How to change assistant on Xiaomi phone: full instructions

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often face the intrusiveness of the pre-installed voice assistant Mi AI, which is activated by default with a long press of the power button. This creates inconvenience, especially if you are used to the functionality of Google Assistant or prefer the domestic Yandex Alice. Standard behavior of the system forces users to look for ways to reassign the hot key or completely disable unnecessary service.

Fortunately, MIUI and the new HyperOS shell provide flexible customization tools, so you can not only disable the annoying Chinese assistant, but also set up the launch of any other application with a short or long press of the lock button, which allows you to turn your smartphone into a more convenient tool that fully matches your habits.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for replacing voice assistants. We will look at the standard system settings, the hidden features of the developer menu and the nuances of working with superuser rights. It is important to understand that on global versions of firmware Mi AI is often missing or hidden, so methods may differ from the Chinese versions. Follow the instructions to regain control of your device.

Features of voice assistants in the ecosystem Xiaomi

The brand’s smartphones are designed to meet the demands of the Chinese market, where local services dominate, which is why Mi AI, which is deeply integrated into the system, is the most important for the international market, however, solutions from Google or local assistants such as Siri (on iOS) or Bixby (on Samsung), but in the case of Xiaomi Android devices, the choice is left to use yel.

The main problem is the priority conflict: When you hold the power button for a long time, the system tries to run Mi AI by default, ignoring the default Google Assistant. This causes confusion, because the logic of Android involves using Google services as the main one. Xiaomi developers gradually change this approach in new versions of HyperOS, but on many models the problem persists.

It’s worth noting that replacing the system assistant completely requires not just installing the application, but reconfiguring the system triggers. Simply installing Yandex Browser or Google apps won’t make the power button work differently. You’ll need to go through a few steps in the settings menu to reassign button actions and change service priorities.

• 🤖 Mi AI — A native assistant tailored to the Chinese market is often useless without language and local services.
• 🔍 Google Assistant is the de facto standard for Android, deeply integrated into Google’s search algorithms and smart home.
• 🗣️ Yandex Alice is the best choice for Russian-speaking users, understands the context perfectly and manages Yandex services.

Understanding the differences between these systems will help you make the right choice: If you are actively using the Google ecosystem (calendar, maps, mail), then it would be counterintuitive to abandon their assistant.

⚠️ Note: Some Global Firmware (Global) ROM) mi AI It can be completely cut out of the system code, in which case you try to find the settings described below for Mi. AI, It will be unsuccessful and that is normal behavior.

Preparing a smartphone for a change of assistant

Before making changes to system settings, make sure you have alternative apps installed and configured correctly.Without pre-configured Google Assistant or Alice, reassigning the button will simply stop responding or open an empty menu.

First step, go to the Google Play or GetApps app store. Make sure that the Google app (not just the Chrome browser, but the main application) is updated to the latest version. It is in this version that the main module of the voice assistant resides. For users of Yandex, you will need to install Yandex with Alice built in or a separate application Yandex with Alice.

Once installed, open the app and go through the initial setup. Google Assistant requires you to say "Ok Google" several times so that the system remembers your voice. This is a critical step, because without activating Voice Match, the voice call function will not work.

Also, check permissions. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the right assistant and make sure that they are allowed to use the microphone, access contacts and geolocation. Without these permissions, the functionality will be severely limited, and replacement will become meaningless.

How to Disable Mi AI and Assign Google Assistant

The most common scenario is replacing the Chinese Mi AI with the familiar Google Assistant. In the shells of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS, this process is standardized, but menu items can be called differently depending on the location.

To start, you need to find the button settings. Go to the Settings menu → Additional settings → Advanced button settings (the path can vary: sometimes it's Special Opportunities → Button Management). Here you will see the option "Push and hold the power button 0.5 sec." By default, there is "Mi AI".

Click on this. You'll see a list of actions available. Select Google Assistant. If there's no Google on the list but the app is installed, try clearing the Google app cache or reinstalling it. Once selected, the system will open the Google voice assistant with a long press.

If you want to turn off the response to the button completely, select "Nothing" or "No." This is useful if you accidentally activate the assistant in your pocket often, but for a full replacement, you should still assign a specific application.

Setting up Yandex Alice as the main assistant

For Russian users, Yandex Alice is often more useful than Google because of its better understanding of Russian and integration with music, taxis and navigators, but Android does not allow you to simply assign a third-party application to the global assistant call button without “crutches”.

Xiaomi can’t assign Alice to power buttons, the system only offers Google or Mi AI. However, there is a workaround through the settings of the Yandex application itself. Open the Yandex application, go to the assistant settings and find the option “Activate.” Here you can set the launch by “Alice” or by clicking on the widget.

To make it more convenient, you can use Universal Search or desktop widgets, but there is a more advanced method of setting up special features if you have a version of yours. MIUI It allows you to choose an arbitrary application for the button. Otherwise, users often use the Button Mapper app from Google Play, which intercepts button presses and reassigns them to launch any button. APK-file.

Using third-party button reassignment tools is a powerful tool. Button Mapper requires permissions via ADB or special feature menus. Once set up, you can make it so that a single tap, double tap, or long press of volume or power triggers Alice.

⚠️ Note: When using button mapper apps (like Button Mapper), make sure they have permission to work in the background, otherwise, after rebooting the phone or saving charge, the reassignment may fly off.

Using third-party applications for reassignment

If Xiaomi’s standard settings seem too limited, specialized utilities come to the rescue, allowing you to flexibly configure the behavior of physical buttons, creating complex scenarios, for example, double pressing the volume button can include a flashlight, and long-term can trigger the navigator.

One of the most popular solutions is Button Mapper: Remap your keys.It is free for basic functionality and does not require root rights, although some features may require a connection to a computer to issue commands via ADB. It is a safe way to expand functionality without hacking the system.

adb shell pm grant flar2.homebutton android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

This command (input in the computer command line with the USB debugging enabled phone) gives the application the necessary rights to intercept system events, and then you can assign to the Home button (if any) or volume buttons the launch of any application, including voice assistants.

Another option is to use macros through MacroDroid or Tasker, which allow you to create triggers: "If you press the volume button up 2 times → Launch the Yandex application." This gives you maximum flexibility, but it takes time to initially configure the scripts.

• 📱 Button Mapper is a simple and effective solution for reassigning navigation and volume buttons.
• ⚙️ MacroDroid is a powerful tool for creating automation and complex launch scenarios.
• 🔧 ADB AppControl – allows you to manage applications and settings through the PC, useful for advanced users.

Problem Solving and Frequent Errors in Setup

When you set up, you often find that the assistant doesn't respond to your voice or the button is acting strangely, and one of the common reasons is that you have a priority conflict, and if you have Google Assistant and Alice activated at the same time, and you're both trying to listen to the microphone, the system may lock one of them or be unpredictable.

Check the microphone settings. In modern versions of Android, the first time you run the assistant, a permission pop-up appears. If you accidentally click "Disallow", the assistant won't be able to hear you. Go back to Settings → Apps → Google → Permissions and turn on the microphone.

The problem can also be energy saving: MIUI and HyperOS are known for aggressive battery optimization, which kills background processes. Go to the battery settings, find the assistant app, and select No Limits mode, which ensures that the voice assistant is always ready to activate.

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If Google Assistant has stopped understanding commands in Russian, check in the assistant settings (languages section) to make sure that Russian is the first language on the list and is marked as the main one.

Another mistake is trying to set up the assistant on a locked screen without the appropriate permissions. To work with the "lock screen" in the Google Assistant settings, you explicitly need to turn on the "Personal Results" option and allow access from the locked screen. Without this button on the locked phone, the assistant will open, but he will not be able to execute commands or say anything.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Replacing the regular Mi AI with Google Assistant or Yandex Alice takes only a couple of minutes in the button settings, but significantly increases the usability of the smartphone for the Russian-speaking user.