TalkBack, the voice assistant on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones, is often activated by accident — you just need to press the power button twice or press both volume buttons. Once turned on, the screen begins to voice all actions, and standard gestures stop working, which creates a lot of inconvenience, especially if you do not know how to return the phone to normal mode.
The problem is compounded by the fact that MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) has its own interface features that differ from pure Android. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways to disable TalkBack - from standard settings to advanced methods through ADB. Each method is illustrated with screenshots (for current versions of MIUI 14/15) and adapted for the models of Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11, POCO X5 and others.
If you're here after accidentally activating the feature, don't panic. 90% of users successfully disable TalkBack in 1-2 minutes, following the instructions below.
1. Standard disconnection through settings (if screen is visible)
If you can still see the screen after TalkBack is activated (albeit with a modified control), use this method. It works on all Xiaomi Redmi models with MIUI 12 and later.
Because of TalkBack's features, standard gestures don't work, so you can open the settings by:
- Tap twice with a delay (not double click!) on the Settings icon (cog).
- After opening the menu, swipe two fingers down the screen to scroll down.
- Find the Special Opportunities section and click on it twice with pause.
Inside the section:
- 🔍 Find TalkBack (may be called "Screen announcer" on Russian firmware).
- ⚙️ Twice tap the slider to turn off the function.
- ✅ Confirm the action in the window that appears (click OK twice).
☑️ Preparing to shut down TalkBack
If after turning off the screen continues to voice actions, restart the device: press the power button and select Reboot (double press).
⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models with MIUI 13 and below, TalkBack can hide in the Vision submenu inside Special Opportunities.
2. Disconnect via Quick Settings (if icon is visible)
On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14/15, the notification panel can display the TalkBack icon (an eye icon or a person with a speech bubble) which is the fastest way to disable the feature if the icon is available.
Instructions:
- Swipe two fingers from top to bottom to open the notification bar.
- Find the TalkBack icon (usually in the upper right corner next to the brightness).
- Twice tap it with a delay - the function will turn off.
If the badge is not:
- 📱 Try to turn the panel completely (pull down twice with two fingers).
- 🔄 On some firmware, the icon appears only after the first activation of TalkBack.
- ⚡ If there is no sign at all, move on to the next method.
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On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and newer models, the TalkBack icon can be hidden behind the One-Tap Mode button in quick settings. Tap it twice to see additional options.
3. Disconnection through gestures (if the screen does not respond)
If TalkBack is activated and the screen is no longer responsive to touch, use special gestures built into MIUI. This method works even when the screen is locked (on some models).
The main gestures for control:
| Gesture. | Action. | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Double touch with delay | Activation of the element (analogue of a regular tap) | Pause between touches ~1 second |
| Swipe two fingers up/down | Scrolling screen | Analogue of swipe in normal mode |
| Swipe two fingers left/right | Switching between pages/tabs | It works in the menu and browser |
| Hold two fingers. | Context menu (analogue of long tap) | Some firmware doesn't work. |
To turn off TalkBack gestures:
- Unlock the screen (if it is blocked).
- With double tap, open the settings.
- Fly with two fingers to the special opportunities.
- Double-touch, select TalkBack and turn off the slider.
If it doesn't work out:
- 🔋 Try plugging in the charger - sometimes it resets gestures.
- 📴 On the Redmi. 10/11 Triple pressing of the power button (if the function is enabled in the settings) can help).
What to do if the gestures don’t work?
4. Resetting special features settings
If TalkBack is activated after a MIUI update or reset, only resetting special features can help, it doesn't affect personal data, but it returns all availability settings to factory settings.
Instructions:
- Open the settings (double tap).
- Go to Special Opportunities (swipe with two fingers).
- In the upper right corner, find three dots (menu) and double tap select Reset settings.
- Confirm the action.
After discharge:
- ✅ TalkBack will shut down automatically.
- ⚠️ All font settings, contrast and other accessibility features will reset.
- 🔄 It may need to be rebooted.
Some MIUI firmware has a hidden reset point.
Settings → System → Additional → Resetting settings → Resetting special features5. Disconnection via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods fail and TalkBack blocks all actions, the option remains to use the same method. ADB (Android Debug Bridge requires a computer and USB-Cable, but guaranteed to work on all models Xiaomi Redmi.
Preparation:
- 💻 Install. ADB-PC drivers.
- 📱 On the phone, turn on Developer Mode (7 times tap the build number in Settings) → The phone).
- 🔌 Turn on Debugging. USB developer-menu.
Instructions:
- Connect Redmi to your PC via USB.
- Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) in the adb folder.
- Enter the command: adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/.TalkBackService:com.xiaomi.accessibility.talkback.TalkBackService Next: adb shell settings put secure accessibility_enabled 0
- Reboot your phone: adb reboot
If after the reboot, TalkBack is activated again:
- 🔧 Check if third-party apps are installed for accessibility (such as Voice Access).
- 📦 Remove updates to Google TalkBack in Settings → Annexes.
⚠️ Attention: MIUI 15 Xiaomi is blocking some of the ADB-If the command is not executed, first type: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.marvin.talkback This will completely remove TalkBack (but may disrupt other accessibility features).
6.Preventing the accidental inclusion of TalkBack
To avoid re-activating TalkBack, set up Xiaomi Redmi for these guidelines:
Turn off quick combinations:
- 🔑 Go to Settings. → Special facilities → TalkBack → Settings.
- 🚫 Turn off the Quick Turn on option (or Triple Press of the Power button).
- 🔄 Set a password to change availability settings (available on the MIUI 14+).
Additional measures:
| Problem. | Decision |
|---|---|
| Accidental pressing of volume buttons | Turn off the button clamping response in Settings → Buttons and gestures |
| Activation through voice assistant | Turn off Google in Google Assistant settings |
| Including after the MIUI update | Before updating, reset the settings of special features |
On the Redmi Note 12 and later, Xiaomi has added random activation protection. If the feature activates on its own, check:
- 🛠️ Integrity of power and volume buttons (sticking can cause false positives).
- 🧹 Viruses (scan the device through Security in the MIUI).
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Even after disconnection, TalkBack can be temporarily turned on when you connect headphones or external devices. This is a feature of MIUI - check the sound settings in the "Special features" section.