Disable voice control in headphones Xiaomi on the iPhone: the full guide

Voice control in Xiaomi headphones can be a useful feature, but not always convenient – especially when you use them with an iPhone. Many users face a situation where Siri is activated accidentally when touching buttons on headphones, or when Xiaomi’s voice assistant conflicts with the iOS system settings. In this article, we will discuss all ways to completely disable voice control in Xiaomi headphones (including Redmi Buds models, Airdots, FlipBuds and others) when connecting to an iPhone, and consider alternative settings for comfortable use.

Compounding the problem, iOS and MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) handle commands from Bluetooth devices differently, and in some cases, turning off the voice assistant through the iPhone settings doesn’t work as the headphones continue to send activation signals, and we tested all available methods and put them together in a single guide, from basic settings to hidden features that aren’t written in the official instructions.

Why is the voice control in Xiaomi headphones activated on the iPhone?

The main reason for the conflict is the difference in interaction protocols between iOS and Xiaomi headphones, and here are the key factors that may cause you to experience unwanted activations:

• 🔹 Dual button assignment: On Xiaomi headphones, the same button is often responsible for on/off, playback control and calling the voice assistant.On iPhone, this can be interpreted as a command for Siri.
• 🔹 Headphone firmware: An outdated version of the software in headphones can send incorrect signals that iOS perceives as a request for voice activation.
• 🔹 Bluetooth Settings in iOS: By default, the iPhone allows devices to activate Siri via Bluetooth, even if it is not provided by the headphone manufacturer.
• 🔹 Helper conflict: If the headphones include the XiaoAI voice assistant (built into Xiaomi), it may try to run in parallel with Siri.

Interestingly, the problem is more common with headphone models released after 2021 (Redmi Buds 3 Pro, Xiaomi Buds 4 and later), as they add additional touch gestures. In older versions (for example, Redmi Airdots), voice control is usually tied to a long press, which less often leads to accidental positives.

Method 1: Disable Siri for Bluetooth devices in iPhone settings

The easiest way is to block Siri’s access to control through connected headphones, which won’t turn off the voice assistant in Xiaomi’s headphones, but will prevent it from activating on iPhones.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings on the iPhone.
2. Go to Siri and Search.
3. Find the Access block from the locked screen and click on the Bluetooth Device Settings.
4. In the list of devices, select your Xiaomi headphones (the name can appear as Mi True Wireless, Redmi Buds, etc.).
5. Turn off the Allow Siri slider when the screen is locked.

This works for most models, but has a limitation: Siri can still activate when the screen is unlocked if the headphones send the appropriate signal.

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If your headphones don't show up on the Bluetooth list, try connecting them first, then turning them off and turning them back on. Sometimes iOS doesn't immediately recognize a new device in this menu.

Method 2: Reassign buttons in Xiaomi headphones (via the Mi Home app)

If you want to completely disable voice control at the headphone level, you will need the official Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Wear for new models), but here’s a caveat: not all features are available for devices connected to the iPhone, since the app is optimized for Android.

How to reassign buttons:

1. Install the Mi Home app from the App Store.
2. Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account (required!).
3. Connect the headphones to the iPhone via Bluetooth.
4. In the app, go to Devices → find your headphones (if there are none, click Add Device and select the model manually).
5. Open the headphone settings and find the Gesture Management or Button Settings section.
6. For each button (or touch zone), select No Action or Disabled instead of Voice Assistant.

Important: In some models (such as the Redmi Buds 4 Pro), the voice-activation option may be hidden, in which case try resetting the headphones to factory settings (see section below).

Method 3: Reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings

If reassigning the buttons didn’t help, or the Mi Home app doesn’t provide the right options, a full headphone reset could solve the problem.It will remove all user settings, including those tied to the voice assistant.

Reset instructions (relevant to most Xiaomi/Redmi models):

1. Charge the headphones to a level of at least 50%

2. Disconnect them from all devices in Bluetooth settings

3.Put both headphones in the case and close the lid

4.Make sure the headphones don't flash-->

1. Get both earphones out of the case.
2. Press and hold the touch buttons on both headphones simultaneously for 10-15 seconds (until the lights start flashing red and white).
3. Place the headphones back in the case and close the lid for 10 seconds.
4. Get your headphones out – they should automatically go into pairing mode (the indicators will flash white).
5. Connect them again to the iPhone via Settings → Bluetooth.

After the reset, check if the voice control is activated. If the problem persists, proceed to the next method.

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Resetting the headphones removes all user settings, including Xiaomi account binding and firmware history. After reset, you may need to reset via Mi Home (if available for your model).

Method 4: Turning off the microphone in the headphones (radical method)

If all previous methods failed and voice control continues to interfere, you can physically turn off the microphone in the headphones, which will not damage the device, but will make it impossible to use the microphone for calls and voice commands.

How to do this:

• 🛠️ Software Disable (for some models): In the Mi Home app, find the microphone settings section and turn it off. This option is not available for all headphones.
• 🔧 Mechanical shutdown: Gently unplug the microphone's protective mesh (usually located on the outside of the earphone) and close the hole with scotch or silicone plug.This will block the sound from coming in, but will not damage the electronics.

Attention: Physical interference with the design of the headphones can lead to loss of warranty. This method is recommended only if the software methods did not help, and you are willing to sacrifice the microphone function.

Method 5: Using third-party applications to manage Bluetooth

If standard iOS settings don’t allow for flexible headphone settings, you can use third-party utilities that allow you to block certain Bluetooth commands, including those that activate voice control.

Recommended annexes:

• 📱 Bluetooth Auto Connect: Allows you to create rules for connected devices, including voice blocking.
• 🔧 Shortcuts (built into iOS): You can create an automatic rule that will disable Siri when you connect Xiaomi headphones.
• 🛡️ Bose Connect (unofficial): Although designed for Bose headphones, some features work with Xiaomi devices as well (e.g., turning off the microphone).

Example of settings via Shortcuts:

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
2. Create a new script with the action Install Bluetooth device.
3. Add the condition: If connected [name of your headphones] → Disable Siri for this device.
4. Save the script and enable it in Automation.

Note: Third-party apps may require additional permissions (such as accessing Bluetooth in the background), which affects the autonomy of the iPhone.

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Before using third-party utilities, check the reviews in the App Store – some apps may conflict with the latest versions of iOS (especially iOS 17+).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you try to turn off voice control, users often make mistakes that only make the problem worse, and here are the most common ones:

• ❌ Turning off Bluetooth instead of reconfiguring: Many just turn off the headphones in Settings, but this does not solve the problem - the next connection settings will reset.
• ❌ Using unofficial firmware: Flashing Xiaomi headphones through third-party tools can lead to loss of functionality or even failure.
• ❌ Ignoring updates: Outdated headphone firmware often contains bugs that cause false voice control. Always check the relevance of the software through Mi Home.

How to properly update the firmware of Xiaomi headphones on the iPhone:

1. Connect the headphones to your Android device (you can borrow from a friend or use an emulator).
2. Open Mi Home, find the headphones in the list of devices.
3. If an update is available, follow the instructions on the screen. Don't turn off the headphones during the process!
4. After the update, return the headphones to your iPhone and check the work.

⚠️ Note: If your headphones stop connecting to your iPhone after the firmware update, reset (see Method 3) and re-pair. In rare cases, you may need to change your region in your Xiaomi account (for example, from China to Global).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions