How to disable Google Assistant on Xiaomi Mi 8

Despite its age, the Xiaomi Mi 8 remains a popular device due to its balanced filling and high-quality screen. However, Google’s built-in services, which are deeply integrated into the Android operating system by default, are not always convenient for everyone. Often owners are faced with a situation where the voice assistant is activated accidentally in their pocket or bag, causing unnecessary actions or wasting battery power.

Disabling the service completely can be a necessary step for those who prefer classical control or use alternative solutions for voice input. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of deactivation, from standard system settings to more advanced ways to manage application permissions.

It's important to understand that Google Assistant is closely linked to the search engine and other services of the corporation. So simply turning off one feature may not be complete unless you adjust the adjacent settings. We'll look at the nuances of how the MIUI shell and pure Android work so you can choose the most suitable option for your use case.

Why Xiaomi Mi 8 owners should turn off the voice assistant

The main reason users are looking to remove unnecessary features is to save resources. Background microphone and constant analysis of audio stream require processing time. On a device with a new battery, as in the case of the Mi 8, every percentage of the charge is in the account. Disabling service helps to extend battery life in standby mode.

The second important aspect is privacy, because many people feel uncomfortable with the idea that their smartphone is constantly listening to the environment while waiting for a command, and while Google claims that data is secure, the ability to completely shut off microphone access for a particular application gives them a sense of control over personal information.

Also worth mentioning is the problem of false positives: Accidental pressing of the power button or long screen retention can activate the assistant, who starts executing commands or dictating messages. This is especially annoying when the phone is in his pocket. Deactivation eliminates the risk of accidental calls or sending messages.

⚠️ Note: Before making changes to system settings, it is recommended to back up important data to avoid accidental loss of information in the event of a system failure.

There are several scenarios where disconnection is justified:

• 📱 You rarely use voice input and prefer to type text manually.
• 🔋 You need to maximize the time of the smartphone from one charge.
• 🔒 You are concerned about the potential collection of data about your location and surroundings.
• 🚫 You want to prevent accidental activation of phone functions by children or in your pocket.

Basic settings through the Google Menu

The easiest and safest way to limit the functionality of the assistant is to use the regular settings menu of the app itself.This does not remove the service completely, but makes it inactive for everyday use. To begin, open the Google app on your Xiaomi Mi 8. It usually has a red letter "G" on a white background.

In the interface that opens, click on your profile avatar in the top right corner of the screen. In the drop-down menu, select Settings. Next, look for the Google Assistant section. This is where all the major controls are concentrated. You'll need to go to the "All Assist" settings subsection or simply "Assistant" subsection, depending on the firmware version.

Inside the menu, find a switch called Google Assistant, put it in the off position, the system can request confirmation of your actions, warning that some functions will stop working, agree with the warning, now when you press the button home or hold the screen long, the assistant will not respond.

After these steps are done, the voice control will be deactivated. However, if you are using a headset or car system, the settings may be duplicated there. Also check the Phone section in the Assistant settings to make sure it is not activated for a particular device.

Disable activation by voice command OK Google

Even if the core functionality is disabled, the “OK, Google” feature can remain active, meaning that the smartphone continues to listen to the speech while waiting for the keyword, and to stop listening completely, you need to change the voice match settings.

Go back to the Assistant's settings menu and select "Hey Google and Voice Match." Here you'll see the "Hey Google" switch. Turn it off. Also, delete the saved voice sample by pressing the appropriate button and confirming deletion, which ensures that the phone won't respond to your voice.

In some versions of MIUI, settings can be duplicated in the system menu. Go to Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search and Assistant → Voice input. Make sure the OK Google Recognition option is turned off. This is a critical step for the microphone to be completely silent in the background.

Once these options are turned off, the phone will stop responding to voice commands, the screen will only light up when mechanically interacting or notifications arrive, which significantly reduces the load on the processor and microphone.

Management through system settings Xiaomi

The MIUI shell installed on the Xiaomi Mi 8 has its own application management tools that allow you to more severely restrict the work of Google services, which is useful if standard settings are reset or you want to prevent the application from running at all.

Open the security app (green shield), which is standard for all Xiaomi smartphones. Go to the "Permissions" or "App Management" section. Go to the "Google" app. Here we are interested in the "Permissions" tab. Find the "Microphone" item and select "Disable".

Without access to the Google microphone, the Assistant will not be able to physically perform its functions even if it is software enabled, which is a radical but effective method, and you can also turn off auto-start on this menu so that the service does not start with the operating system.

Using MIUI system constraints gives you deeper control than settings inside the Google app itself, and this is especially true for users who want to minimize third-party interference with the device.

Setting up a physical power button

One of the most annoying features in modern versions of Android is to activate the Assistant with a long press of the power button. On the Xiaomi Mi 8 with updated versions of the firmware, this behavior can be enabled by default.

Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Special Features. Find the section associated with the power button (sometimes called the Power button shortcut or located in the Google Assistant menu) and select the option “Switch off me” instead of “Google Assistant”.

After changing the setting, a long press on the lock button will trigger a standard menu with a selection of “Switch Off”, “Reset” and “Flight Mode” modes, which returns the classic logic of smartphone management, which most users are used to.

If you can't find this setting, try searching by settings, type the word "button" or "power" in the menu bar, and the system will tell you what section you want, and it's a universal way to navigate the confusing MIUI menus.

Limitation of background activity and battery

Even after all the settings, the app can try to work in the background, so to put the service to sleep, you have to limit its power consumption rights, and it doesn't shut down the functions completely, but it makes them work minimally and unobtrusively.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go to Google. Go to Battery or Charge Savings. Select No Limits (to allow work if necessary) or Conversely, Limit Background Activity (to maximize savings).

Also on this menu is the option "Run in the background." Disable it. Now the system will aggressively close Google's process once you fold the application, which ensures that the background processes will not waste resources.

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If you use Power Saving Mode, the system automatically restricts the Google Assistant. Enable this mode for maximum autonomy.

It is worth noting that when background activity is severely restricted, notifications from other Google services such as Gmail or Google Photos may stop coming if they depend on the overall synchronization process.

Using ADB for Advanced Users

For those who are not afraid of the command line, the most radical method is the use of the ADB tool (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to hide or completely remove the Google system application without getting root rights.

First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the build number (MIUI version). Then in Advanced Settings, turn on "Debugging on USB." Connect the phone to your PC and execute the command to log in to the shell:

adb shell

Next, to disable the assistant packet, use the pm disable-user command. The packet is usually called com.google.android.apps.googleassistant.

pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistant

⚠️ Attention: Use of teams ADB It can cause system instability if you disable critical components. Be careful and only disable packets that you are 100 sure of assigning%.

This is the most effective method, since it removes the component from the user space completely, but when you reset the settings to the factory (Hard Reset), all changes will be canceled, and the service will appear again.

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Using ADB is the most powerful tool, but it requires caution, and for most users, the software settings inside the menu are enough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)