Voice assistant on Xiaomi: how to turn on and configure in 5 minutes

Voice assistants are no longer an exotic feature — they simplify interaction with a smartphone, save time and even entertain. Xiaomi device owners have access to several options: proprietary Xiao AI (for Chinese firmware), universal Google Assistant and alternative solutions like Alice from Yandex. However, not all users know how to activate and configure these tools — especially if we are talking about models with global or custom firmware.

In this article, we will discuss all ways to include voice assistant on Xiaomi, starting from the basic settings in the app. MIUI And you'll end up with solutions for devices without Google services, and you'll learn how to run the assistant from the lock screen, teach it to recognize voice by saying, "OK, Google," and also solve typical problems like no microphone access or malfunctions. We will pay special attention to the differences between versions. MIUI 12, 13 and 14 – These affect the menu layout and available features.

Before you get to the instructions, check two key points: the MIUI version (you can find it in Settings → About phone) and the firmware region (Chinese, global, European or custom), which depends on which assistants will be available out of the box. For example, Xiao AI is only available in Chinese builds by default, and Google Assistant may not be on devices for the Chinese market.

1.Enable Google Assistant on Xiaomi: The Universal Way

Google Assistant is the most popular voice assistant for Xiaomi smartphones with global or European firmware. It supports Russian, is integrated with Google services and knows how to manage system functions (calls, messages, navigation).

1. Update Google services. Go to the Play Store, find the Google app (not to be confused with Google Play) and upgrade it to the latest version. This is critical for the assistant to work properly.
2. Open the Google app, tap the profile icon in the top right corner, and select Settings → Google Assistant.
3. Activate voice input. In the Assistant section, press Voice Assistant and follow the instructions on the screen. The system will suggest recording samples of your voice to improve recognition.

After activation, you can call the assistant:

• 🔊 Voice command: Say “OK, Google” or “Hey, Google” (the feature works even with a locked screen if enabled in the security settings).
• 📱 Gesture: Hold the Home button (navigation bar) or swipe diagonally from the corner of the screen (on gesture-controlled models).
• 🎤 Microphone icon: It appears in the Google search bar and on the home screen (widget).

Important! On some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), voice activation is disabled by default due to battery optimization. To enable it, go to Settings → Apps → Application Management → Google → Battery → No restrictions.

Update Google App in Play Store|Check the Internet connection (Wi-Fi/mobile)|Enable the microphone for the Google app in the privacy settings|Disable battery optimization for Google (if the assistant doesn't respond to voice)-->

2. Xiao AI: a proprietary assistant for Chinese firmware

Xiao AI is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi, which is only available on Chinese firmware devices (MIUI China) by default, and is deeply integrated into the system: it can manage Xiaomi’s smart devices (lamps, robot vacuum cleaners, speakers), run apps and even translate text from the camera in real time.

• 🌐 There is no official support for Russian, the interface and voice commands are available only in Chinese. Russification requires custom modifications (for example, through Xiaomi.eu).
• 🔒 Limited functionality outside of China: some services (e.g. taxi ordering or Mi Pay) will not work.
• 📱 Requires a Chinese Mi Account to work properly, and without it, some of the features will be blocked.

To enable Xiao AI:

1. Hold the Home button (navigation bar) or swipe from the bottom up diagonally from the left corner (on gesture models).
2. If the assistant doesn’t start, check it in Settings → Applications → Application Management. If Xiao AI is missing, you’ll have to install it manually (see Custom Firmware section).
3. For voice activation, go to the assistant settings (cog icon) and turn on the Voice Awakening option ().

On Xiaomi models with global firmware (for example, Mi 11 Lite or Redmi 9T), the branded Xiao AI is absent - it can only be installed through informal methods (installation of Chinese firmware or ported APKs).

3.Alternative assistants: Yandex Alice and others

If you don't like Google Assistant or Xiao AI, you can use third-party solutions. The most popular option for Russian-speaking users is Yandex Alice, which is better adapted for the Russian market: it supports local services (taxis, food delivery, banks), understands dialects and jargon.

To set Alice up for Xiaomi:

1. Install Yandex application with browser from Play Store or APKMirror.
2. Open the app, log in and go to the Alice section (the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen).
3. Click Settings → Voice Assistant and turn on Voice Recognition option.
4. Provide all necessary permissions (microphone, notifications, access to contacts).

Advantages of Alice over Google Assistant:

Other alternatives:

• 🤖 Siri (via Shortcuts on iPhone but with limited integration on Android)
• 🎵 Salute from Sber – suitable for users of the ecosystem of Sberbank.
• 🔊 Bixby (requires installation) APK from Samsung, it's not running smoothly.

💡

If Alice does not respond to her voice from a locked screen, add her to the list of allowed apps in Settings → Lock Screen → Notifications and controls.

4. Voice assistant from the lock screen: how to configure

One of the most convenient features is calling the assistant without unlocking the phone, which allows you to quickly ask questions, turn on music or control smart devices without entering PIN- code. However, by default, this option is often disabled for security reasons.

To enable voice assistant from the lock screen:

1. For Google Assistant: Open the Google app and go to Settings → Voice Search → Voice match. Enable the option to Allow Access from a locked screen. Record voice samples for confirmation (the system will ask you to repeat the phrase “OK, Google” 3 times).
2. For Yandex Alice: In Yandex, go to Alice → Settings → Voice Assistant. Activate the switch Work on the locked screen. In the phone security settings (Settings → Lock screen → Additional), add Yandex to the list of trusted applications.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi models (e.g., POCO F3 or Redmi K40), voice activation from the lock screen may conflict with the Up to Wake function. If the assistant doesn't work, turn off this option in Settings → Display → Lock screen.

Also make sure that the battery settings for the Assistant app are set to No Limits mode, otherwise the system may pause its operation in the background, and voice commands will no longer be recognized.

5 Problem Solving: Assistant is not working or hearing

If the voice assistant on Xiaomi refuses to turn on or does not respond to commands, the reasons can be different - from banal (no Internet) to technical (damaged microphone).

If the problem is not solved, follow the following steps:

1. Check the microphone: Start the recorder and record the sound. If the recording is not played or distorted, the problem is in the hardware (repair required).
2. Update: An outdated version of MIUI may contain bugs. Check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
3. Reset Assistant Settings: In the Assistant app settings, find the data reset option (e.g., Settings → Google → Delete Voice Data).
4. Check regional settings: If the phone is purchased in China but used in Russia, change region to Settings → Additional → Language and Region.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi models (e.g., Mi 10T Lite), the voice assistant may disappear from the menu after resetting to the factory settings. This is due to the features of the firmware. Solution: install the latest version of Google from the Play Store and restart the device.

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If the assistant stopped working after the MIUI update, try clearing the cache of the Google or Yandex app in the settings. This often solves problems with voice activation.

6. Voice assistant on Xiaomi without Google (castomy firmware)

Users of custom firmware (such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu) may face the absence of Google Assistant or Xiao AI.

• 📦 Open GApps Installation: If the firmware does not include Google services, you can install them via Open GApps (select nano or pico package for minimum weight). Once you install Google Assistant will appear on the menu.
• 🤖 Magisk modules: For firmware without root access, modules like Google Assistant Enabler that force the assistant to activate are suitable.
• 🔧 Manual Installation APK: Download the latest version of Google or Xiao AI from trusted sources (e.g. APKMirror) and install manually, pre-authorizing installation from unknown sources.

Instructions for installing Google Assistant on custom firmware:

1. Install Open GApps via TWRP (Nano package is recommended).


2. After the reboot, update all Google apps in the Play Store.




3. Open the Google app and go through the assistant setting.




4. If voice activation does not work, install the Magisk module "Google Assistant Fix".

Warning: Installing unofficial modifications may result in system instability or loss of warranty.Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

7. Optimization of the voice assistant on Xiaomi

To ensure that the assistant works quickly and without failure, follow these recommendations:

• 🔋 Turn off battery optimization for the assistant app, and that prevents the system from forcing it to shut down.
• 📶 Use a stable Internet connection. Voice commands are processed on Yandex's Google/ servers, so there may be delays when the Internet is slow.
• 🎤 Adjust the microphone sensitivity. In the engineering menu (#36446337##), you can calibrate the microphone for better voice recognition.
• 🔄 Update the assistant app regularly. Developers often add new commands and improve recognition.

To speed up the response to voice commands:

1. Limit the number of apps that use the microphone in the background (e.g. Shazam or VK Music).
2. Turn on the option to Learn voice in the assistant settings – this will help the system better recognize your speech.
3. If you use Xiao AI, disable unnecessary features like Voice Input in messages that may conflict with the primary assistant.

On models with Qualcomm Snapdragon (for example, POCO X3 Pro or Redmi K20 Pro), you can activate hardware acceleration of voice input.

1. Turn on Developer Mode (tap 7 times on the build number in Settings → About phone).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option Hardware Rendering Acceleration and turn it on.

FAQ: Frequent questions about voice assistant on Xiaomi