Today’s Xiaomi smartphones have a wide range of features that include voice assistants. For some users, it’s a convenient control tool, and for others it’s an annoying factor that consumes battery resources. Often it’s necessary to deactivate these features to avoid accidental launches or increase the autonomy of the device. In this article, we’ll discuss in detail how to turn off the assistant on Xiaomi, whether it’s a standard Google Assistant or a branded Xiao AI.
The process of disabling may vary depending on the version of the MIUI operating system or the new HyperOS. It is also important to consider regional features, as some versions of firmware for China and the Global versions of the settings menu are arranged differently.
Differences between Google Assistant and Xiao AI
Before you start setting up, you need to be clear about which service you want to disable. Xiaomi devices can have two independent assistants. Google Assistant is a standard service for the global market, integrated into the search engine. It answers questions, manages a smart home, and runs apps with voice.
The second option is Xiao. AI (Xiao Love Classmate is a proprietary development by Xiaomi, which is built into Chinese versions of smartphones by default, and is also available for installation on global models. AI It is tailored to the Xiaomi ecosystem and better understands the context of managing household appliances of the brand, but can conflict with Google services when activated by the button.
Confusion often arises because both systems can use the same power button or side key to activate, and if you press a button and the app doesn't open the way you expected, then the settings give priority to the other service, and the right configuration will avoid conflicts.
⚠️ Note: Complete removal of the system component of Google Assistant without root rights is impossible and can lead to unstable operation of the search bar.
Disabling Google Assistant through Settings
The safest and most appropriate way to deaktivirovat's assistant is to use the regular settings menu, which does not violate the integrity of the system and allows you to return everything at any time.
In the options list, find the Google section (often at the top or in the Services category). Go inside, select Settings for Google apps. In the menu that opens, find the Search, Assistant and Google Lens section, and then tap on Google Assistant.
Next, select General. This is where the Google Assistant master switch is located. Turn it to "Switched Off." After that, the voice assistant will stop responding to voice commands "OK, Google" and will not start with a long press of the power button.
☑️ Checking for Google Assistant Disconnection
It's worth noting that some versions of MIUI may have slightly different paths, sometimes you need to go to Settings → Additional settings → Language and input → Google Voice. Here you can also check the box on "OK, Google," which will turn off the constant listening of the microphone, which will positively affect the autonomy of the device.
Setting up the power button and side keys
Often, users want to not just turn off the assistant, but release the power button, which by default causes the voice assistant during prolonged clamping. In newer versions of Xiaomi firmware, this feature is configured aggressively. To change the behavior of the button, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Advanced Settings (or simply “Buttons and gestures”).
Find Start Google Assistant or Call Assistant. In the menu that opens, you will see the option “Long press power button.” Select the option “Disable” or “Switch off menu” if you want a long press to trigger the standard reboot menu, which is especially true for those who are used to classic Android management.
- 🔹 Open Settings and search for "Power button".
- 🔹 Select Starting the Power Button Assistant.
- 🔹 Transfer the switch to an inactive state.
- 🔹 Check that the now prolonged clamping triggers the off menu.
If you have a smartphone with a side-fingerprint scanner, it might be different. Sometimes the assistant is called by a double tap or a specific gesture. Check the Accessibility section. It can activate "Access With a Button" and make sure that Google Assistant is not selected there.
Why does the power button still call the assistant?
How to disable Xiao AI on Xiaomi
For Chinese smartphone owners or enthusiasts who have installed Xiao AI on global firmware, the shutdown process is different. This assistant is deeply integrated into the system. Open the Xiao AI app.
Inside the app, click on the profile avatar or menu button in the corner of the screen. Go to Settings. Find Voice Activation or Wake up. You need to turn off the Xiao AI Wake Up option. This will prevent the smartphone from responding to the phrase "Xiao AI."
It is also important to disable the launch button. In the Xiao AI settings, find the Shortcut or Power Button. Uncheck the activation box by long press. If you use MIUI 12/13/14, you sometimes need to additionally go to the phone Settings → Additional → Language and input and change the default voice input on Google if Xiao AI has intercepted this feature.
| Function | Google Assistant | Xiao AI |
|---|---|---|
| Activation command | "Okay, Google." | "Xiao AI" |
| Where to turn off | Google settings | Xiao AI Application |
| Impact on the battery | Average. | High (constant listening) |
| Working without a network | Limited. | Basic teams |
Using ADB to completely disable
For advanced users who want to get rid of intrusive services, there is a method using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This way you can hide or disable system components that don't go away from the regular menu. You'll need a computer, USB-cable and on-debugging USB smartphone.
First, turn on debugging. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version (or OS Version) 7 times. You will see a message saying, "You've become a developer." Then go to Additional Settings → Developer and activate Debugging over USB.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchboxThis command will disable Google QuickSearchBox, which is responsible for running the search widget and often running the assistant. If your goal is Xiao AI, the command will look different:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.voiceassist⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-Disabling critical system packages can lead to a cyclic bootloop. Always check packageName before entering the command.
To get it back, use a command to replace disable-user with enable. For example: adb shell pm enable com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox. This method is effective, but it takes away your warranty in case of software failures, so use it only if you understand the risks.
The impact of assistants on autonomy and productivity
Many users are wondering if they should keep the assistant on at all. Continuous listening to the microphone and analyzing the context requires CPU resources. On older Xiaomi models such as the Redmi Note 8 or Poco X3 NFC, turning off background services can increase battery life by up to 10-15%.
In addition, assistants often use geolocation and Internet connectivity to process queries, and if you rarely use voice control, turning it off is a smart step to optimize the system, and it also increases privacy, as the device stops constantly transmitting audio to corporate servers.
But you have to keep in mind the useful features that you lose, like a fast recorder, running a navigator while driving, or controlling smart light bulbs, and weigh the pros and cons before you fully connect to services.
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Tip: If you've disabled the assistant to save battery, also check your Google account sync settings. Often, background data downloads consume more power than the voice assistant itself.
Frequent Disconnection Problems and Their Solutions
Sometimes, after disabling the settings, the assistant continues to appear.This may be due to the app cache or updates to Google Play Services components. In this case, it is recommended to clear the application data. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Google and click Clear → Clear Everything.
Another problem is the return of settings after the system update. Xiaomi often resets user preferences to "default" after a major update to MIUI. So after the firmware update, it makes sense to recheck the partition with the power button.
If the assistant is "resurrected" by itself, check the installed applications. Some screen recording software, voice recorders or launchers may request permission to use the microphone and indirectly activate voice services.
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Main conclusion: For most users, it is enough to simply disable "OK, Google" in the account settings and change the action of the power button. ADB It is necessary only in extreme cases.