How to Replace Google Assistant with Alice in Redmi Note 8 Pro: A Detailed Guide to Bypassing MIUI Locks

Voice assistants have long been an integral part of smartphones, but owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro often face a dilemma: how to use Alice from Yandex instead of the standard Google Assistant, which is integrated into MIUI at the system level. The problem is compounded by the fact that the manufacturer artificially limits the possibility of replacement — in the settings menu there is simply no option to choose an alternative assistant. However, there is a way out, and it does not require root rights or complex manipulations with firmware.

This article will help you to fully switch to Alice as the main voice assistant, including power button activation, voice command "OK, Yandex" and integration with system functions. We will look at official methods (where they work), workarounds for the use of the Internet. MIUI 12/13/14, And also, you know, you can solve typical problems like sudden resets or conflicts with Google services. 2026 year.

⚠️ Important: Redmi Note 8 Pro with global firmware (MIUI Global) some of the features may be blocked due to regional restrictions. If your smartphone is purchased outside of Russia, first check the version of the software in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

1. Preparation of the smartphone: compatibility check and preliminary settings

Before installing Alice, make sure your Redmi Note 8 Pro meets the minimum requirements:

• 📱 Version. MIUI: 12.0 and higher (on older firmwares, bugs with voice activation are possible).
• 🌍 Firmware region: Russia or EEA (Global firmware for China does not support Yandex services.
• 🔊 Microphone: Must be serviceable - check its performance in the standard Dictaphone app.
• 📶 Internet: Stable network connection (Wi-Fi or mobile Internet) to download Alice components.

If your smartphone meets the requirements, follow the preliminary steps:

1. Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Delete the cache and data of the Google app (if installed) in Settings → Apps → App Management → Google → Storage.
3. Disable Google Assistant in Settings → Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Voice → Google Assistant Settings → Phone and deactivate the option.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware after disabling Google Assistant, the voice assistant button (holding the power button) may stop working. This is temporary - the functionality will recover after Alice's setup.

2. Installation and initial configuration of the Alice application

The official Yandex Alice app is available in Google Play Market, but you will need additional customization to fully work on Xiaomi.

1. Download the Yandex app with Alice from the official store.
2. After installation, open the application and perform the initial setting: log in to Yandex account (or create a new one) and provide all the permissions requested (access to microphone, contacts, location).
3. In the main menu of the application go to Settings → Voice Assistant and activate options: 🎤 "OK, Yandex – voice activation. 🔔 "Show the lock screen for quick access. 🔄 "Auto-Run – to have Alice working in the background.

Now check the basic functionality: say the phrase "OK, Yandex" - the assistant should react. If there is no reaction, go to Settings → Applications → Yandex → Permissions and manually enable access to the microphone and autorun.

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14 after updating the system, permissions for Alice may be reset. To avoid this, add the application to the list of "Secure Apps" through Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery consumption management → Secure applications.

3.Setting Alice as the default assistant (bypassing MIUI restrictions)

The main problem with the Redmi Note 8 Pro is that there is no voice assistant option in the system settings, but there are two working methods to get around this limitation:

Method 1: Through special features settings (works on MIUI 12–14)

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Hearing → Special Opportunity Services.
2. Turn on the Yandex Alice service (if it is not in the list, pre-open Alice's app and go back to the settings).
3. Return to Settings → Buttons and gestures → Power button and select “Run Voice Assistant”.
4. Hold the power button and Alice must start (if Google Assistant is activated, repeat steps 1–2).

Method 2: Through ADB-Teams (for experienced users)

If the first method didn’t work, use USB debugging:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in your phone settings).
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC, open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and perform: adb shell pm grant en.yandex.alice android.permission.BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE adb shell settings put secure voice_interaction_service ru.yandex.alice/.accessibility.AlisaAccessibilityService adb shell settings put secure assistant ru.yandex.alice/.accessibility.AlisaAccessibilityService
4. Reboot the phone.

Critical: After execution ADB-Commands check Alice's work by holding the power button. If the assistant doesn't start, go back to Settings. → Annexes → Yandex → Permissions and manually enable "Display over other windows".

4.Alice’s work optimization: disabling conflicting services

Even after a successful setup, Alice may not work as smoothly due to Google or MIUI background processes.

• 🚫 Turn off Google Assistant completely: Go to Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Voice → Select your phone and deactivate the option "Google Assistant".

Limit Google’s background activity:

• In Settings → Applications → Google → Battery, select “Limit background activity”.
• For the Google Play Services app, set the “Optimization” limit.

Reset your gesture settings:

Sometimes conflicts arise because of saved gestures. Reset them to Settings → Buttons and gestures → Reset gesture settings.

After this action, Alice should be stably launched by voice (OK, Yandex) and power button. If problems persist, check the energy saving settings:

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If Alice stops responding to voice after restarting the phone, add her to the battery optimization exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Not Optimizing → Yandex.

5. Advanced Opportunities: Alice's integration with MIUI

To make Alice a full replacement for Google Assistant, set up her interaction with MIUI system features:

• 📞 Call and Message Management: In Alice Settings (Settings) → Voice assistant → Access to applications) allow access to Phone and Messages: 📞 Calling your contacts by voice ("Call your mom"). 💬 Read and send SMS ("Write to Sasha: Meet me at 18:00").
• 🎵 Music management: Connect the services Yandex Music or Spotify in the settings Alice: 🎶 Include tracks ("Put music on D")DT"). 🔊 Adjust volume ("Revenge volume by 50%").
• 🏠 Smart Home: If you have Yandex Station devices or compatible gadgets (like Xiaomi Mi Home), link them to Alice via Settings → Smart home.

For maximum convenience, combine several methods, such as a widget on the home screen + voice activation.

8.A comparison of Alice and Google Assistant on Redmi Note 8 Pro

Before you finally move on to Alice, evaluate her strengths and weaknesses compared to Google Assistant on your smartphone:

The choice of an assistant depends on your priorities:

• If you want to localize and work with Russian-language content, choose Alice.
• If you are using a Google Home smart home or want maximum MIUI integration, stay with Google Assistant.