Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones offer users a lot of smart features, among which Google Assistant occupies a special place. This virtual assistant knows how to manage schedules, run applications and answer questions, but often its work is annoying for those who prefer the classic interface.
Random voice search activation when you unlock the screen or press the power button can significantly interfere with the comfortable use of the gadget. Many owners of MIUI devices are wondering how to completely deactivate this feature to free up system resources and avoid unnecessary actions.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to disable Google Assistant on various versions of firmware, you will learn how to disable the start of the button, disable voice activation and remove widgets that take up space on the lock screen.
Why do users turn off the voice assistant?
The main reason Xiaomi owners are looking to remove Google Assistant is because of random activations: just remove the phone from your pocket or sloppyly press a button to make the device listen to commands, which often happens at the wrong time.
In addition, the constant background work of Google services can negatively affect battery autonomy. While modern processors are effective at handling tasks, completely disabling unused functions is a proven way to optimize power consumption.
Some users are also concerned about privacy issues: Voice assistant is constantly analyzing the audio stream for keywords, and for many it is a unacceptable invasion of personal space.
⚠️ Attention: Disabling Google system components may affect some applications tied to the searcher ecosystem. Make sure you don't use critical features such as voice dialing or a smart home.
There are several levels of deactivation, from simply hiding a button to completely disabling service through system settings, and the method you choose depends on how radically you want to limit the functionality of the device.
Disabling the activation of the power button on MIUI
On most modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones with MIUI 12, 13, 14 and later, long-term retention of the default button causes Google Assistant. This behavior can be easily changed in system settings.
To start, go to the Settings menu and find the Additional or Advanced Settings section. Depending on the firmware version, the path may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same for the entire device line.
☑️ Checking the settings of the power button
Inside the menu, find the On button (or Press and Hold On/Off button) and you will be asked to choose the action: Start Assistant or the standard Off menu. Choose the second option to return the classic behavior of the smartphone.
Once the setting is changed, a long press on the side key will cause the reboot and turn off menu, which is much more convenient for everyday use. This change applies instantly and does not require rebooting the device.
⚠️ Note: On some global firmware versions, this item may be called Google Assistant in the default app list. If you don't find the settings in the button section, check the settings of the Google app itself.
If the standard path doesn't work, try searching by settings, type "button" or "power" into the search box, and the system will tell you the section you want.
Deactivation of voice control and Hey Google
Even if you remove the button, the Assistant can continue to work through voice commands, and the phrases "OK, Google" or "Hey Google" activate the microphone and send requests to the company's servers, and you can turn this feature off directly in the Google app.
Open the Google app on your smartphone and click on the profile icon in the top right corner. From the menu that appears, select Settings, then go to the Google Assistant section.
Here you're interested in the Hey Google subsection and Voice Match subsection, and inside you'll see the voice activation switch, put it to the off position so that the smartphone stops responding to voice commands.
- 📱 Open the Google app on the home screen.
- ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Google Assistant.
- 🗣️ Choose Hey Google and Voice Match.
- ❌ Turn off the activation slider.
After that, the system will stop recording audio in the background waiting for the trigger phrase, which will also have a positive effect on battery consumption, since the microphone will not constantly analyze the surrounding noise.
What is Voice Match?
It is worth noting that after the voice control is turned off, you will still be able to use the Assistant, but only through text input or a shortcut if it remains active.
Removing the widget and Google Discover panel
Often, with the User Assistant, the Google Discover News Feed opens with a swipe to the left on the home screen, which is closely linked to Google services and can be disabled to clean the interface.
To remove the tape, make a long tap (push) over an empty space on your desktop to go into edit mode. or just swipe right to the end to open the widget panel.
At the top of the screen or in the desktop settings, find the -1 screen switch or Google Discover. Turn it off, and when swiping to the left, you will no longer see the news feed and Assistant cards.
| Interface element | Wherever | Action. |
|---|---|---|
| Google Tape | Swipe left on the desktop | Disable in the settings of the desktop |
| Assistant widget | Main screen screen | Remove as a normal widget |
| Search string | Below or top of the screen | Replace by search for Mi or remove |
If you have a Google widget on your desktop as a search bar or a "G" logo, you can remove it in the standard way. Click on the widget and select Remove or drag it to the top of the screen.
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Instead of a standard Google search bar, install a “Search Mi” widget or empty widget to keep the icons symmetry on your desktop without the unnecessary Google elements.
Cleaning the desktop of Google widgets makes the MIUI interface cleaner and faster, as the system does not need to constantly update the news feed in the background.
Restriction of background work and permits
For those who want to go beyond just disabling features, there is a method to restrict Google’s app rights: This will not remove the service completely, but will deprive it of the ability to work in the background and collect data.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Google app (not Google Play Services, but the G color app) in the list.
Inside the app menu, find the Permissions or Other Permissions section, where you need to disable microphone, location, and contacts, and without the right to access the microphone, voice activation will become physically impossible.
- 🚫 Disable access to the microphone.
- 📍 Prohibit access to geolocation.
- 📂 Revoke the rights to read Contacts.
- 🔋 In the Battery section, select No Limits or Hard Savings mode (depending on version). MIUI).
It is also recommended to go to the Battery (or Energy Saving) section for the Google app and set the No Limits mode (so that the system does not wake it up) or, conversely, severely limit background activity if such an option is available in your firmware version.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling permissions completely may cause Google Maps to malfunction, voice input in the Gboard keyboard, and synchronization of some system functions.
This is a compromise solution: you don't break the system, but you keep the Assistant's activity to zero, and you can always get the permissions back if you need to.
Using ADB to Advance Disconnect
The most radical method available to power users is to disable the component via the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to hide or deactivate the system package responsible for the Assistant without root rights.
To start, you’ll need a computer, a USB cable, and the USB debugging option enabled in your Xiaomi developer menu. Connect your smartphone to your PC and install ADB drivers.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistantThe command above deactivates the Google Assistant package for the current user, and then the Assistant will disappear from the system completely, the button will stop responding, and voice commands will not work.
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The ADB command is the most reliable way to remove the Assistant, but it requires a computer and basic command line knowledge.
If you want to return everything as it was in the future, use the command:
adb shell pm enable com.google.android.apps.googleassistantIt is important to understand that disabling system components through ADB can in rare cases cause related services to run in an unstable way, and use this method only if you are confident in your actions.
Possible problems and solutions
Users may encounter various difficulties in disabling the Assistant, such as when the MIUI firmware updates, the settings may reset and the power button will start calling the assistant again.
Sometimes the Google app may compulsively suggest that you turn on voice control pop-ups, and in such cases, cleaning the app’s data through the settings menu helps, but it will reset your personalizations as well.
On some Redmi models with stripped-down versions of Android (Go Edition), the power to turn off may be limited, leaving only the permission-limited method to go.
If neither of these methods worked, check for system updates. With newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS, Xiaomi often changes the location of its privacy and button management settings.