Why Xiaomi Smartphone Has Started to Voice All Actions and How to Fix It
Your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO suddenly commented on every touch of the screen, opening apps or even scrolling pages? It's not a breakdown, but an activated voice function - most often the fault of the TalkBack service (built-in screen speaker for people with visual impairments) or system audio prompts. 90% of the time the problem is solved in 2 minutes, but it is important to understand what function is getting in the way.
The voiceover may appear after:
- 🔄 Accidentally pressing a combination of buttons (for example, holding two fingers on the screen)
- 📱 update MIUI Up to the new version (especially relevant) MIUI 14 and Android 13)
- 🧩 Connecting third-party apps to read text aloud (e.g. Google Text-to-Speech)
- 🛠️ Resetting settings or restoring from backup
In this article, we provide step-by-step instructions for all Xiaomi models (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.), as well as a review of rare cases where voice acting is not turned off by standard methods. If you hear not only voice but also system sounds (squeaks, clicks), the solution will be different – we will tell you about this too.
Method 1: Disabling TalkBack (screen announcer)
TalkBack is the primary reason for voice acting. This service from Google reads all interface elements aloud, but it's easy to deactivate. On Xiaomi, the path to settings may vary depending on the version of MIUI:
For MIUI 12/13/14:
- Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
- Go to TalkBack (or Screencaster) section.
- Move the slider to the off position.
- Confirm the action by pressing OK in the window that appears.
If TalkBack is activated, it's going to be harder to control the phone, and you're going to need to double-task and you're going to change your gestures, and you're going to quickly turn it off in this state.
- 👆 Swipe two fingers from top to bottom across the screen – the notification panel will open.
- 🔍 Find the TalkBack icon (the icon with the man in the mug) and click on it with two fingers.
- ❌ In the window that appears, select Turn Off (again, double tap).
☑️ Checking the TalkBack shutdown
If after disabling TalkBack voiceover remained, the problem in another service – read the following ways.
Method 2: Disabling system and key sounds
Sometimes the smartphone doesn't voice the action, but it makes system sounds: squeaks when pressed, clicks when blocked, melodies when charging. It's not TalkBack, but standard audible notifications.
Steps for all versions of MIUI:
- Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
- Scroll down to the System Sounds section.
- Turn off the sliders: 🔕 Touch sound (petting when pressed on screen) 🔒 Lock sound (clicking when blocking/unlocking) ⚡ Charging sound (melody when connecting to the network)
| Type of sound | Description | How to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Touch sound | Short squeak at every tap on the screen | Settings → Sound → System sounds → Touch sound |
| The sound of lockdown | Clicking when blocking/unlocking the screen | Settings → Sound → System sounds → Locking sound |
| Voice prompts | Voice notifications (e.g., “Charging Connected”) | Settings → Sound → Voice prompts |
| Sound of charge | Melody when connecting to the network | Settings → Sound → System sounds → Charging sound → |
If you have voiceovers left after disabling these settings, check the settings of specific applications (for example, Google Assistant or Mi Browser can have their own voice options).
💡
On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro), key sounds are turned off separately in the Settings → Additional → Key Sounds. If you do not find this item, use the settings search (the magnifier icon at the top).
Method 3: Verification of third-party applications
The voiceovers may not come from the system, but from the programs that are installed.
- 🗣️ Google Assistant (Voice Assistant)
- 📖 Google Text-to-Speech (voicing engine)
- 🎵 Apps to Read Books Aloud (Moon)+ Reader, FBReader)
- 📱 Launchers with voice control (Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher)
How to find and disable them:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- In the search bar, type the name of the suspicious application (for example, Text-to-Speech).
- Select the application and click Disable or Delete (if it is not system software).
- For Google Assistant: Press the Home button (or say "OK, Google"). Click on the profile icon → Settings → Voice Assistant. Turn off the voice notification option.
If you’re not sure which app is to blame, try Safe Start Mode:
- Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
- Hold your finger to Turn off - a suggestion will appear to go to safe mode.
- Confirm and wait for the reboot.
Only system applications are running in safe mode. If the voiceover is gone, it's third-party software. Remove newly installed programs.
How to Reset Google Assistant Settings Completely?
Method 4: Resetting special features settings
If previous methods did not work, the problem may lie in the failure of the settings of special features, in which case the reset will help:
Instructions for MIUI 13/14:
- Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
- In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) → Resetting settings.
- Confirm the action (a password may be required).
For MIUI 12 and older:
- Go to Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting.
- Select Resetting Special Opportunities settings.
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⚠️ Attention: If the voiceover is accompanied by other symptoms (self-reboot, overheating, battery discharge in a few hours), this may indicate a serious malfunction.