How to turn off TalkBack on Xiaomi Mi 9: all ways in 2026

TalkBack is a useful feature for people with visual disabilities, but turning it on accidentally can turn using the Xiaomi Mi 9 into a real torture. The smartphone begins to voice your every action, and the usual gestures stop working. If you encounter this problem, do not panic: you can turn off TalkBack in several ways - even if the screen does not respond to touch.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of disabling TalkBack on Xiaomi Mi 9 (including Mi 9 SE and Mi 9T models), taking into account the features of the MIUI 12/13/14 firmware. You will learn how to return the phone to normal mode through settings, button combinations or connection to the computer.

Why does TalkBack turn on on its own?

Most often, users of Xiaomi Mi 9 face spontaneous inclusion of TalkBack for three reasons:

• 🎯 Accidental pressing: Three quick pressing of the power button or two fingers on the screen activates the function (this is a standard gesture for TalkBack in the video). MIUI).
• 🔄 Failure after update. MIUI 12.5+ Sometimes reset special features settings, including TalkBack by default.
• 🧒 Children or pets, one awkward movement is enough to trigger the visually impaired regime.

Interestingly, on the Xiaomi Mi 9 with MIUI 14, TalkBack can activate even when you connect your headphones — a bug that still hasn’t been fixed in some regional versions of the firmware. If you notice this pattern, try turning off the “Autostart When Connecting Devices” option in the special features settings.

Method 1: Disable TalkBack via Settings (if the screen is responsive)

If you can still interact with the screen (albeit with the voiceover of each action), follow this instruction:

1. Unlock the phone. To do this, swipe two fingers on the screen up (the standard unlock gesture in TalkBack mode).
2. Open Settings. Find the gear icon on your desktop and tap it with two fingers (one tap in TalkBack highlights the element, two taps activates it).
3. Go to the Special Opportunities section → TalkBack.
4. Move the slider to the off position. or press the Disconnect button.
5. Confirm the action in the dialog box by pressing OK (again, with two fingers).

If after disabling TalkBack, the screen stopped responding to touch, restart the phone by pressing the Power button for 10 seconds.

Method 2: Gestures to turn off (if the screen is unresponsive)

When TalkBack is activated, the standard MIUI gestures are replaced with special combinations. To turn off the mode, try:

• 👆 With two fingers, swipe down the screen, and that opens the notification bar. Find the TalkBack icon and tap it with two fingers.
• 🔄 Hold two fingers and turn (a gesture of “turn”) – this will cause a context menu where you can select TalkBack Settings.
• 🚫 Press the screen three times with three fingers – in some versions MIUI It's disabling TalkBack forcibly.

If the gestures don't work, check if the "Accumulative Press Protection" mode is activated in the special feature settings, and it blocks some combinations, to turn it off:

1. Press the Power button for 5 seconds to call the off menu.
2. With two fingers, touch the Settings icon (cog) in the upper right corner.
3. In the menu that opens, find Special Opportunities and turn off the Protection against Accidental Presses.

Method 3: Disconnecting through Safe Mode

Safe Mode downloads Xiaomi Mi 9 with disabled third-party apps and some system features, including TalkBack.

1. Turn off the phone by pressing the power button.
2. Hold the Power button until the Mi logo appears, then immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
3. Hold it until the phone loads fully, and the bottom left corner will say Safe Mode.

In safe mode:

1. Open Settings → Special Options → TalkBack and turn off the function.
2. Reboot your phone in the usual way.

Important: Fingerprint and facial recognition are not working in Safe Mode. PIN-code or pattern lock to unlock.

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If TalkBack is back on after you quit Safe Mode, check if there is an automation app on the phone (such as MacroDroid or Tasker) that can force the function to activate.

Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not help, you can disable TalkBack through ADB (Android Debug Bridge requires a computer and USB-cable.

First, prepare the phone:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and click on this line 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect Xiaomi Mi 9 to your computer and confirm your trust in the device.

Now, follow the commands in ADB:

adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/com.google.android.marvin.talkback.TalkBackService:com.xiaomi.accessibility/com.android.accessibility.TalkBack.TalkBackService


adb shell settings put secure accessibility_enabled 0

After you've completed the commands, restart your phone. If TalkBack is still active, try an alternative command:

adb shell pm disable-user com.google.android.marvin.talkback

⚠️ Note: Disable TalkBack through ADB It can cause other features to fail. After the procedure, check the voice assistant and gestures in the settings.

Method 5: Resetting settings (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, you have to reset your phone, which will delete all the data, so try backing up your phone via Mi Cloud (if the phone still reacts to touch).

Instructions for Xiaomi Mi 9:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons for 10 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
3. Use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button to select the Wipe Data item.
4. Confirm the reset by selecting Confirm.

Once reset, the phone will reboot in a factory-like state. TalkBack will be disabled, but all data (photos, contacts, apps) will be deleted. If you had a link to your Mi Account, you will need to enter your username and password after activation.

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Before resetting, try all other ways. Even if TalkBack gets in the way, data on your phone can be saved through backup to Mi Cloud or connecting to your computer in MTP mode.

How to Prevent TalkBack Inadvertently Included in the Future

To avoid re-activating TalkBack on Xiaomi Mi 9, follow a few simple steps:

• 🔧 Turn off gestures. Go to Settings. → Special facilities → TalkBack → Settings → Gestures and deactivate the options "Three times press on power" and "Two fingers up".
• 🔒 Protect your settings. In the same menu, turn on the password for changes, and that will require you to enter. PIN-When you try to turn on TalkBack.
• 📱 Update the firmware. MIUI 14 patched bugs with TalkBack spontaneously turning on when you connect your headphones. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 👶 If children are taking the phone frequently, activate Parental Controls in the security settings, which will limit access to system functions.

It’s also worth checking if the phone has automation apps (like Automate or IFTTT) that can conflict with special features settings and accidentally activate TalkBack.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi Mi 9 with custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), TalkBack settings may differ. ADB Or refer to your firmware documentation.

FAQ: Frequent questions about TalkBack on Xiaomi Mi 9