How to completely disable the touch assistant on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi's touch assistant (aka Assistive Touch or "Floating Ball") is a virtual button that appears on top of all apps and duplicates the functions of physical keys. For some users, it becomes a real salvation, especially when mechanical buttons fail. But what if this floating element interferes with games, watching videos or just annoys with its presence on the screen?

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can disable the touch assistant on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from standard settings to hidden commands for power users. We’ll focus on the nuances of working on newer versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS, where the menu interface has changed dramatically. If you’ve tried to disable the assistant through the settings, but it keeps popping up, here you’ll find a solution.

It's important to understand that touch assistant can be activated not only manually, but automatically, for example, after a system update or when you connect a device to Xiaomi smart accessories. In some cases, turning it off requires not only changes in settings, but also a cache reset or even superuser rights. We'll look at all scenarios from simple to complex.

Before you start the instructions, make sure you have a backup of important data. Some methods (such as working with ADB) can cause failures if performed incorrectly. Also check your firmware version - the path to settings may differ on MIUI and HyperOS.

1. Standard shutdown through system settings

The most obvious and safe way to do this is to deactivate the touch assistant in the feature menu, which works on most Xiaomi devices regardless of the firmware version, but the path to settings may vary slightly.

Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen) and go to Special Features, which on some devices may be called Additional Features or Universal Access.

In the options list, find the Touch Assistant (or Assistive Touch, Floating Ball) and turn the slider to the "Off" position. If there is no slider, tap the feature name bar to open additional settings, and then turn it off.

On HyperOS, the path might be a little different: Settings → System → Special Features → Interaction and Agility → Touch Assistant. If you don't see this item, use the search bar in the settings (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner) and type in "Touch Assistant."

Open "Settings" → "Special Opportunities"

Find "Touch Assistant" or "Assistive Touch"

Move the slider to "off" position.

Reset the device (optional)

-->

If the floating ball continues to appear after the shutdown, it may mean that the feature is activated through another system process (e.g. Xiaomi Cloud or Security App).

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro or Redmi Note 12) touch assistant can automatically turn on when connected to wireless headphones or fitness bracelet. Check the settings of the conjugated devices in the Mi Fit or Xiaomi Wear app.

2. Disconnection through "Security" and system optimization

In MIUI and HyperOS, the touch assistant is sometimes handled by the Security App, a standard software from Xiaomi that manages optimization, memory cleaning, and some system functions, and to disable the assistant through it:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon on the desktop).

2. Go to Optimize or Accelerate (the title may vary).

3. Find the Floating Ball or Touch Assistant tab and deactivate it.

If this item is not, try another way:

In the Security app, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top corner).
Select Auto Start or Auto Start Management.
In the list of applications, find the Touch Assistant (com.miui.touchassistant) and turn off auto-start.

This is especially true for HyperOS devices, where system functions are distributed across multiple applications, and if that doesn’t work, move on to more radical measures.

Never turned it on.

Sometimes when the buttons break.

Always, it's convenient.

I don't know what that is.

-->

3. Resetting special features settings

If the touch assistant turns on on its own or its settings are confused after the update, resetting special features can help, it does not affect personal data, but returns all interaction settings to factory values.

For this:

1. Open Settings → Special Opportunities.

2. In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (menu) and select Reset Settings or Restore Default Values.

3. Confirm action.

After reset, check to see if the floating ball has reappeared. If so, the problem is deeper and the assistant is activated at the system services level, in which case only disabling through ADB or deleting the packet (see the following sections).

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5 or Redmi K60) Resetting special features can also turn off navigation gestures or visually impaired mode. After the procedure, check these settings and reset them if necessary.

What if the reset didn't help?

If the special feature reset has not removed the touch assistant, it means that the feature is activated at the system application level. In this case: 1. Check if third-party launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) are installed that can conflict with system settings. 2. Make sure that the device does not have viruses or malware that can simulate a floating ball (check through Google Play Protect or Malwarebytes). 3. Try temporarily disabling the developer mode if it is activated - this sometimes helps reset hidden settings.

4. Disconnection via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can disable the touch assistant via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and basic command line knowledge, but is guaranteed to remove the floating ball even on the most stubborn firmware.

First, make sure that your Xiaomi has a developer mode and USB debugging enabled:

Go to Settings. → The phone.
Find the MIUI version line and tap it 7 times until the notification “You’ve become a developer!” appears.
Return to the main settings menu, open Additional settings → Developer settings.
Activate Debugging via USB and confirm the resolution.

Now connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable (preferably original) and follow the following steps:

1. Download and install ADB Tools (e.g. Minimal ADB and Fastboot for Windows or platform-tools for macOS/Linux).

2. Open the command line (terminal) and enter:

adb devices

Make sure your device appears on the list (permission confirmation on your smartphone may be required).

3. Enter a command to disable the touch assistant:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.touchassistant

If the floating ball reappears after the reboot, try a more radical command:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.touchassistant

This will completely remove the application for the current user (no root rights).

1. Reconnect. USB-cable (use the port) USB 2.0 on PC, if any).

2. Install Xiaomi USB Drivers drivers manually.

3. In the developer settings, enable USB Debugging (security options) and select Allow Always from this computer.

On some HyperOS devices, the touch assistant package may be called com.miui.hyperos.touchassistant. To find out the exact name, type the adb shell pm list packages | grep touch command and find the corresponding package.

5. Removal via TWRP (for hardened devices only)

If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader and a custom TWRP reclaimer installed, you can completely remove the touch assistant system application.This method is irreversible and requires caution - improper actions can lead to a system failure.

For removal:

Boot into TWRP Recovery mode (usually by pressing Power + Volume up when turned on).
Select Advanced → File Manager.
Go to /system/priv-app/TouchAssistant or /system/app/TouchAssistant.
Delete the TouchAssistant folder (or the TouchAssistant.apk file).
Reset the device.

If after deleting there are problems with the system (for example, errors at startup), restore deleted files from the backup or reflash the device.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through TWRP may disrupt OTA-Updates: Before the next firmware update, you may need to restore deleted files or manually flash the full package through Fastboot.

6. Alternative methods: hidden menus and third-party utilities

If none of the above methods worked, you can try less obvious solutions, for example, on some devices, the touch assistant is controlled through hidden engineering menus or USSD codes.

Try entering the following code in the phone application:

##4636##

This will open a testing menu where you can find com.miui.touchassistant in the Usage statistics or App info section and force it to stop, but this doesn't work on all devices.

Another option is to use third-party utilities to manage system applications, such as:

🔧 App Inspector – allows you to find and disable hidden services.
🛠️ Package Disabler (requires root) – blocks auto-run of unnecessary packets.
🔍 Activity Launcher – gives access to hidden settings MIUI/HyperOS.

Remember that using third-party utilities can disrupt system stability. Before using them, back up your data via Mi Cloud or TWRP.

💡

If the touch assistant only appears in certain applications (such as games or instant messengers), the problem may be in the settings of these programs. Check whether the Floating Ball feature is activated in the special features menu of a particular application (for example, WhatsApp or PUBG Mobile).

Comparison of methods of disabling the sensory assistant

Method	Difficulty	PC required	Required. root/TWRP	Efficiency
Through settings	⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	Medium (may not work on new firmware)
Through "Security."	⭐⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	High (if the assistant is managed through the Security App)
Resetting special opportunities	⭐	❌ No.	❌ No.	Low (only helps when settings fail)
ADB-team	⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	Very high (works in 90% of cases)
Removal via TWRP	⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	Absolute (removes the assistant forever)

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's touch assistant

Why does the touch assistant turn on on on its own after the update?

This is a typical MIUI and HyperOS problem. When you upgrade, some settings are reset and utility applications (including com.miui.touchassistant) can automatically activate. To avoid this: Before upgrading, disable the assistant via ADB (see section 4). After updating, reset the special features settings. Check if the settings sync is enabled through Mi Account - it can restore old settings.

Can I turn off the sensor assistant without a computer?

Yes, in most cases, standard settings (section 1) or special features reset (section 3) are sufficient. If these methods do not work, try: Use guest mode - sometimes the assistant is not activated in it; install an alternative launcher (for example, Nova Launcher), which can block floating elements; Temporary solution: reduce the transparency of the assistant to 0% in its settings (if there is such an option).

Will fingerprint and gestures work after the assistant is turned off?

Yes, disabling the touch assistant doesn't affect the job: fingerprint scanner, navigation gestures (swipes), physical buttons (if they're good), the assistant duplicates the button functions, but doesn't replace them completely. However, on some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mix Fold 3), the floating ball can be integrated into multitasking - turning it off can change the gesture behavior in tablet mode.

How to get back a sensory assistant if you need one?

If you have disabled the assistant through ADB or TWRP, you can return it: via the command adb shell pm enable com.miui.touchassistant. System flashback (restore deleted files); through the backup of TWRP, if it was made before deletion. If the assistant was disabled through settings, just turn it back on to Special Options.

Why is there a grey circle on the screen after the assistant is turned off?

This could be: Residual artifact — reboot the device; other floating window (like Game Turbo or Second Space); check active notifications; virus software that mimics the system element; check the device through Malwarebytes. Graphics driver failure – update the firmware or reset the screen settings (Settings) → Display. → Resetting screen settings).