How to make Alice on Xiaomi: full setup of the assistant

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a choice between the standard voice assistant Google Assistant and a more adapted for the Russian-speaking user solution from Yandex. Alice can not just wake up in the morning, but also turn on music, control a smart home, tell news and even joke, which makes its use on devices with a shell MIUI or HyperOS extremely comfortable. Integrating this service into the ecosystem of the Chinese manufacturer requires a number of specific actions, since the Android system is originally sharpened for Google products.

The process of turning Alice into your gadget’s primary voice interface takes only a few minutes, but requires careful adjustment of permissions and system settings. You don’t need to be a programmer or have superuser rights to activate all the functions. You just need to go through the steps of installing the app, setting up access to the microphone, and changing system preferences in a consistent manner, as we will discuss in detail below.

Note that the functionality of the assistant on Xiaomi can vary depending on the version of the operating system and the region for which the firmware is released. Global versions of MIUI have minimal restrictions, while in Chinese builds may require additional manipulation of access rights.

Device preparation and application installation

The first step towards full integration is to install the current version of Yandex with Alice. While it may be pre-installed on many devices, it is better to download the latest version from the official Google Play store or AppGallery to work properly, outdated versions may not support new control scenarios or smart home commands.

Once downloaded and installed, you need to launch the app and log in to your account, and it is the link to your account that allows you to synchronize your request history, smart home settings and personal preferences between your smartphone, smart speaker and other ecosystem devices. Without authorization, functionality will be significantly limited.

• 📱 Open an app store on your Xiaomi smartphone.
• 🔍 Enter in the search "Yandex with Alice" and select the official application.
• ⬇️ Click the "Install" button and wait for the download to complete.
• 🔐 Launch the application and log in using your Yandex ID.

⚠️ Note: If you are using the Chinese version of the firmware (CN ROM), Some Yandex services can work unstable without installing additional frameworks or changing the region in the phone settings.

It's also important to check if you have the permissions to do the voice input correctly. Android, and MIUI in particular, has strict controls on access to the microphone. If you deny the app access to the microphone or location, Alice won't be able to answer questions about the weather or routes.

Configure permissions and access to the microphone

The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have an aggressive energy saving policy that can interfere with the background work of the voice assistant. To ensure that Alice is always ready to respond to the command "Listen, Yandex", you need to configure the permissions in the system correctly, a critical step that is often missed, faced with the assistant "deaf" or not activated.

Go to your smartphone settings and find the application management section. You will need to find the installed Yandex application in the list and specify the rights for it in detail. Pay special attention to the "Start" and "Work in the background" - these parameters must be activated so that the system does not "kill" the assistant process to save battery power.

To access the advanced settings, use the following path in the menu:

Settings → Applications → All applications → Yandex → Permissions

In the list that opens, make sure that the following items are activated:

• 🎤 Microphone – mandatory for voice control.
• 📍 Geolocation – necessary for traffic jams, weather and search for nearby places.
• 📞 Contacts – for making calls on a voice command.
• 🔔 Notifications – to see the assistant’s prompts and answers on the lock screen.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI When you first start up, you may see a system window with a security warning, and you must choose "Allow" or "OK" without warning about third-party software, since the application is officially certified.

Special attention should be paid to the setting "Master on top of other applications." This setting allows Alice to open interfaces on top of running programs, for example, when recognizing music or showing response cards, without this permission, the functionality of the assistant will be reduced to a simple voice search.

Replacement of Google’s standard assistant with Alice

By default, Android has Google Assistant activated, which is triggered by a long press of the power button or a swipe from the corner of the screen. To make Alice the main assistant, you need to change the system settings of the language and input, which will allow you to call Yandex with a voice or button, without having to start the application every time.

The process of replacing the standard assistant may vary slightly depending on the version of Android installed on your Xiaomi. In most cases, the path lies through Google settings or general system settings. It is important to find the "Help" item, not just "Default Apps".

Consider the table of differences in the ways of setting for different versions of shells:

Once Yandex is selected as the primary assistant, the system can request replacement confirmation. Agree with the changes. Now, if you press the Home button (if it's virtual) or a special key combination, Alice will activate. However, it often requires additional actions to activate the power button, which will be discussed below.

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If there is no Yandex in the list of available assistants, try clearing the cache of the Google and Google Play services app, then restart your smartphone.

Activation of Alice with power button and gestures

One of the most convenient features is to call the assistant with a physical button. On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature is implemented through the function “Run by long press of the power button.” By default, there is often Google or the off menu, but this easily changes.

To set up, go to the Advanced Settings section. Find the option for the Power button. If you have a new version of MIUI or HyperOS installed, it will have the Long Press option. Select the option "Run Voice Assistant." Since we have already changed the System Assistant to Yandex, now the button will wake Alice.

If you don't have a direct power button setting, you can use gestures. In the MIUI shell, the "Start from the corner of the screen" feature is popular.

1. Open Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Activate the function "Start from the corner of the screen".
3. As an action, select "Run the App" or "Voice Assistant".
4. Select the Yandex app in the list.

Now, a swipe from the bottom corner of the screen will instantly activate voice input, which is especially convenient when the phone is on the table with the screen up, and there is no way to reach the buttons.

⚠️ Note: On some models with screen lock (Always On Display), the activation of the power button can only work after unlocking the device for security reasons.

Configure the activation phrase "Listen, Yandex"

To fully use the smart assistant, you need to adjust the activation by voice phrase, which allows you to call the assistant when your hands are busy or the phone is in your pocket (if you have through your pocket recognition enabled), the "Listen, Yandex" function works even with a locked screen.

Open the Yandex app, click on the profile icon and go to Alice's settings, and you'll find Voice Control. Turn on Voice Activation. The system will prompt you to say the voice calibration phrase several times, which will improve the accuracy of your diction.

In the same menu, important settings are available:

• 🗣️ Recognition without the Internet: Basic commands work offline, but complex queries require the network.
• 🔒 Locked screen recognition: allows you to control music or alarm without unlocking your phone.
• 👤 Owner's voice recognition: Alice will only respond to your voice while ignoring outsiders (not working on all devices).

Keep in mind that constantly tapping the microphone can slightly increase battery consumption, but Yandex’s algorithms are optimized to minimize this effect by activating full audio processing only after the keyphrase is detected.

Integration with a smart home and scenarios

Making Alice the primary assistant on Xiaomi opens up huge opportunities for managing a smart home. Through Yandex, you can combine devices from different manufacturers: lamps, sockets, vacuum cleaners and air conditioners. Alice acts as a universal remote that understands natural language.

To start, go to the Devices section in the Yandex app. Click Add Device and select the manufacturer of your gadget. You will need to log in to the manufacturer's account (for example, Tuya, Smart Life, Aqara), after which the devices will appear in the list.

Examples of commands for management:

"Alice, turn off the lights in the living room."


"Alice, turn on the humidifier by 50%."




"Alice, I'm Going" (Script turns off all devices)

⚠️ Note: Smart home scenarios require a stable Internet connection, local management is only possible for devices that support Zigbee protocols through appropriate gateways integrated into the Yandex ecosystem.

You can also create complex scenarios, such as "Alice, good morning," and she can turn on the lights, report the weather, tell the news, and start the coffee maker if she's connected to a smart socket, which makes Xiaomi's smartphone a powerful control center for the home.

Solving problems and optimizing work

Despite the deep integration, users may face problems, most often due to the MIUI system "killing" Yandex's background process to save energy, and if Alice stopped responding or is activated with a delay, you need to check the battery settings.

Go to Settings → Battery and Performance. Find Yandex and set the “No Limits” mode. This will prevent the system from forcibly closing the application. It is also worth turning off the traffic savings for Yandex in the mobile network settings so that the assistant can update the data in the background.

Another common problem is the conflict with Google Assistant. If you continue to open both assistants after setting up or the system gets confused, try temporarily disabling Google Assistant in the settings of the Google application itself, leaving only Yandex active.

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The key to stable operation is the autostart resolution and the removal of background activity restrictions in the MIUI/HyperOS battery settings.

In some cases, reinstallation of the app with a complete data cleanup helps, before you do so, make sure your account is synced so you don't lose your smart home history and settings. Once you re-configure, go through the default assistant assignment procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)