADB gives the most stable result without losing the functionality of other Google services.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

Can I turn off Google Assistant without losing the functionality of Google Play?

Yes, if you use Method 1 (settings) or Method 3 (ADB), these methods only block the assistant without affecting Google Play Services. Complete removal via root can disrupt the app store.

Why does Google Assistant turn on again after resetting?

When resetting to factory settings, all system applications, including Google Assistant, are restored. To avoid this, immediately follow the steps from Method 3 (ADB) after reset, or disable the auto-update for com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.

Will Google work after the shutdown?

Not if you have deactivated Voice Coincidence in Google settings (see Method 1).However, some apps (like Google Maps) may still respond to voice commands through their own mechanism.

Can I return Google Assistant after I delete it completely through root?

Yes, but it will require: Restore deleted system files from the backup. Or manually install APK com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox via ADB. Reboot the device.

Does the Google Assistant Disconnection Affect Xiaomi Mi9’s Autonomousity?

Yes, but the effect depends on the method: Partial shutdown (Methods 1–2): battery savings of ~3–5%. Complete shutdown (Methods 3–5): increase in autonomy to 8–12%, as background activity of Google Play Services for the assistant ceases.