How to install Yandex Alice instead of Google Assistant on Xiaomi: full instruction

Xiaomi smartphones by default use Google Assistant as a voice assistant, but many users prefer Yandex Alice for its better adaptation to Russian, integration with local services and more natural voice sound. Switching the assistant by default is not an obvious procedure, especially on MIUI firmware, where the settings of voice assistants are hidden deep in the menu.

In this article, you will find current ways to make Alice the primary assistant on any Xiaomi device (including Redmi and POCO) running Android 10–14 with a MIUI 12–15 shell. We will look at both standard methods through system settings and workarounds for cases where the option is blocked by the manufacturer. All instructions are tested on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 models.

Why Alice is better than Google Assistant for Xiaomi users in Russia

Before we proceed to the setup, let’s understand what the advantages of Alice Yandex over the standard assistant from Google are:

• 🗣️ Natural voice in Russian: Alice uses neural network technology to generate speech, while Google Assistant often sounds robotic.
• 📍 Local services: integration with Yandex.Maps, Taxi, Weather and Market – all data adapted to Russian realities.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts: support for Yandex.Music, Sound and other local platforms without any VPN.
• 🔒 Privacy: Data is processed on servers in Russia, which is important for users concerned about information leaks.

Also, Alice is better at recognizing Russian dialects and accents, and her skills (such as ordering food through Yandex.Meat or paying fines) are often more useful in everyday life.

Preparing a smartphone before changing assistant

Before you make Alice the default assistant, follow a few mandatory steps:

1. Install the latest version of Yandex from the official website or from Google Play. The minimum version for correct operation is 23.10.0.
2. Update MIUI to current firmware. Versions older than MIUI 12 may experience voice recognition errors.
3. Check whether voice search is enabled by Yandex in the application settings (Yandex → Settings → Alice).
4. Turn off battery optimization for Yandex, otherwise the assistant may not start by voice.

If you use Xiaomi with global firmware (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Global), some menu items may be called in English.In this case, look for sections Digital Wellbeing & parental controls or Apps → Special app access.

Install/update the Yandex application|Enable voice search in Alice's settings|Disable battery optimization for Yandex|Update MIUI last-minute|Check the availability of the Internet (Wi-Fi/mobile)-->

Method 1: Change the assistant through standard MIUI settings

On most Xiaomi devices with Android 10+, you can change the default assistant without additional manipulation.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the Default Apps.
3. Find Voice Assistant (or Assist & Voice Input on Global Firmware).
4. In the list of available assistants, select Yandex (if not, go back to the Preparation section).
5. Confirm the choice and restart the smartphone.

After the reboot, activate Alice with a voice command, "Hello Alice," or a long press on the Home button (if physical). Some models (such as POCO F4) may require additional call gesture settings in Settings → Additional → Buttons and gestures.

Attention! On some MIUI firmware for Redmi and POCO, the option to change assistant may be blocked. In this case, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Using ADB to force a change of assistant

If the standard method doesn’t work, you’ll need to use the Android debugging bridge (ADB), which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer, but it works on all versions of MIUI.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original)
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB Tools by Google
• 📱 Included debugging by USB smartphone

Steps to change assistants through ADB:

1. Activate the developer mode on Xiaomi: go to Settings → About phone and 7 times tap on the item MIUI version.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm your trust in the device.
4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the adb.exe folder and execute the commands:

adb shell


pm grant ru.yandex.searchplugin android.permission.BIND_ASSISTANT_SERVICE




settings put secure assistant ru.yandex.searchplugin/.voiceassistant.VoiceAssistantActivity




settings put secure voice_interaction_service ru.yandex.searchplugin/.voiceassistant.VoiceInteractionService

After completing the commands, restart your smartphone. Alice must now become the default assistant. To return Google Assistant, use the same procedure by replacing ru.yandex.searchplugin with com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.

💡

If, after the execution, ADB-Alice commands don't start, try clearing Google app data (Settings) → Annexes → Google → Warehouse → Clear the data.This will remove the Google Assistant cache and force the system to use default settings.

Method 3: Bypasses for blocked firmware

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi Mi A3 with Android One or POCO M4 Pro with custom firmware), the change of assistant can be completely blocked, in which case one of the alternative methods will help:

For models with an infrared port (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) you can use the control panel in the Yandex app to control the equipment via Alice with voice – this partially compensates for the lack of full integration.

💡

On MIUI EU firmware, the change of assistant is often blocked due to Google's policy, and the only reliable way to do so is to reflash the device to a global or Chinese version of MIUI.

Solving problems after changing assistant

Even, after a successful assistant replacement, errors can occur, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

• 🔇 Alice does not respond to voice: Check microphone permissions (Settings) → Confidentiality → Permits → Microphone) and restart the Yandex application.
• 🔄 Assistant returns to Google: Clear Google app data and disable its auto-update in Play Market.
• 📵 Does not work on a locked screen: Enable the option to Allow access from the lock screen in Alice's settings.
• 🔋 Fast battery drain: Turn off background Google Assistant activity in Settings → Battery. → Optimizing the battery.

If Alice stopped working after the MIUI update, repeat the process of changing assistant - system updates often reset default settings. MIUI 14+ firmware may also require additional permission in Settings → Special features → Special features Services.

💡

To make Alice work more stable, add it to the optimization exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Applications → Yandex → Without restrictions.

Comparison of Yandex Alice and Google Assistant on Xiaomi

To finally determine which assistant is right for you, compare their key features on Xiaomi devices:

For most users in Russia, Alice will be preferred due to better localization, but if you are actively using Google Home or other Google services, it is worth leaving the standard assistant or configuring their parallel work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing assistant to Xiaomi