How to permanently disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi: working methods for 2026

Why Google Assistant is Interfering with Xiaomi Users and How to Remove It

Google’s voice assistant is built into most Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones, but not all users actively use it. Moreover, many complain of accidental activation through the power button, background activity (which eats up battery power) and collecting voice command data. Even after manually switching off the settings, the assistant can automatically turn on after MIUI updates or resets.

In this article, we’ll look at all the deactivation options available, from standard settings to system tricks with ADB and Google Play services, and have tested them on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and other models with MIUI 12–14 (including global and Chinese firmware).

Method 1: Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

Let's start with the simplest method, which works on most root-free devices, but keep in mind that this method does not remove the assistant completely, but only blocks its activation through the power button and voice commands.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Voice.
• 🔍 Select Google Assistant (may be called Google Assistant or Voice Search").
• ⚙️ Go to General Settings and turn off Google Assistant slider.
• 🔕 In the Voice Activation section, deactivate the options OK, Google and Hey Google.

After this, the assistant will stop responding to voice and power button holding, but the background processes of Google Play Services will still consume resources, and the assistant will remain in the system.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (Google Assistant may not be on the menu, in which case proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Disable via button settings (for MIUI 13–14)

In newer versions of MIUI, the assistant activation is tied to holding the power button, and to fix this, you need to reassign the action of the button:

1. Go to Settings → Buttons and gestures → Power button.
2. Select the option Long-Tap (or Hold).
3. Instead of Google Assistant, install Do Nothing or the Menu.

This method doesn't turn off the assistant itself, but it prevents it from accidentally running. For example, on the POCO X5 Pro, after this setup, the power button starts opening the shutdown menu, as on "pure" Android.

Method 3: Deactivation through ADB (without root)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use the Android debugging bridge (ADB), which completely blocks the assistant’s work, but requires connecting the smartphone to a PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi: 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. 📱 7 times tap on the item Version MIUI. 🔓 Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and activate debugging by USB.

ADB

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

This command removes the assistant for the current user without affecting the system files.

Reset the device.

Once completed, the assistant will disappear from the list of applications, and voice commands and the power button will stop activating it. However, updates to Google Play Services can restore it to work - in which case, repeat the procedure.

Method 4: Disabling Google Services (radical method)

For those willing to go to extreme lengths, there is an option to completely block Google’s assistant services, which will disable other features (such as automatic synchronization), but will guarantee the assistant’s removal.

Instructions:

• 🛠️ Install the App Quarantine app (requires root or ADB).
• 🔍 Find the services in the list: com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox (self assistant) com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services)
• ❌ Turn them off or put them in the "freeze" mode".

Alternatively, use ADB to deactivate packets:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.gms/.update.SystemUpdateActivity

⚠️ Note: Disabling Google Play Services may disrupt Play Market, Gmail, YouTube and other services. Use this method only if you are prepared for the consequences.

Method 5: Remove via TWRP (for advanced users)

If your Xiaomi has a custom TWRP recavator installed, you can physically delete the assistant files from the system partition, which is irreversible and requires data backup.

Algorithm of action:

1. 📱 Boot in. TWRP (hold on to food + Volume up when switched on).
2. 🔧 Go to Advanced. → File Manager.
3. 🗃️ Delete the folders: /system/priv-app/Velvet (basic assistant package) /system/priv-app/GoogleQuickSearchBox

🔄 Reset the device.

After this procedure, the assistant will be removed at the firmware level, but there may be errors in the work of other Google services. TWRP.

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Before deleting files via TWRP, check for them in /system/priv-app/ – on some MIUI firmware, the path may differ (e.g. /system/app/Velvet).

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to determine, we have collected the key features of each method in the table:

For most users, the best solution is a combination of Method 1 (settings) + Method 3 (ADB), which will give the maximum effect without risk to the system. If you are willing to sacrifice some of the functionality of Google, try Method 4 or 5.

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On MIUI devices in Russia (e.g. Redmi 10C), standard settings-based shutdown may not work due to firmware limitations, in which case ADB is the most reliable option.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling Google Assistant