How to Remove Google Assistant and Put Alice on Xiaomi Poco X3: A Complete Picture Guide

Why to change Google Assistant to Alice and what to do

Voice assistants have become an integral part of modern smartphones, but not all users of Xiaomi Poco X3 are happy with the standard Google Assistant. Russian users are often more comfortable with Alice from Yandex - she understands Russian language better, is integrated with local services and offers more relevant answers to everyday questions.

But replacing the assistant with the Poco X3 isn’t as easy as it might seem, because MIUI is deeply integrated with Google’s services by default, and Alice isn’t a native Android app, which means simply installing it from the Play Market and assigning it as the default assistant will not work — it will require a series of manipulations with system settings, application rights, and perhaps even manual editing of configuration files. In this article, we’ll break down all the working methods of replacing, including bypassing the limitations of MIUI and solving typical errors.

Before you start, make sure your Poco X3 meets the following requirements:

• 📱 Version. MIUI: 12.5 or later (some methods may not work on older versions)
• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (not necessarily, but simplifies the process on some firmware)
• 📶 Stable Internet connection (required for downloading files)
• 🔋 Battery charge of at least 50% (to avoid failures during setup)

If you're ready to switch from Google Assistant to Alice, but you're afraid of losing functionality, don't worry. Alice supports most of the commands you're used to giving to Google: calls, messages, music management, Internet search, even smart device control. Moreover, in some scenarios, it works faster thanks to optimization for Russian servers, the main thing is to set it up correctly.

Method 1: Install Alice as the primary assistant through Android settings

The easiest and safest method is to assign Alice as the default assistant through standard Android settings.This method works on most Xiaomi Poco X3 devices with MIUI 12.5 and later, but may require pre-setting the application rights.

1. Download the Alice app from Yandex Play Market or from Yandex Alice's official website. Make sure you install the latest version.
2. Open your smartphone settings and go to the Applications → Application Management section.
3. Find “Google” in the list of applications, open its settings and select “Disable” (this will not delete the application, but only stop it from working).
4. Return to the basic settings and go to System → Gestures → Voice Assistant (on some versions of MIUI the path may differ: Additional → Special features → Voice Assistant).
5. Select Alice from the list of available assistants. If she is not in the list, click Other Apps and find it manually.
6. Confirm the selection and restart the smartphone to apply the changes.

After the reboot, try activating the assistant with a long press on the Home button or a voice command "OK, Yandex." If Alice doesn't start, check if all the necessary permissions are turned on for her:

• 🎤 Access to microphone (required!)
• 📱 Permission to display over other windows
• 🔄 Auto-run (to have the assistant work in the background)

An important nuance: some Xiaomi Poco X3 firmware may lose voice search in Google Chrome or other applications after disabling Google Assistant. This is normal – the functionality will return if you turn on Google Assistant again, but then Alice will cease to be the default assistant. Unfortunately, MIUI does not support simultaneous operation of two voice assistants at the system level.

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If Alice doesn’t respond to voice commands after setting up, try reinstalling the app and reassigning it as the default assistant. Sometimes resetting the app’s settings in the Settings menu → Apps → Alice → Storage → Clear the data helps.

Method 2: Replacement with ADB (for power users)

If the standard method did not work, you can resort to a more radical way - changing system settings through the use of the system. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and basic command line knowledge, but gives you more control over the process. ADB This may cause disruption to the system, so follow the instructions carefully!

Here's what you're gonna need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and Platform Tools package (includes adb)
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB)

When you are ready, follow the following steps:

1. Connect Poco X3 to your computer and confirm the debugging permission on your smartphone screen.
2. Assign Alice as the default assistant: adb shell cmd assistant set-default-assistant en.yandex.alice

After the reboot, check Alice's work. If something goes wrong, you can return the Google Assistant with a command:

adb shell pm enable com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can lead to disruptions in work. MIUI, If you change settings that are not designed to be edited, don't follow commands you don't understand, and always back up data before experimenting. On some Xiaomi firmware after disabling Google Assistant via ADB Google App Search may stop working – be prepared for it.

Method 3: Using third-party launchers (to circumvent MIUI restrictions)

If none of the previous methods worked, you can go for a trick – use a third-party launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), which allows you to assign your own gesture actions. This will not replace Google Assistant at the system level, but will quickly launch Alice using a swipe or a long tap.

Here's how to do it:

1. Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher from Play Market).
2. Assign it as the default launcher in Android settings (Settings → Applications → Default → Launcher).
3. Open the launcher settings (usually a long tap on the desktop → Settings).
4. Find the "Gesturies and Entrances" section (or similar).
5. Assign the "Alice Launch" action to a gesture that is convenient for you (for example, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen).

The advantage of this method is that it does not require any interference with system settings and works even on locked bootloaders.

• ❌ Alice will not be launched by the voice command “OK, Yandex” in the locked state of the screen.
• ❌ Some functions (such as listening to music in the background) may not work smoothly.
• ❌ When returning to the standard launcher MIUI gestures will stop working.

If you want Alice to run on a voice command even on a locked screen, you'll have to combine this method with setting permissions for the application in MIUI.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Alice.
2. Turn on the options: 🔄 Auto-start 🔐 Permissions for a locked screen 📱 Showing over other windows

Battery → Optimizing the battery

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The launcher side is a compromise solution for those who don’t want to interfere with system settings, but are willing to sacrifice some functionality, and it works best when paired with the customization of Alice’s permissions in MIUI.

Solving Typical Problems When Replacing an Assistant

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have difficulties, and let's look at some of the most common problems and ways to solve them.

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting Alice’s app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Alice → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
3. Reboot your smartphone and reset the assistant.

Many Poco X3 users prefer to use both assistants: Alice for everyday tasks (search, music, smart home), and Google Assistant for international services.

How to get back Google Assistant if something goes wrong

If you have a problem or change your mind after changing your assistant, you can return Google Assistant at any time.

1. Open your Android settings and go to System → Gestures → Voice Assistant.
2. Select Google from the list (or Assistent if you are not localized in Russia).
3. Confirm the choice and restart the smartphone.

If Google Assistant doesn't appear in the list, it's disabled to turn it back on:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google.
2. Click Enable (if the application is disabled).
3. Go back to the Assistant settings and select Google Assistant.

If you used ADB to disable Google Assistant, follow the command:

adb shell pm enable com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

After that, the assistant will be available again in the settings. If you have removed updates for the Google app (which is unlikely, since it is system-based), restore them through the Play Market:

1. Open the Play Market and search for Google.
2. Press Update (if the button is active).
3. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Note: Some of the firmware Xiaomi Poco X3 If you return to Google Assistant, you may reset your gesture settings, for example, a long push on the Home button will stop working, and then you will have to reconfigure your gestures in Settings. → System system → Gestures.

FAQ: Frequent questions about replacing voice assistant with Poco X3