How to change the voice assistant in the phone Xiaomi: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer users a wide range of personalization options, but standard system settings often impose Google services. Device owners often face a situation where when calling voice control, Google Assistant is automatically activated, which may not suit the functionality or language features. Replacing this component with an alternative, for example, Alice or Siri, requires understanding the hidden settings of Android.

The procedure for changing the system assistant is not complicated, but it requires care, since the settings menu in the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS can differ in the location of points. The correct configuration will allow you to use the service that best recognizes your speech and executes commands in the background. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of reconfiguring system priorities.

Before making any changes, it’s worth noting that alternative assistants may need additional permissions to work properly. Android system restrictions sometimes block the background work of third-party apps, so additional battery optimization for the selected application may be required after changing the settings.

Why you should consider changing your assistant

Google’s standard assistant is deeply integrated into the operating system, which provides stability but limits flexibility in regions where the services of the US corporation are not working correctly. Users from Russia and CIS countries often prefer local solutions, such as Yandex, which better understand the context of local queries, navigation and delivery services.

Another reason for the shift is privacy and data collection, and some users prefer to use less telemetry-collecting applications or those with closer geographical locations, and voice control is becoming a key interface for interaction, and it's important that it works the way you're used to.

It is important to understand that replacing the system component does not remove the original application, but only changes the priority of the call when using hotkeys or voice commands. You can always return the settings back if the new option seems less convenient in everyday use.

Preparation for the installation of an alternative application

Before you change the system settings, you need to make sure that the alternative application is already installed on your device and has all the necessary rights. Without pre-installing the desired service in the selection menu, you simply will not appear in the list of available options.

Once installed, launch the app and go through the initial setup, including logging in to your account and providing basic permissions to access the microphone, a critical step, as Android will not allow you to assign an app as an assistant if it did not pass the initial initialization.

It’s also worth checking for updates to the MIUI or HyperOS interface itself. The path to settings may be different in older versions of the firmware, and newer versions of Android (12, 13, 14) have stricter security policies that require confirmation when changing system applications.

Instructions: how to change the assistant in Android settings

The main method of changing the priority app is in the deep operating system settings menu.The path may vary slightly depending on the Android version, but the logic remains the same for all Xiaomi smartphones.

To start, open the phone's standard settings menu and go to the Apps section. Here we're interested in the App Setup subsection, which is often hidden in the optional menu or at the top of the screen, and that's where all system priorities are regulated.

In the list that opens, look for the default App (or Application Management -> three dots in the corner -> Default Apps) and in this menu you will see the Digital Assistant or Voice Assistant line. When you click on it, you will see a list of all compatible apps.

Choose from the list the application you want, such as Yandex or something, and then when you press the assistant button or use a voice command, the system will run the service you choose, the changes take effect instantly and do not require you to restart the device.

Set up hot keys and activate the button

After a system priority change, it is common for the volume or power button to continue calling the old assistant, because the MIUI shell has its own gesture and button settings that take precedence over standard Android settings.

To reassign the action to the button, go to Settings -> Advanced Settings (or "More"). Find the Shortcuts or "Hot Keys" section. This may be "Run Voice Assistant." Disable it or reassign it to the desired action.

In the new versions of HyperOS, the power button is controlled in a separate menu. Go to Settings -> Additional -> Power button. If there is a Google Assistant option, change it to Nothing or another convenient action to avoid conflicts.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models with a physical button"AI" (Artificial intelligence) on the side, it's not possible to reassign it to a third-party service with regular means, it's tightly tied to the system assistant or the camera function.

For full integration, also check the settings of the newest assistant app. Often, there is an option called "Home button activation" or "Hong press activation." Enable these features if you want to control the assistant without using standard system buttons.

Comparison of popular voice assistants for Xiaomi

The choice of alternatives depends on your personal needs: integration with the ecosystem is important for someone, the quality of speech recognition is important for someone. Below is a comparison table of the main competitors available on the Android platform.

The leader in understanding Russian and local realities is Yandex Alice, who is a great traveler with traffic-related routes, taxis and music inclusion, and for Xiaomi users, this is often the number one choice.

Google Assistant remains unmatched in managing the device itself (lighting up, alarm clock, settings) and working with English-language content. If you travel frequently or use foreign services, it may not be advisable to completely abandon it.

Conflict resolution and resolution

Often, after changing assistant, users are faced with the fact that the new application does not start or crashes after a couple of seconds, this is due to the aggressive MIUI energy saving system, which “kills” background processes to save battery power.

To fix this, find the assistant app in the settings, go to Activity Control and select No Limits mode. It is also recommended to enable auto-start for this application so that it is always ready to go.

💡

If the assistant has stopped responding to the voice, check the microphone settings in the "Permissions" section. Make sure that access to the microphone is allowed at all times, not only when using the application.

Another problem may be the conflict with the Google app: if you do not use the services of the search engine, you can try to disable the update or hide it from the menu, but you need to do this with caution so as not to disrupt the system.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove the system application "Google" or "Google Play Services" through third-party programs. This can lead to unstable smartphone performance and errors in other applications.

In case the voice call works once again, try clearing the cache of the new assistant app.Accumulated temporary files sometimes cause errors in voice command recognition.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

💡

Properly configuring permissions and turning off power saving for the new assistant is key to his stable work at Xiaomi.