How to turn off the voice assistant on your Xiaomi phone

Modern Xiaomi smartphones, based on the shells MIUI and HyperOS, offer users a wide range of intelligent functions, among which a special place is occupied by voice assistants. Most often in devices preinstalled Google Assistant, but in some models, especially designed for the Chinese market, can be active Xiao AI. Despite the obvious benefits of technology, many users are annoyed by the accidental activation of the assistant, constant data collection or simply the desire to save battery power.

The deactivation process is not always obvious, as manufacturers software "hide" the necessary switches in the depths of the system menus. In this article, we will discuss how to completely disable the voice assistant on Xiaomi to eliminate its background work and accidental launches. You will learn not only about standard methods, but also about the nuances associated with unlocking the screen and hardware buttons.

Disabling these services can be required for different categories of users, from those who value maximum privacy, to people who are prevented by the accidental turn on of the screen in your pocket.

Differences between Google Assistant and Xiao AI

Before you start setting up, it’s important to understand what kind of service works on your device. Global versions of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones typically use the Google ecosystem. At the same time, Chinese versions of firmware can rely on the company’s own intelligence, Xiao AI. These systems have different control centers and algorithms.

The main difference is the depth of integration: Google Assistant is closely linked to the search bar and the home button, while Xiao AI can manage a wider range of system settings within the Mi Home ecosystem. Understanding this difference is critical, as the ways they disconnect differ.

If you use global firmware, you're likely to have to fight a Mountain View corporation product, and in some cases, you can have both assistants on the same device, which creates conflict when you call voice control.

Disable Google Assistant through system settings

The most reliable and correct way to remove the intrusive assistant is to use the regular settings of the application itself. This does not remove the service completely, but it does not allow it to start and process voice commands. First, you need to go to the Settings menu of your smartphone.

In the app list, find the Google section or go straight to the assistant settings. The path can look like Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Google Lens → Google Assistant. Here lies the master switch that controls all functionality.

⚠️ Note: After disabling the Assistant, the “OK, Google” commands and voice typing in some applications using system input will stop working.

Find Google Assistant and turn the slider to off. The system can warn you that some features will become unavailable. This is the normal behavior of the Android operating system. It is also recommended to check the Phone section to make sure that the assistant is not assigned to handle calls.

Control via power button and unlock

One of the most annoying features in the newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS is calling the voice assistant at a long press of the power button. By default, the system offers to start Google Assistant, but this setting can be easily changed to one that is convenient for you.

To remove this feature, go to Settings → Additional Features → Press and Hold the On button. Here you will see the option to select an action. Instead of Google Assistant, select Nothing or Off Menu if you want to return the classic behavior of your smartphone.

Also, you should pay attention to voice unlock, which allows you to open your phone on command, but it reduces security and can lead to false positives. You can turn it off in Settings → Passwords and Security → Face unlock → Face recognition access to the device by removing the tick from "Unlock Device".

Setting up the search bar and lock screen

Often users confuse the Google search bar with the assistant itself. Swipe right on the home screen or clicking on the search bar can activate the interface with the news and microphone button. To turn off this bar, pinch the empty space on the desktop and select Settings.

In the menu that opens, look for Google Search or Google Discover and turn it off. This will remove the extra page on the left side. It's also worth checking the lock screen settings, where the recommendation feed can be displayed.

For peace of mind, check the widget settings. Sometimes the Google widget with the microphone button is added to the desktop by accident, and removing it will not affect the system, but it will remove the visual trigger to trigger the voice.

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If you can't find your search bar settings, try changing the theme. Some third-party themes hide standard menu items, returning them to the look of stock Android.

Comparison of disconnection methods and their consequences

Different deactivation methods have different degrees of impact on the smartphone, and here is a table that will help you choose the best option depending on your goals, whether it’s saving battery or increasing privacy.

As you can see from the table, removing updates completely is the best thing, but it takes care. The usual switching of switches in settings leaves the service on the system, but makes it passive.

The choice of method depends on how deeply you want to integrate into the Google ecosystem, and for paranoids, only complete deactivation is appropriate.

Cardinal measures: removal of updates and ADB

If standard methods don’t work, or you want to cut the component out of the system completely, you can use more advanced techniques. The first step is to remove Google app updates. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Google and click “Delete Updates”.

This will roll the application back to the factory version, which often doesn't have the functionality of a full assistant, but the system may try to update it again, and to prevent this, you can use a computer and an ADB utility (Android Debug Bridge).

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

This command completely disables the search and assistant package for the current user. The phone will continue to work, but any attempts to call the voice assistant will be ignored by the system.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-The team requires the inclusion of debugging USB. Do not disable other system processes unless you are sure of their purpose, this can lead to unstable operation of Xiaomi.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Disabling voice services completely is a balance between convenience and autonomy, and for most users, it’s easy to turn off the power button call and the phrase “OK, Google.”