You turned on your Xiaomi smartphone, and it suddenly started to voice every action you took: Open menu, App selected, Screen locked? It's not a virus or a breakdown, it just activated the voice assistant or TalkBack (for the visually impaired), most often it turns on by accident: through a keyboard combination, after updating MIUI or when setting up the device "for company" with other special features.
In this article, we will analyze all ways to disable voiceover on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO — From standard settings to hidden commands for stubborn cases, and why a feature can be turned on spontaneously after a system reboot or update, and how to prevent it. MIUI (including MIUI 14/15) and the smartphone models released after 2018 year-end.
Why did Xiaomi start to voice the action?
Voice voice voice on Xiaomi is part of TalkBack's special features system (some firmware called Voice Assistant or Screen Narrator) designed for visually impaired people, but often activated by accident, and the most common reasons are:
- 🔄 Keyboard combination: simultaneously pressed the buttons Volume up + Loudness down 3 seconds (hot keys to turn on TalkBack).
- 📱 Update MIUI: after installing the new firmware version, some settings are reset, and the voiceover is turned on by default.
- 🤖 Reset to factory settings: if you were restoring your phone, you might have missed the special features disconnection point.
- 🎧 Connecting headphones/Bluetooth-Devices: in some versions MIUI voice activated automatically when connecting the headset.
If you haven't consciously enabled this feature, you can turn it off in 1-2 minutes, but there's a caveat: depending on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone, the path to settings may differ. We've covered all the options below.
Method 1: Disconnection through “Special Opportunities” (standard method)
This is the easiest and most versatile way, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices. Instructions are suitable for MIUI 12/13/14/15 and most models (Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Xiaomi 11/12/13, etc.).
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Scroll down and select Special Features (some firmware calls Universal Access).
- Slip on the item Voice assistant or TalkBack.
- Move the slider to the off position (grey).
- Confirm the action by pressing OK in the window that appears.
If the voiceover continues after that, try restarting your smartphone. In rare cases, changes are only applied after the reboot.
☑️ Checking the TalkBack shutdown
Method 2: Disconnect via notification panel (fast access)
If voiceovers prevent you from using your phone normally (for example, you can’t find Settings), try turning off TalkBack through the notification curtain:
- Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
- Find the TalkBack icon (usually an icon with a man in a circle or a microphone) and if it's not there, tap the Edit (pencil) and add a toll.
- Click on the TalkBack icon – it should go out (become grey).
If the badge isn't in the curtain, it's hidden.
- Open the Settings. → Notification panel.
- Choose Change the order or Add the tiles.
- Find TalkBack on the list and drag it to the active area.
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If the screen reacts to touch unusually (e.g., requires a double tap), this is a sign of active TalkBack. To return standard control, hold two fingers on the screen for 3 seconds - this will temporarily turn off voice acting.
Method 3: Disable via keyboard combination (if the screen is not working)
If you can’t interact with the screen normally due to voiceover (for example, your smartphone only responds to TalkBack gestures), use the keyboard key combination:
- Press the Volume Up + Volume Down buttons for 3-5 seconds at the same time.
- Wait for the sound signal or vibration, which means that TalkBack is off.
If it doesn’t work, try an alternative combination:
- 🔊 Hold the Loud up. + 3 seconds power.
- 🔋 Hold the Loud down. + Power for 5 seconds (before vibration).
On some models (POCO F3/F4, Redmi K40/K50), these combinations may conflict with a Google Assistant call. If you click on the voice assistant instead of the voice assistant turning off, move on to the next method.
Method 4: Resetting special features settings (if voiceover returns)
If TalkBack turns on on its own after a reboot or update, the problem may be in the damaged settings, in which case resetting special features will help:
- Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
- In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Resetting Settings.
- Confirm the action by pressing OK.
This will return all availability options to factory values, but will not affect other phone settings (Wi-Fi, accounts, apps, etc.).
What if the reset didn't help?
Method 5: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods don’t work (for example, due to custom firmware or system failure), you can turn off TalkBack via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and minimal technical skills.
Instructions:
- Download and install Platform Tools (includes adb).
- On your phone, turn on USB Debugging: Open Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version to activate Developer Mode. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Enable USB Debugging.
Connect your phone to your computer via USB and type in the command line:
adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/com.google.android.marvin.talkback.TalkBackService:com.xiaomi.accessibility/com.xiaomi.accessibility.talkback.TalkBackServiceThen turn off all voice services:
adb shell pm disable-user com.google.android.marvin.talkback
adb shell pm disable-user com.xiaomi.accessibilityOnce you've done the commands, restart your phone, and this is a method that's guaranteed to turn off voice, but it takes care that the wrong commands can disrupt the system.
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Use ADB only if other methods have failed. Incorrect commands can cause MIUI to fail.
Table: Keyboards for managing TalkBack on Xiaomi
If the voice is active, the standard gestures may not work, and here are the basic combinations to control:
| Action. | Gesture/Keyboard combination | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Turn off TalkBack | Volume up + Volume down (3 seconds) | It works on most models. |
| Bring back standard management | Hold two fingers on the screen for 3 seconds | Temporary Disabling of TalkBack Gestures |
| Scroll down | Two fingers up. | TalkBack gestures inverted |
| Selection of element | Double tap. | The single tap only highlights |
| Going back | Gesture "L" (left to right) | The analogue of the "back" button |
What if the voiceover returns after the reboot?
If TalkBack turns on on its own after turning off/on the phone, the problem may be:
- 🔄 Auto-updates MIUI: Some firmware versions have a bug with saving special features settings.
- 📦 Conflicting applications: Automation programs (e.g. MacroDroid or Tasker) may accidentally activate voiceovers.
- 🔋 Damaged system files: if resetting the settings did not help, you will have to refashion the device.
Recommendations:
- Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → System Update.
- Check the list of auto-run apps in Settings → Apps → Auto-run and disable suspicious ones.
- If the problem persists, reset to factory settings (don’t forget to make a backup!).
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Before reset, check if you have synchronized settings with your Xiaomi account. If so, turn it off in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Sync, otherwise the voiceover may return after data recovery.
⚠️ Attention! If voice acting is activated after Bluetooth devices (earbuds, speakers, watches) are connected, check the accessory settings. Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Band 7 or Redmi Buds 4) can automatically activate voice prompts via a conjugated app.