You try to use voice search in Yandex.Browser, ask a question to Alice or plot a route in Yandex.Maps, but Xiaomi Redmi stubbornly ignores your commands? The reason most often lies in blocked access to the microphone — whether it is at the level of Android, the shell MIUI or the application itself. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways of unlocking, from basic settings to hidden parameters that the manufacturer does not always advertise.
The issue is relevant for all Redmi models, from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Redmi K60 Pro, as it is related to the features of MIUI and the Android 10-14 permission policy. It is important to understand that locking the microphone can be either explicit (you manually disabled access) or hidden - for example, due to battery optimization or conflict with other applications.
1. Checking microphone permissions in Android settings
The first thing to do is make sure that the microphone is allowed at the operating system level. In MIUI, the path to these settings may vary depending on the version, but the general logic is maintained. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management and find the desired Yandex application (for example, Yandex.Browser or Yandex with Alice).
In the app card, go to the Permissions section and check the status of the Microphone item. If it is Prohibited or Asked each time, change to Allow. Note: in MIUI 14 and later, some permissions may be hidden under the button Additional - do not miss this moment.
- 🔍 Search by settings: Enter the request "microphone" in the search bar in Settings - the system will show all applications that it is forbidden.
- 📱 Quick access: Hold your finger on the Yandex app icon on the home screen → Information on the annex → Permits.
- ⚙️ System restrictions: If the microphone is inactive (grey), then the lock is at the level of the device. MIUI — read the following section.
2. MIUI specific settings: hidden limitations
MIUI is known for its “chips” that sometimes interfere with third-party applications, one of which is automatic permission optimization, which can reset access to the microphone after updates or reboots, to fix this:
- Go to Settings → Special Features → Sound Improvements and turn off the microphone noise filter option (it may conflict with voice services).
- Go back to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select the Yandex app you want and press the Battery. Make sure it is there Without Limits - otherwise the system may lock the microphone in the background.
- For MIUI 13+, check Settings → Privacy → Permissions → Additional – there may be a separate switch for Access to the microphone for voice assistants.
In Redmi models with MediaTek processors (such as Redmi 10C or Redmi A1), hardware locking of the microphone sometimes works due to a driver error, in which case only a firmware update or a reset will help.
Microphone noise filtering is disabled|Yandex app allowed unlimited access to battery|Privacy settings enable access for voice assistants|Verified version. MIUI topicality-->
3. Permissions for specific applications of Yandex
Each Yandex application requests access to the microphone separately, for example, if you allowed the microphone in Yandex.Browser, this does not mean that it will automatically work in Yandex.Maps or Yandex.Music. Let's consider the nuances for popular services:
| Annex | Where to check permissions | Additional settings |
|---|---|---|
| Yandex.Browser | Browser settings → Voice search | Enable the option “Use the microphone by default” |
| Yandex with Alice | Profile → Settings → Voice Assistant | Turn off Traffic Savings – it blocks the background work of the microphone |
| Yandex.Maps. | Settings → Voice Navigation | Select “Device Microphone” instead of “Integrated Synth” |
| Yandex.Music | Settings → Voice control | Allow access to the microphone in the background |
If the microphone doesn't work after you change your settings, try resetting the permissions for the app.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Yandex.Browser (or more).
- Click Warehouse → Clear the data (only the cache won’t help!).
- Run the app again and allow access to the microphone when you first request it.
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If the application requests permissions in English after the data reset, that’s fine – this is how the bug in MIUI 12.5 manifests itself.
4. Problems with drivers and hardware
If none of the previous methods worked, the problem may lie at the hardware or driver level, especially for Xiaomi Redmi devices with custom firmware or after failed updates.
- 🎤 Microphone test: Record a voice message on WhatsApp or Telegram. If the sound is recorded normally, the problem is in the software, if not, in the microphone.
- 🔧 Connection Check: In models with a 3.5mm connector (like the Redmi Note 10), try connecting headphones with a microphone – if voice input works, the main microphone is to blame.
- 🔄 Resetting settings: In Settings → The phone. → Settings reset select Reset all settings (not to be confused with a full reset!) This will return the permissions to factory without data loss.
For devices with MediaTek Helio (e.g. Redmi 9A, Redmi 10A), there is an error when the microphone stops working after the MIUI update.
- Check the firmware version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
- If version is older than 12.5.3, upgrade via Settings → System Update.
- If there are no updates, install the latest version manually through MIUI bootloader (instruction below).
How to update MIUI manually?
5. Conflicts with other applications and services
The microphone in Xiaomi Redmi may be blocked due to conflict with other applications that monopolize it.
- 🤖 Voice assistants: Google Assistant, Siri (on some firmware), or built-in Xiao AI Xiaomi.
- 🎮 Gaming applications: PUBG Mobile, Free Fire or Genshin Impact can block microphone for voice chat.
- 🔒 Antivirus and VPN: Kaspersky, Avast, or 1.1.1.1 sometimes restrict access to the microphone for security reasons».
To identify the conflict:
- Close all background applications through Recent Tasks (swipe up with a delay).
- Restart your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button → Restart in Safe Mode). If the microphone is running, one of the installed applications is to blame.
- Remove suspicious programs by checking the microphone after each deletion.
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If the problem disappears in Safe Mode but returns after a normal download, the culprit is exactly among the user applications.
For Redmi models with HyperOS (new firmware from Xiaomi), a separate Settings → Privacy → Application Monitoring section has been added to help identify which programs have recently used a microphone.
6. Radical methods: resetting and flashing
If all the previous steps have failed, radical measures remain, they will take longer, but they are guaranteed to solve the problem if it is programmatic.
| Method | When to apply | Risks. |
|---|---|---|
| Reset to factory settings | If the microphone does not work in any application, including a standard voice recorder | Losing all data (get backup!) |
| Deletion of Mi Account | If the problem occurred after linking to the Xiaomi account | Loss of data synchronization (notes, cloud) |
| Fastboot flashing through Fastboot | If the reset did not help and the firmware is damaged | Loss of Guarantee for Wrong Action |
| Reverse to the old version of MIUI | If the problem occurs after the update | Potential security vulnerabilities |
For reset to factory settings:
- Make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup.
- Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
- After the reboot, set the phone up as new and check the microphone before data recovery (to rule out the backup effect).
⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with Snapdragon chip (e.g. Redmi) K50) The reset can block the bootloader if the Bootloader has been previously unlocked, in which case you will need to re-unblock through the Mi Unlock Tool.
Alternative solutions: workarounds
If you can't unlock the microphone with standard methods, you can use workarounds, which don't solve the problem, but they allow you to use Yandex's voice functions.
- 🌐 Web version: Open in the browser [ya.ru](https://ya.ru) and use voice search via the web interface (can work even with a locked microphone in the application).
- 🔄 Install Yandex.Light – its permission request algorithms sometimes differ from the main applications.
- 📱 External microphone: Connect a Bluetooth headset or USB-microphone (through microphone) OTG-The system can allow access to an external device even if the main microphone is blocked.
For Redmi owners with root rights, there is a radical way to:
su
pm grant com.yandex.browser android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO
pm grant com.yandex.browser android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGSThese commands will force Yandex.Browser to access the microphone and audio settings, similarly, you can prescribe permissions for other Yandex applications, replacing com.yandex.browser with:
- com.yandex.search – for Yandex with Alice
- com.yandex.maps – for Yandex.Maps
- com.yandex.music – for Yandex.Music
⚠️ Note: Using adb or root commands can cause the phone to run unstable or the firmware to fail. Create a full backup through the phone before execution TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.