How to permanently disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi Mi 9: 4 working methods

Why Xiaomi Mi 9 users want to get rid of Google Assistant

Google’s voice assistant is integrated into MIUI firmware at the system level, but not all Xiaomi Mi 9 owners need it. The main reasons for turning it off are constant notifications about “voice activation”, background activity (which drains the battery by 5-7% per night even in standby mode), and collection of location and search queries, especially for users who prefer Alice from Yandex or do not use voice commands at all.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways, from basic shutdown through settings to deep changes to the system with ADB. Importantly, some methods require unlocking the bootloader and can affect the stability of the smartphone. If you’re not sure about your skills, start with the simplest options.

Before you start, check the MIUI version on your Mi 9: Settings path → About phone → MIUI version. This is what makes some features available. For example, MIUI 12.5+ has a separate voice activation switch that wasn’t available in earlier versions.

Method 1: Disconnection through standard MIUI settings

The safest and most reversible way is to use built-in system options, and it is suitable for those who just want to remove unnecessary notifications and prevent the assistant from accidentally starting.

Steps:

1. Open the Google app (the icon with the letter "G" on a color background).
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Select Google Assistant → go to General section.
4. Turn off the options: 🔄 "Google Assistant (Main Switch) 🎤 "OK Google" (voice activation) 📱 "Assistant on the lock screen"

After that, the assistant will stop responding to voice commands and will not appear when holding the Home button. However, the background processes of com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox can still work. To completely stop them, you will need to limit activity through battery settings:

Disable Autostart in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google → Auto-start|Limit background activity in Settings → Battery → Choice of applications → Google → Limit background activity|Remove Google App Updates in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google → Three points. → Remove updates-->

Limitation: This method does not remove the assistant completely, but only blocks it from starting. When you reset or update MIUI, the parameters can return to factory settings.

Method 2: Disconnect via ADB (without root)

A more radical way is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to disable system components without obtaining root permissions, but requires a connection to a computer and enable debugging over USB.

Instructions:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. On Mi 9, activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shoot 7 times).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line in the adb folder and do:

adb devices


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

This command will remove Google Assistant for the current user only, without affecting system files. To return everything back, use:

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

adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

Important: On some versions of MIUI (especially global ones), this method can lead to errors with Google services. If the Google Play Store or Gmail stops working after the shutdown, return the settings back.

Method 3: Use MIUI Optimization (for power users)

MIUI firmware has a hidden MIUI Optimization feature that allows you to jam system applications, which only works on Chinese versions of MIUI or custom firmware like xiaomi.eu.

Algorithm:

1. Install Activity Launcher from Google Play.
2. Open it and search for.miui.hiddenmenu → MIUI Optimization.
3. In the list of system applications, find Google and disable: 🔍 "Google App (main application) 🤖 "Google Play Services (optional but risky!)

Reboot the phone.

This method doesn’t delete applications, it only blocks them from running. To get them back, you just need to turn them back on to MIUI Optimization or reset them via Settings → System → Reset (without deleting data).

Using standard settings | Using ADB| Using MIUI Optimization | I have a different way-->

Method 4: Complete removal via TWRP (requires root)

For those who are willing to go to extreme measures, there is an option of physical removal of system APK-Google Assistant files. This requires an unlocked bootloader installed TWRP and root rights.

Step-by-step:

1. Download Root Explorer or a similar file manager with access to /system.
2. Go to /system/priv-app/GoogleQuickSearchBox.
3. Delete or rename (add.bak) files: 📄 GoogleQuickSearchBox.apk 📄 GoogleQuickSearchBox.odex (if any)

Google

Reset the device.

💡

Removing system APKs can cause firmware to run unstable. Always back up through TWRP before making changes!

Warning: On some versions of MIUI, this can cause bootloop. If the phone doesn't turn on, restore deleted files via TWRP or flash back the firmware.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

For most users, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is good for the first two methods. If you don’t plan to use Google Ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Maps), you can try MIUI Optimization. Removal via TWRP is recommended only in extreme cases.

Frequent problems and their solutions

After you turn off Google Assistant, you may experience side effects, and here are the most common ways to eliminate them:

• 🔋 Battery consumption increased: Paradoxically, sometimes after the assistant is turned off, the system begins to search more actively for its components. → Warehouse → Cache data.
• 🔔 Notifications from other apps have disappeared: This is due to the Google Play Services shutdown. return settings or use alternative push services (e.g. Huawei Push Kit for some apps).
• 🔍 Voice search in the browser doesn’t work: Replace Google Chrome with Firefox or Brave – they use their own search engines.
• 📱 Reset settings after the update MIUI: Repeat the disablement procedure – updates often restore system applications.

💡

If your navigation gestures stop working after you turn off Google Assistant, check the settings in Settings → Display → Navigation Bar. Sometimes they are reset when you change system components.

If none of the methods worked, or after manipulation the phone began to work unstable, consider firmware custom version of MIUI (for example, xiaomi.eu), where Google Assistant is disabled by default.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions