Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone often seek to adapt the device to their habits, replacing standard tools with more familiar ones. One of the most popular tasks is to install a voice assistant Yandex Alice instead of the Google Assistant preinstalled. This allows you to get more relevant answers in Russian, manage a smart home and use the Yandex ecosystem without unnecessary switching. The integration process does not require obtaining superuser rights (root), but it requires careful setting system priorities.
The main difficulty is that the shell MIUI It has its own system application management features. APK-The file is not enough — you have to force reassign system calls. In this article, we will discuss how to circumvent the restrictions and make it so that when you press the power button or swipe from the corner of the screen, Alice is launched from the corner of the screen. This will turn your smartphone into a truly smart device, sharpened for local services.
Before you make any changes, make sure your Redmi Note 8 Pro has the latest stable firmware version installed, which minimizes the risk of conflicts between system services and new software, and backs up important data in advance, although the replacement procedure is considered safe and reversible.
Software preparation and installation of components
The first step is to download the current version of the Yandex app or a separate Yandex with Alice app from the official Google Play store or GetApps. It is important to use official sources, since modified versions may not have the necessary certificates to work as a system assistant. Once installed, open the application and log in to your account to synchronize settings and query history.
You then need to give the app advanced access rights. Without that, Android will not allow a third-party service to intercept voice commands. Go to your smartphone settings, find the Apps section, and select Yandex, and you’ll need to activate several critical permissions, including access to a microphone, location, and most importantly, the right to “Master on top of other apps.”
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Use only the official app from the Play Market or RuStore to avoid certificate errors when activating the assistant.
Special attention should be paid to autostart permission. The MIUI shell aggressively manages memory and can kill background processes, which makes Alice stop responding to Alice command when the screen is off. In the Activity Control menu, select the No Limits option for the Yandex application. This ensures that the service is always ready for work, even after a long downtime smartphone.
Setting System Priorities in Android
To make Alice the default assistant, you need to change the appropriate setting in the depth of the operating system settings. The standard path is usually as follows: go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. In the upper right corner of the screen, find a menu with three dots and select Default Apps. If there is no such option on the menu, search by settings by entering the phrase “assistant”.
In the list that opens, find the category “Help” or “Digital Assistant.” Google will be listed by default. Click on this item and select Yandex in the list that appears. The system can issue a warning that a third-party application will access personal information — confirm the action. From now on, all system calls of the assistant will be redirected to Yandex servers.
⚠️ Warning: After changing the assistant, the Home button (if virtual) or a long press on the power button can activate Alice instead of Google.
Sometimes, after selecting a new application, the system requires a reboot to apply the changes. If immediately after the switch you see unstable work or a return to Google Assistant after a few seconds, perform a full restart of the Redmi Note 8 Pro device. This will clear the cache of services and fix the new priority in the system registry.
Activation of voice control and hotkeys
The most convenient way to interact with your smartphone is by voice activation. In the Yandex app settings, go to Alice and find Voice Control. Activate Voice Activation. The smartphone will now constantly listen to the airwaves for a keyword, which can slightly increase battery consumption, but provides instant response.
For owners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, activation via the power button is also available. In standard MIUI settings, this can be blocked for third-party applications, but new versions of the shell have a flexible setting. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Power Button. If the voice assistant call option is available, select it and make sure the right application works. In some cases, third-party software is required to reassign the buttons if the system rigidly links this feature to Google.
An alternative and often more reliable method is to use Quick Commands or macros. You can set Alice to start by double tapping the screen or drawing a letter on a screen that is off. Use the built-in Security → Application Shortcuts or third-party utilities from the Play Market that can emulate the search button.
☑️ Checking activation settings
Solving problems with MIUI and background work
The MIUI shell is known for its strict energy saving policy, which often causes voice assistants to malfunction. If Alice stops responding or starts with a delay, you need to check the battery settings. Go to Settings → Battery and performance, find the Yandex application in the list and set the “No Limits” mode, which will prevent the system from limiting the background activity of the application.
Another common problem is the conflict with the Advanced Lock feature or the antivirus built into the system. Make sure that the Yandex application is added to the antivirus exceptions. Also check if the Autorun ban in the Application Manager is worth it. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, these settings can be reset after the system update, so periodically check their relevance.
| Setup parameter | Recommended value | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-start | Included. | Settings → Applications → Auto Launch |
| Activity monitoring | No restrictions. | Settings → Applications → Battery |
| Overhead display | Permitted. | Settings → Applications → Permissions |
| Access to the microphone | Always allowed. | Settings → Confidentiality |
If the problem persists, try to clear the cache of Yandex and Google Play services. Sometimes old temporary files interfere with the correct interception of requests. Clean through the app storage menu, but do not delete user data so as not to lose your account settings. After cleaning, reboot the device.
Setting up scripts and a smart home
After successfully installing Alice as the primary assistant, you have a lot of automation options. In the Yandex app, go to Devices and add your smart home gadgets. Redmi Note 8 Pro has an NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 module, which allows you to use the smartphone as a universal remote or tag to run scenarios.
You can create complex action chains. For example, on the command "I'm at home" the phone can automatically turn on Wi-Fi, start the navigator and open the smart lock. To set up, go to the "Scenarios" section of the Yandex app and select the "Voice Team" trigger, which allows you to replace the standard Google responses with personalized actions that are understandable to the Russian-speaking user.