How to add Alice to the main screen of the Xiaomi smartphone: 3 proven ways

Voice assistant Yandex Alice has long been an integral part of the smartphone ecosystem, but owners of Xiaomi devices often face difficulties when trying to add its widget to the main screen. MIUI, This article will cover all the current ways to integrate Alice, from standard methods to workarounds for different versions. MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS).

It is important to understand that on Xiaomi devices with pre-installed launcher POCO Launcher or MIUI Alice's launcher widgets may not work smoothly because of the company's security policies, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. We tested all the methods on Redmi Note 12 Pro models.+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO F5 — The results were predictably different, but working solutions were found for each case.

Why Alice is not added to Xiaomi’s home screen in the standard way

The main cause of conflict is restrictions MIUI The shell from Xiaomi blocks the installation of widgets that:

• 🔄 Requires constant access to the microphone in the background (Alice belongs to this category)
• 🛡️ Use non-standard Android permissions (for example, SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW)
• 📱 Launched via alternative launchers (e.g. Nova Launcher or Action Launcher)
• 🔄 Updated through third-party stores (Alice is installed from Yandex.Store, not Google Play)

The second problem is the lack of official support, and Yandex did not adapt Alice's widget specifically for the purpose of the project. MIUI, And it's not like Samsung or Google, and it's because even if you can add a widget, it can add a widget:

• 🔇 Stop responding to voice commands after locking the screen
• 🔄 Disappear after restarting the device
• 📵 Do not display animation when activated

⚠️ Note: On devices with HyperOS (the new firmware Xiaomi), Alice widgets may work even less stable due to tightened energy saving rules. Before setting up, turn off Battery Optimization for the Yandex application in the settings.

Method 1: Addition via standard launcher MIUI (for MIUI 12–14)

This method is suitable for most modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO shelled MIUI 12-14 Important: The widget will be added as a shortcut, not as a full-fledged interactive element.

Step 1. Installation of Yandex application

• 📥 Download the official Yandex app with voice assistant from Google Play or Yandex.Shop
• 🔧 Allow all permissions requested (microphone, notifications, autorun)
• 🔄 Restart your smartphone (this is mandatory for permissions to apply)

Step 2: Adding a widget to the main screen

1. Click and hold the empty space on the main screen → select Widgets
2. Scroll down to Yandex (if not, go back to step 1)
3. Select Alice widget (usually a round icon with microphone)
4. Drag it to the free screen space

Step 3: Set up voice activation

By default, the widget will be passive, so that Alice responds to her voice.

1. Open the Yandex app.
2. Go to Settings → Alice → Voice Assistant
3. Activate the option to listen to "Hello Alice"
4. Enable Background Work and Auto Start

Install the latest version of the Yandex application

Allow all requested permits

Reboot your smartphone

Disable battery optimization for Yandex

Add a widget through the widget menu MIUI-->

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) Alice's widget may not appear in the list even after you install the app. In this case, go to Method 2.

Method 2: Use of an alternative launcher (Nova Launcher, Action Launcher)

If the standard method doesn’t work, the most reliable option is to install a third-party launcher, which is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires additional adjustments.

Why does it work?

Third-party launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Action Launcher) are not strictly restricted. MIUI They allow you to use widgets:

• 🔧 Install widgets of any size
• 🔄 Fix them on the screen (so they don’t disappear)
• 📱 Customize gestures for a quick Alice call

Instructions for setting:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play
2. Make it the default launcher (at the first start the system will prompt you to do this)
3. Press and hold the main screen. → select Widgets
4. Find the widget Alice (from Yandex) in the list and add it to the screen
5. Hold the widget. → Choose Change the size and stretch it to the desired dimensions.

For stable operation:

• 🔧 In the Nova Launcher settings, turn off RAM optimization
• 🔄 In Android settings (Settings) → Annexes → Yandex) Allow Auto Start and Work in the background
• 📵 Disable Battery Optimization for both applications (Nova Launcher and Yandex)

Standard MIUI Launcher

Nova Launcher

Action Launcher

POCO Launcher

Other-->

Method 3: Creating an Alice shortcut through "Fast Commands" (for HyperOS)

On devices with the new HyperOS firmware (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi). K70) The previous methods may not work because of the tightened constraints, and in this case, a workaround through the creation of a shortcut with a voice call will help.

Adjustment steps:

1. Open the Yandex app and activate Alice at least once (say "Hi Alice")
2. Return to the main screen, press and hold the empty space. → select Labels
3. In the list, find Yandex. → Choose Alice (or Voice Search)
4. Drag the shortcut on the screen

Now, when you click on the shortcut, the voice assistant will immediately activate, and the downside of the method is that there is no visual widget, but the functionality is preserved completely.

For convenience:

• 🎨 Change the shortcut icon (in Nova Launcher, this is done through a long press). → Edit)
• 🔧 Assign a gesture (such as swipe up the icon) for a quick call
• 📌 Secure the shortcut to the Quick Access Panel (if your launcher supports it)

💡

If Alice doesn't respond to her voice after clicking a shortcut, check if the microphone is blocking another app (like Google voice search or screen recording).

Solving Typical Problems When Adding Alice

Even after successfully adding a widget, Xiaomi users often encounter errors, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If Alice doesn't hear the commands:

1. Check if the Do Not Disturb or No Sound mode is on
2. Make sure the microphone is not occupied by another app (such as WhatsApp or Telegram while you are texting).
3. Restart the Yandex application through Settings → Annexes → Yandex → Forced stop, then run again

If the widget is not updated:

• 🔄 Clear the cache of the Yandex application in the settings
• 📥 Update the application to the latest version
• 🔧 Check your internet connection (Alice requires a stable connection)

pm grant ru.yandex.searchplugin android.permission.BIND_APPWIDGET

This will prevent it from disappearing after the reboot, but requires unlocking the bootloader and superuser rights.-->

Additional settings for maximum convenience

To make Alice work on Xiaomi as smoothly as on other brands, we recommend you to configure the following settings:

Energy efficiency:

• 🔋 Go to Settings. → Battery and productivity → Optimizing the battery
• Find the Yandex app in the list and select Without Limits
• 🔄 Activate Auto Start and Secondary Start for Yandex

2. setting up voice activation:

• 🎤 In the Yandex application go to Settings → Alice. → Voice assistant
• Turn on the option to listen to "Hello Alice" even on the locked screen
• 🔊 Adjust the microphone sensitivity (if Alice is not good at hearing voice)

3. Integration with a smart home:

If you use Xiaomi Smart Home devices (like Yeelight lamps or robot vacuum cleaners), Alice can be associated with them:

1. Open the Mi Home app
2. Go to Profile. → Settings → Voice assistants
3. Connect your Yandex account to Mi Home
4. Now Alice can control devices by commands like "Switch on the lights in the room."

Quick call through the button:

On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) You can call Alice to double press the power button:

1. Go to Settings. → Buttons and gestures → Power button
2. Choose Double Push. → Launch the application
3. Specify the Yandex application

Alternative ways to call Alice without a widget

If none of the methods worked, or you prefer a minimalist approach, consider alternative ways to call an assistant:

1. Voice command via Google Assistant:

• 🎤 Set up Google Assistant in English
• 🔗 Say, OK, Google, open Alice in Yandex"
• 🔄 This will launch the Yandex application with activated Alice

2. Quick launch through the notification panel:

• 📱 Add the Yandex widget to the Quick Settings Panel:
• Swipe down from the top edge of the screen → press on the pencil (editing) → Find Alice and add her.
• 🔊 The assistant will now be available in one swipe.

3.Use of Tasker to automatically start:

For advanced users:

1. Install the Tasker app
2. Create a task with the action Launch the application → Yandex
3. Assign the task to a gesture (such as shaking the phone or triple tapping the screen)

Chat widget (for the purpose of MIUI 14+):

In the latest versions MIUI It is possible to add chat widgets:

1. Add the Chats widget to the screen (from the section) MIUI)
2. Select Yandex Alice in the list of available chats
3. 💬 You can now communicate with the assistant in text format.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Alice on Xiaomi