Xiaomi Voice Assistant: What is the name, how to turn on and use

Voice assistants have long been an integral part of the smart device ecosystem, and Xiaomi is no exception, POCO Or the Mi Smart Home devices, which are probably voice-controlled, but what is the name of this virtual assistant? It seems simple, but in practice it's confusing: the name may differ from region to region and from device to device.

In this article, we will not only reveal the official name of the Xiaomi voice assistant, but also take a detailed look at how to activate it, what commands it supports, and why it may be “silent” in some cases. We'll focus on integration with the Mi Home ecosystem, because the assistant is able to control not only a smartphone, but also smart lamps, robot vacuum cleaners and other gadgets of the brand. FAQ Answering the most frequent questions of users.

The official name of the voice assistant Xiaomi

In most regions, including Russia and the CIS, Xiaomi’s voice assistant is called “Alice,” but it’s not a standalone development of the company, but an integration with the assistant from Yandex. This partnership allows you to use all the features of Yandex.Alice – from search on the Internet to managing a smart home – right from the interface. MIUI.

But there is a nuance: on devices designed for the Chinese market (for example, on firmware). MIUI China, the assistant is called Xiao Ai Tongxue, which translates as "Little Favorite Classmate," and it's Xiaomi's own product, with unique functionality and support for Chinese services. MIUI Xiao Ai is missing – Alice or Google Assistant is used instead (depending on the region).

• 🌍 Russia/CIS: Yandex.Alice (integrated into the MIUI)
• 🇨🇳 China: Xiao Ai Tongxue (in-house development)
• 🌎 Europe/Asia (except China): Google Assistant or Alice (depending on firmware)

It is important to understand that Xiao Ai and Alice are two different products with different capabilities. For example, Xiao Ai is able to recognize dialects of Chinese and is integrated with local services (for example, WeChat or Alipay), while Alice is focused on Russian-speaking users and supports the management of Mi Home devices through Yandex.Station.

How to activate voice assistant on a Xiaomi smartphone

The process of turning on depends on what firmware is installed on your device. Let's consider two main scenarios: for the global version. MIUI (with Alice and for Chinese (with Xiao Ai).

If you have a smartphone with firmware MIUI Global or MIUI Russia, by default, will be available Yandex.Alice:

1. Open Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find Alice on the list and tap her.
3. Click Enable (if the application is disabled) and provide all the necessary permissions (access to microphone, contacts, location).
4. For a quick call, add Alice's widget to the home screen or set up voice activation by the phrase "OK, Alice."

On Chinese firmware (MIUI China is a bit more complicated due to language barriers:

Install Chinese SIM-map (or bypass the region through the VPN)

Go to the → →

Agree with the terms of use

Set up voice activation (phrase "")

Provide access to microphone and contacts-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI China without Chinese, setting up Xiao Ai can be difficult, and some features (such as payment via Alipay) will not be available without linking to a Chinese Mi Account.

If you want to use Google Assistant instead of Alice, you can install it from Google Play and make it the default assistant in your system settings. However, keep in mind that Google Assistant does not support managing Mi Home devices directly – this will require Yandex.Alice or Mi Home App.

What Teams Does Xiaomi Voice Assistant Support?

The functionality of the assistant depends on its type (Alice, Xiao Ai or Google Assistant). Let’s consider the capabilities of Yandex.Alice, since it is most relevant for Russian-speaking users.

Smart home control commands are especially useful, for example, if you have a Yeelight smart lamp or a Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaner, you can voice:

• 💡 Turn on/off the device: Alice, turn off the lights in the kitchen
• 🔄 Change modes: Alice, set brightness to 50% or Alice, start cleaning in the living room
• ⏱️ Set a schedule: Alice, turn on the heater at 18:00

⚠️ Note: Smart home teams require all devices to be connected to the same Mi Home account and on the same Wi-Fi network. If the lamp or vacuum cleaner does not respond to voice commands, check their status in the Mi Home app - they may be disconnected from the network.

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If Alice doesn’t recognize the name of your device (e.g., says “I don’t know this lamp”), try renaming it in the Mi Home app to a simpler name, such as “Bedroom Lamp” instead of “Yeelight Color 2.”

Why Xiaomi’s voice assistant doesn’t work: common problems

Sometimes users find that the assistant doesn't respond to commands or doesn't activate at all, and the reasons can be both software and hardware, and let's look at the most common cases and how to solve them.

1.The assistant is not switched on by voice command

If the phrase “OK, Alice” doesn’t work, check:

• 🔊 Permission to use the microphone: go to Settings → Annexes → Alice. → Permits and enable access to the microphone.
• 📱 Energy Conservation: In Settings → Battery → Select apps turn off optimization for Alice.
• 🌐 Internet connection: Assistant requires stable network access to handle commands.

2.The assistant is switched on but does not execute commands

This may be related to:

• 🔄 Older version of the app: Update Alice to Google Play or AppGallery.
• 🏠 Mi Home Problems: If Smart Home Teams Are Not Working, Reconnect Devices in the App.
• 🗣️ Incorrect pronunciation: Try to speak clearly or use alternative language (for example, instead of “turn on the light” say “light the lamp»).

3.The assistant is not in the settings

If you don’t find Alice or Xiao Ai on the app menu, it could mean:

• 📦 Firmware without preinstalled assistant: on some budget models (for example, Redmi) 9A) Alice is not set by default. Download it from Google Play.
• 🇨🇳 Chinese firmware without localization: if you have MIUI China, but you're not in China, the assistant may be hidden.

Hidden functions and life hacks for voice assistant

Many users use the voice assistant only for basic commands, but it is capable of much more. Here are some little-known features that will make it easier to interact with Xiaomi’s hardware:

1. Control multiple devices simultaneously

You can turn on or off a group of devices with one command, for example:

• 🏡 Alice, turn off everything in the house and turn off all supported devices.
• 🌙 Alice, Sleep Mode – Turns off the lights, sets a quiet mode on the phone and triggers “white noise” on the smart speaker (if configured in Mi Home).

2. integration with Yandex.Navigator and Yandex.Music

If you have these apps installed, Alice can:

• 🚗 Alice, build a route to work – will open Yandex.Navigator with a ready route.
• 🎵 Alice, turn on the playlist for training – will launch music in Yandex.Music.

3. Voice notes and reminders

The assistant can create text notes or voice recordings:

• 📝 Alice, write down: buy milk and bread - will save a note in Yandex.
• ⏰ Alice, remind me to water the flowers at 19:00 - will set a reminder.

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The most useful hidden feature is creating voice scripts in Mi Home, for example, you can set up the command “Alice, I’m leaving”, which will turn off all the lights, activate the camera’s security mode and turn on the imitation of presence (random lights on).

4. Games and entertainment Alice knows not only to work, but also to entertain:

• 🎲 Alice, let's play the cities, let's play the voice game.
• 📚 Alice, tell a story - will include an audio story for children.
• 🤖 Alice, turn on the robot mode - the assistant will begin to respond like a robot (there is Easter egg!).

Xiaomi Xiao Ai and Yandex.Alice: which is better?

If you have a choice between Xiao Ai (on Chinese firmware) and Yandex.Alice (on global ones), it is worth comparing their key features.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiao Ai outside of China, some features (such as paying or ordering a taxi) will not be available due to geo-blocking.

For most Russian-speaking users, Yandex.Alice will be a more convenient option thanks to:

• 🗣️ Best Russian language recognition (including dialects and accents).
• 🏠 Integration with Yandex.Ecosystem (Navigator, Music, Weather).
• 🔄 Regular updates with new skills (e.g. Mi Band or Xiaomi Smart support) TV).

However, the Xiao Ai wins in one thing: it is more integrated with Mi Home devices and supports more automation scenarios. If you’re actively using Xiaomi’s smart home, it’s worth considering Chinese firmware (but be prepared for limitations).

The future of Xiaomi voice assistants: what to expect?

Xiaomi is actively developing its voice technology, and in the coming years we can expect several key innovations:

1. Global launch of its own assistant

The Xiao Ai is currently only available in China, but the company is testing its global expansion under a new name. AI Assistant with support for English, Spanish and other languages, it is expected to appear in the MIUI 15 or HyperOS (new operating system from Xiaomi).

2.Deeper integration with HyperOS

Xiaomi’s new OS, announced in 2023, promises improved performance with AI and voice commands.

• 🤖 Contextual dialogues: The assistant will remember the context of the conversation (for example, if you asked “what’s the weather?” and then asked “what’s the weather?”, he will understand that it’s about the weather).
• 🔗 Cross-platform: one team will work on both a smartphone and Xiaomi Smart TV, And on the Mi Watch smartwatch.

3. Advanced features for smart home

In the future, the assistant will be able to:

• 🏠 Automatically determine location: for example, when you return home, it will turn on the lights and air conditioning.
• 🚨 Recognise sounds: If the assistant hears the sound of broken glass or a fire alarm, he will send a notification to the phone.
• 👤 Identify voices: Different family members will be able to customize personal commands (e.g., “Alice, show me my reminders” will only give you tasks).

⚠️ Note: Some of these features may require the purchase of additional hardware, such as the Xiaomi Smart Speaker smart speaker or the Mi Home Hub. MIUI/HyperOS, As new features often appear first in beta versions of firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's voice assistant