Owners of Xiaomi smartphones, particularly the Redmi 9, often face intrusive functionality built into the Android operating system.The voice assistant can be activated accidentally when removing the device from your pocket or holding the power button for a long time, which annoys many users. Disabling this service not only eliminates accidental starts, but also allows you to save battery power, as the background activity of the microphone and the Internet connection consumes resources.
The deactivation process is not trivial, as Google Assistant is deeply integrated into MIUI system services. A standard off switch in one place is often not enough, requires a comprehensive approach through the settings of the application itself and the phone’s system settings. In this guide, we will break down all the available methods that will help you completely remove the voice assistant from everyday use.
It is important to understand that completely removing the system component without obtaining root rights is impossible, but functionally disabling all startup triggers will make its presence invisible. We will consider both software methods through the settings menu, and more advanced methods through ADB if standard options are not available in your firmware version.
Preparing for System Settings Change
Before making changes to system services, make sure you have the latest version of the MIUI shell installed. In some cases, old bugs may hide the necessary menu items or, conversely, make them unavailable. Check the updates in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version to exclude the impact of software errors on the configuration process.
It's also worth backing up important data in advance, although disabling voice assistant is a safe operation. Backup is the gold standard before any interference with your smartphone's system settings. It only takes a few minutes, but will keep your contacts and messages safe in the event of an unforeseen crash.
⚠️ Note: Disabling Google system services may affect the operation of other applications tied to voice input, for example, dictating text in instant messengers or managing a smart home.
Make sure your Google account is active and synced, as some settings are stored in the cloud.If you decide to completely erase the assistant data before you turn off, it will require a stable Internet connection.
☑️ Preparing Redmi 9 for the setup
Disconnecting through the settings of the Google application itself
The first and most logical step is to access the service's native settings. Open the Google app on your Redmi 9 by tapping the "G" icon on your desktop or app menu. In the upper right corner, click on your profile avatar to open the context menu where we're interested in Settings.
In the list that opens, select the Google Assistant section, where you'll find all the basic voice intelligence settings, and you'll need to find the All Assistant settings tab, or the same tab, depending on the version of the interface translation, and that's where the master switch controls the service.
Find Google Assistant at the top of the list and switch the slider to Off. The system will request confirmation of your actions, warning you of loss of functionality. Accept the warning to complete the process. Now, when you click on the assistant call button, the system will prompt you to turn it on again, but it will not automatically activate.
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If the Assistant keeps showing up after turning it off, try clearing the Google app cache through the Apps menu in your phone’s settings.
It's worth noting that this method turns off intelligent processing of requests, but does not always block hardware buttons. To achieve the full result, you also need to configure physical interaction with the device, as we will discuss in the next sections. Software shutdown is only the first step in a comprehensive setup.
Remove the start on the power button and long press
On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI shell, it is often the default to start the voice assistant with a long press of the lock button. This is the most common reason for random activations. To change this behavior, go to the Settings menu → Additional Features → Buttons (the path may differ slightly in different versions of MIUI).
In the Long Press or the 0.5 Sec Press section, you'll see options. The default is Google Assistant. Change the value to Nothing or Shutdown Menu if you want a long press to trigger a lock or reboot screen, which will break the link between the physical button and the voice service.
| Action. | Standard setting | Recommended setting | The result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long press of the power button | Google Assistant | Shutdown menu | Blocking accidental launch |
| Double press of the power button | Camera/Assistant | Nothing. | Lack of response |
| Voice command "OK Google" | Included. | Off. | The microphone is not listening. |
After making changes, be sure to restart the device to apply the new settings. System restart is necessary so that Android services reread configuration files and stop polling buttons for calling the assistant. Without rebooting, the changes may not take effect fully.
Deactivation of OK Google and Voice
Even if you have disabled the primary assistant, voice detection can remain active. It is constantly listening to the microphone for a keyword phrase. To finally calm down, go back to the Google Assistant settings (as in the first section) and find Voice or Hey Google.
Inside this menu, turn off the option "Access with Voice Match." It's also recommended that you delete the saved sample of your voice by pressing the appropriate button. This ensures that the phone will stop responding to voice commands even if the screen is off. Voice triggers are one of the most energy-intensive processes in the background.
Additionally, check your language settings. If you have multiple languages selected, the likelihood of false positives increases. Leave only one primary language or turn off speech recognition entirely in Settings → System → Language and Input → Google Voice Input. You can prevent microphone use for system services here.
⚠️ Warning: After disabling Voice Match, you won’t be able to use OK Google commands to unlock the screen or control music without touching the display.
Some users prefer not to remove voice models, but simply reduce sensitivity, but in Android there is no such option - only fully on or off. So if your goal is maximum autonomy and privacy, feel free to remove the voice cast.
Setting up navigation buttons and gestures
Redmi 9 owners can use both classic three-button navigation and gesture control. If you use buttons, check if you have an assistant call to press the home button long or swipe from the corner. These settings are located in Settings → Full screen → Gesture Management.
When using gestures, you often find a swipe from the bottom corner activates a Google search, which prompts you to call an assistant immediately. Turn off this option from the same menu by selecting the Nothing action for corner swipes, which will free up useful screen space and remove unnecessary actions.
Hidden button capabilities
Also worth a look at the special features settings. Settings path → Advanced settings → Special features may contain shortcuts for quick application launch. Make sure that Google Assistant is not listed there, especially if you use the menu or volume button for special features.
Using ADB to Advance Disconnect
For those who want to go beyond standard settings, there is a method of disabling through ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This way you can freeze the package that handles the assistant, effectively removing it from active use without losing system integrity. You'll need a computer, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB.
First, enable USB debugging on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the build number 7 times to activate the developer menu. Then in Additional → For developers, turn on the USB debugging toggle.
Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command in the command line:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistantThis command will force the current user to stop the service, and the ADB command is a powerful tool, so use it with caution. If you want to get it back, use the command to replace the disable-user with enable.
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The ADB method allows you to completely hide the system component, but requires a computer and basic knowledge of working with the command line.
Remember, once you update your firmware or reset your settings, these changes can be rolled back by the system, and you'll have to do it again, and this is the most radical, but also the most effective way to fight intrusive services.