How to permanently disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T: a detailed guide

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T is one of the most popular mid-range smartphones, but its owners often face the intrusive work of Google Assistant. The voice assistant is activated by random taps, consumes battery power and collects user data — even if you do not use it. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to turn off, including hidden MIUI settings and advanced methods through ADB.

The Redmi Note 8T (M1908C3XG) is that the manufacturer has integrated Google Assistant at the firmware level, which means that the standard shutdown through the app menu often works incompletely — the assistant can self-return after restarting or updating the system. We tested each method on current versions of MIUI 12.5-14 and identified those that are guaranteed to work.

Important: some of the ways require developer rights or PC connectivity. If you're not sure about your skills, use the first two. ADB-Teams that permanently remove the Assistant from the system.

Why Google Assistant is running on Redmi Note 8T, even if you didn’t turn it on

On the Redmi Note 8T, Google Assistant is activated by default via:

🔘 Long-term retention of the Home button (if gesture navigation is used, swipe from the bottom corner)
🎤 Voice command “OK, Google” (even if the microphone is turned off in the settings)
🔄 Automatic update of Google Play services that restore assistant after manual removal
📱 Xiaomi services that interact with Google (such as Mi Share or Quick Apps)

The root of the problem lies in the license agreement between Xiaomi and Google, which requires the manufacturer to pre-install Google services on devices for the European and global markets (the Redmi Note 8T model belongs to the global line), which means that it is impossible to completely remove the Assistant without root rights – but you can turn off all ways to call it and block background activity.

📊 You are using Google Assistant on Redmi Note 8T?

Yeah, regularly.

Sometimes, if necessary.

No, he's intruding.

Turned off immediately after purchase.

I don't know what it is.

Another nuance: the Redmi Note 8T with China ROM doesn't have Google Assistant, so if you bought a Global/EEA ROM, the assistant will be pre-installed and activated, and flashing it to the Chinese version of MIUI will solve the problem, but it will take away Google services (Play Market, Gmail, etc.).

Method 1: Disable via Google Settings (without root)

The easiest and safest method is to deactivate Assistant from its settings menu, which does not remove the app, but blocks all call modes (voice, button, gestures) for users who want to keep Google services functional but get rid of the intrusive assistant.

Open the Google app (the G icon)|Go to the "More" section» → «Settings»|Select "Google Assistant»|Click "General settings» → Turn off the switch "Google Assistant»|Go back and select “Voice Assistant» → Turn off "Access from the lock screen»|Go to Voice Match and turn off OK Google»-->

After these actions have been carried out:

✅ Long pressing of the Home button will stop calling the Assistant
✅ The “OK, Google” voice command won’t work.
❌ Background processes of the Assistant will remain active (battery consumption) ~0.5-1% per day)
❌ After updating Google services, settings may reset

💡

To check if the Assistant is disabled, try saying "OK, Google" or holding the Home button for a long time. If the message appears, "Google Assistant is disabled," it's done right.

If the Assistant is activated again after you restart your smartphone, move on to the next method, which means that Google automatically restores it through background updates.

Method 2: Lock through MIUI settings (for power users)

MIUI allows you to limit the activity of system applications, including Google Assistant, which completely stops the background processes of the assistant, but requires the activation of the developer mode and work with permissions, suitable for those who are willing to sacrifice some functionality to save battery life.

First, turn on the developer mode:

Go to Settings. → The phone.
Click 7 times on the MIUI version line (you will be notified “You became a developer”)
Return to the main settings menu and open Additional settings →

Now disable the Assistant through restrictions:

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show all apps
Find Google (app, not services) and open its settings
Select Permissions and disable Microphone, Camera, Phone
Go back and press the battery → Limit background activity
In the Memory section, select Clear cache and Clear data (this will reset the Assistant settings)

What if there is no “Limit background activity” item?

On some versions of MIUI, this item may be called Battery Management → Background Limitation. If it isn’t, try an alternative path: Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Battery Management → Google and select Limit.

After these manipulations:

Parameter	Before the blackout	After the blackout
Battery consumption (in 24 hours)	1.2–2.5%	0.1–0.3%
Voice activation	It's working.	Disconnected.
Calling the home button	It's working.	Unplugged.
Background updates	Included	Blocked.
The work of other Google services	No change.	No change.

⚠️ Attention: Google app data clearing will reset all related settings, including search history and personalized recommendations.If you use a Google account to sync, the data will recover after re-entering.

Method 3: Complete disabling via ADB (for advanced users)

If the first two methods didn't work, the radical way is to disable the Assistant at the system level using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the PC and executing commands in the terminal, the advantage is that the Assistant will be completely deactivated until the next flash, even after the updates.

What you need:

🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS
📋 Installed Xiaomi drivers (download from the official website)
🔧 ADB and Fastboot (part of Android) SDK Platform-Tools)
🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)

Instructions:

Turn on your smartphone to debug by USB (Settings → Additional settings → For developers)
Connect Redmi Note 8T to PC and select File Transfer Mode
Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) in the folder with ADB
Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your device.
Run the command to disable the Assistant: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

If the team is successful:

✅ Google icon will disappear from the app menu
✅ Voice search and assistant will stop working
✅ Background processes com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox will be stopped
⚠️ Google search in Chrome browser will remain working, but without voice input

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI through OTA The assistant may come back. To avoid this, repeat the command before updating. ADB or disable automatic updates to Google services in Settings → Annexes → Google Play Store → Auto-update.

If you want to return the Assistant, follow the command:

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

Method 4: Removal through MIUI-launcher (alternative method)

On the Redmi Note 8T with MIUI 12.5+ firmware, you can disable Assistant call through launcher settings, which does not remove the application itself, but blocks it from activating with gestures and buttons, and is suitable for those who want to keep the assistant manually running if necessary.

Instructions:

Click on the free space on the main screen for a long time.
Select Home Screen Settings (cog icon)
Go to Additional settings → Gesture settings
Find the Google Assistant and turn it off.
Go back and select the default action in the Home Button section (e.g. Standard or Recent Apps)

This method only works for gesture navigation. If you use classic buttons (three dots at the bottom of the screen), further disable Assistant via Google settings (see Method 1).

💡

Disabling the launcher does not remove the Assistant from the system, but only blocks its call with gestures. The application will still consume ~0.5% of the battery per day due to background processes.

What to do if the Assistant is turned on after the update

Many Redmi Note 8T users are faced with the fact that Google Assistant returns after updating MIUI or Google Play services, this is due to automatic synchronization with a Google account.

Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google
Turn off sync for Google Assistant
Go to Settings → Applications → Google Play Store → Storage and click Clear Cache
In the same menu, select Space Management → Clear all data (this won’t delete installed apps, but will reset Market settings)
Turn off Auto Update for Google App: Settings → Apps → Google → Three Points → Disable Auto Update

If the problem recurs, try installing an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) that allows you to completely disable gestures associated with Google Assistant at the interface level.

How to check which applications are being updated by the Assistant?

Install the App Inspector app from Google Play and open the update history for the com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox package, which will indicate which app initiated the last update (usually Google Play Store or Google Play Services).

Comparison of methods: which way to disconnect to choose

Method	Difficulty	Efficiency	Battery consumption	Recovery after update	PC required
Through Google's settings	⭐	Medium	0.5–1%	Yes.	No.
Restriction in MIUI	⭐⭐	Tall.	0.1–0.3%	Sometimes.	No.
ADB-team	⭐⭐⭐	Maximum	0%	No (before flashing)	Yes.
Launcher settings	⭐	Low.	0.5–1%	Yes.	No.
Alternative launcher	⭐⭐	Medium	0.3–0.7%	Rarely.	No.

Selection recommendations:

🔹 If you don’t want to mess with the settings, use Method 1 (via Google Menu).
🔹 If you want to reduce battery consumption as much as possible, choose Method 2 (limiting the battery consumption). MIUI).
🔹 If the Assistant returns after each update, use Method 3 (ADB).
🔹 If you use gesture navigation and want to leave the Assistant, but remove random calls – set up Method 4 (launcher).

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling Google Assistant

Can I remove Google Assistant completely without root rights?

No, you can't completely delete a system application without root. However, the ADB method (Method 3) disables it for the current user, which has a similar effect. Complete removal requires root rights and a file manager with access to the system partition (e.g., Root Explorer).

Will voice search work on YouTube or Chrome after the Assistant is disabled?

Yes, voice search in other Google apps (YouTube, Chrome, Maps) will remain functional, as it uses a separate speech recognition module, only calling Google Assistant on the “OK, Google” or “Home” button is turned off.

Why does the assistant show up sometimes after the shutdown?

This is due to the automatic update of Google services. To prevent Assistant from returning: Turn off Auto Update for Google's app in the Play Store. Limit background activity of Google Play Services in battery settings. Use ADB-Involuntary Disablement Command (Method 3) If the problem persists, check if the device has third-party launchers or applications that may conflict with the settings.

Can I turn off the Assistant only for specific applications (for example, in Google Photos)?

No, Google Assistant works as a system service and its settings are applied globally. However, you can: Disable Assistant integration in specific applications (e.g. Google Photos → Settings → Google Assistant). Use alternative applications without built-in Assistant support (e.g. Gallery Go instead of Google Photos).

Does disabling the Assistant affect the operation of other smartphone functions?

No, disabling Google Assistant doesn't affect: Google Play Store and app installations; synchronizing contacts, calendar and email through Google account; MIUI features such as themes, screen duplication or quick settings; the only consequence is that you won't be able to use the voice assistant, but all other Google services will remain functional.