How to Make Google Assistant by Default on Xiaomi

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive implementation of their own voice assistant Mi AI or its counterpart Xiao AI in system processes, especially on global versions of firmware, where the manufacturer tries to promote their services, ignoring user preferences. Standard replacement procedure is often hidden in the depths of the menu or completely blocked by the system, requiring deeper intervention in settings.

The problem is not only relevant for older versions of MIUI, but also for the newest HyperOS shell. Users want to use the familiar and functional Google Assistant, which is better integrated with the search engine ecosystem, smart home and third-party applications. However, when trying to assign it to the main one, the system may stubbornly return the choice to the standard service or not offer alternatives at all.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to force the installation of Google Assistant as the main assistant. ADB-commands and solve specific problems with the unlock button, which on many models by default causes Mi AI voice-search.

Checking basic settings and language package

Before we go to complex methods, we need to make sure that the basic conditions for the service are met. Often the problem is not the lock on the system, but the wrong configuration of the Google application itself.

Open the Google app on your smartphone and go to your user profile. Select Settings, then Google Assistant Language, and make sure you choose the language you want, such as Russian or English, if the language is not selected or if it is not selected, the feature may not activate.

Also worth checking is whether the "Ok Google" feature itself is enabled. In the assistant settings, look for the "Ok Google" section and make sure the switch is activated. Without this step, voice activation won't work even if the application is assigned by default.

• 📱 Make sure that the Google app is updated to the latest version through the Play Store.
• 🌐 Check that the region in your phone settings is not set to China if you use global firmware.
• 🗣 Test voice input by saying the activation phrase in silence.

If the basic settings are done, but the system still doesn't let you choose Google, we move to a deeper setup via the default app menu, which is the main method that should work on most devices without root rights.

Assignment through the application menu by default

The regular replacement path in Android is in system settings, but in the MIUI shell it is often hidden or renamed. The standard algorithm of actions involves entering the Applications section, where you manage standard programs.

You need to find the default app option, depending on the firmware version, it can be called simply "Default" or be located inside the App Management menu. Look for the line "Digital Assistant" or "Assistant app."

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI (Especially in Chinese or older builds, the assistant selection option may not be on this menu. AI», If you don’t see Google, use the data cleanup method described below.

If you have access to it, click on it and select Google from the list. The system can issue a warning that a third-party assistant will have access to some data. This is the standard Android security warning, it needs to be confirmed.

Once you've selected, try calling the assistant with a swipe from the corner of the screen or a voice command, and if the system responds by starting the right interface, then the setup has been successful, otherwise you'll need to reset your system priorities.

Importantly, after the system update, the settings may fly, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated, and the work can be affected by aggressive battery optimization, which kills Google's background processes.

Resetting and data cleaning Mi AI

If the system stubbornly ignores your choice and returns the standard assistant, then the cache or settings of Mi AI (or Xiao AI) have retained priority. To get Android to ask you again about the choice, you must forcefully “forget” the current configuration.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Mi AI, Xiao AI or Google app (if it was already selected but stopped working) on the list, and we need to clear the data for the app that is currently being taken over, or for Google itself to reset its status.

The best way to do this is to clear the data from the Google app itself. Click on it, select Memory, and then Clear all the data. Don't worry, your accounts and your search history won't be lost, they're stored in the cloud. Only local settings and cache will be reset.

Once the data is cleared, restart the device. When you first start or when you first try to call an assistant, the system should give a window asking, "Which assistant will be used?" At this point, it is critical to choose Google and click "Always."

• 🧹 Cleaning up your data does not delete your personal photos or contacts.
• 🔄 Reboot is mandatory for system service changes.
• ✅ Selecting the “Always” item gives priority to the selected application.

This method works 90 percent of the time when a software failure fails to change priority, and it compulsorily updates the operating system's preference database.

Solving the power button problem

A separate and very common problem on Xiaomi smartphones is the assignment of Google Assistant to press the lock button for a long time. By default, in new versions of HyperOS and MIUI, this action causes the shutdown menu, and in older or Chinese versions, Mi AI.

To reassign the button, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Keyboard Combinations (or “Special Features” depending on version) and find “Run Google Assistant” or “Activate Voice Assistant.”

Here you'll see the option, "Long press power button," if it leads to Mi AI, change it to Google, and if there's no such item at all, maybe your version of the system is tightly tethering the button to its own service.

If you can’t choose Google from the menu, try temporarily disabling Mi AI in your app settings, and sometimes the system won’t let you choose an alternative while your native service is active.

Using ADB for forced installation

For advanced users who haven't been helped by standard methods, there's a way to debug via USB, which requires a computer and minimal command line knowledge, but allows you to bypass the shell limitations.

You need to turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in About Phone) and activate USB Debugging. Connect your smartphone to your PC and type a command to reset your assistant preferences.

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

This command completely cleans the state of the Google package, making the system believe that the assistant was never configured. After completing the command, immediately call the assistant to the system to offer the choice again.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Type commands exactly as they are specified so as not to damage other system components. ADB installed correctly on the computer.

You can also try removing Mi AI updates if the system allows you to do so without root permissions. Go to the Mi AI app information and click "Delete Updates." This will roll back the system component to the factory version, which can remove the selection lock.

• 💻 Cable required USB and a computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 Put the debugging on. USB developer menu.
• ⌨️ Commands are entered in the terminal or command line after the device is connected.

This method is a “heavy artillery” and usually solves the problem when software conflicts prevent you from changing the settings through the interface.

Frequent mistakes and their solution

Even after setting it up properly, users may experience unstable work, such as the assistant shutting down on its own or not responding to "Ok Google," most often due to energy savings.

In the battery settings, find the Google app and set the No Limits mode. Xiaomi's system is known for aggressively unloading background processes, and without that permission, the voice assistant can "fall asleep" and not hear commands.

Another mistake is to conflict with other voice services, where if you have Alice Yandex or some other assistant installed, they can take over the rights to access the microphone. Keep only one primary service active.

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If Google Assistant has stopped responding with voice, check availability settings. Sometimes TalkBack or other special services may block the assistant's audio output.

Also worth checking permissions: The app menu for Google should allow microphone, location, contacts and phone, without access to the microphone, voice control will not work physically.

If nothing helps, consider installing alternative launchers or using third-party trigger apps that can emulate an assistant call through their interfaces, although it’s less convenient.

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The main reason for the refusal of Google Assistant on Xiaomi is aggressive battery optimization and hidden priority Mi AI.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions