How to permanently remove Google Assistant with Xiaomi Mi 9: 5 proven ways

Google’s Voice Assistant on Xiaomi Mi 9 may be useful, but not everyone likes its constant activity in the background. It consumes battery power, collects data about your actions and sometimes activates accidentally — for example, when you press the Home button or voice command “OK, Google.” If you decide to get rid of this service, it is important to understand that a simple disconnect in the settings does not always work. Depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and the status of root rights, you may need different methods, from standard to radical.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove Google Assistant from Mi 9, including hidden firmware functions, ADB commands and manipulation of system files. You will also learn what consequences can have a complete removal of the assistant and how to return it back if something goes wrong.

Before you start, check the MIUI version on your device: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. This will help you choose the right method. Also note that some methods require debugging over USB and installing ADB on your computer - without this, some instructions will not be available.

1. Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way is to disable the assistant in the settings menu, which will not remove the app completely, but will stop its background activity and voice control, which works on all versions of MIUI (including 14) and does not require root rights or a PC connection.

Open Settings → Apps → App Management and search in the Google list (not to be confused with Google Play Services).Slip on it, then select Notifications and turn off all switches. Go back and press Permissions – here, disable access to microphone, contacts and other data. After that, the assistant will stop responding to voice commands, but its icon will remain on the system.

To completely disable voice control:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional settings → Home button.
2. Select Voice Assistant and set the value No.
3. Go back to Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Assistant and Voice.
4. Turn off the Google Assistant option and confirm the action.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI after updating OTA You can reset the settings. Check them after each update.

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If, after disabling Google, Assistant continues to start when holding the Home button, try assigning another action to it (such as Google Search or Nothing) in the same button settings.

2.Removal of updates and rollback to the factory version

Google Assistant is frequently updated through Google Play, and these updates can return its functionality even after turning it off, and to avoid this, you can remove all updates and "freeze" the application in a factory state.

Do the following:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm the action. The app will return to the version that was preinstalled in the firmware.
4. Return to the app menu and click Disable (if the option is active).

After that, go to Google Play → Menu (three lines) → My apps and games → Google and disable auto-update.

This method doesn’t work on all devices: some versions of MIUI block system applications from turning off. If the Disable button is inactive, try the following method.

3. Disconnection via ADB (no root)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool to manage your device through your computer, which doesn’t require root rights, but requires you to enable Developer Mode and install ADB on your PC.

Prepare for the procedure:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional settings → For developers and activate Debugging via USB.
3. Connect the Mi 9 to your computer and confirm the debugging request.
4. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive.

Now run the following commands in the Windows/Linux/Mac terminal (command line):

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox




pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

The first command removes all updates to Google Assistant for the current user, the second - disables it completely. After rebooting the device, the assistant will disappear from the system, but its icon may remain in the application menu (it will be inactive).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI after resetting settings or updates OTA Google Assistant can come back. To avoid this, repeat the procedure or use the root method.

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC

Enable debugging over USB on your phone

Download and unpack ADB Tools

Connect your phone to your PC via cable (not Wi-Fi!)

Start the command line on behalf of the administrator-->

4. Complete removal with root rights

If you are willing to take drastic measures and you have a bootloader with Magisk installed or another root solution unlocked, you can remove Google Assistant forever. This method is suitable for experienced users, as improper actions can lead to system failure or loss of warranty.

You'll need:

• 🔧 Unlocked bootloader and root rights (e.g., via Magisk).
• 📱 File Manager with support for root (such as Root Explorer or Mixplorer).
• 💾 Backup of data (in case of failure).

Instructions for removal:

1. Open the root manager and go to /system/priv-app/.
2. Find the Velvet and GoogleQuickSearchBox folders (these names may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Delete these folders or rename them by adding.bak at the end (e.g. Velvet.bak).
4. Reset the device.

After that, Google Assistant will be completely removed from the system.

• ⚠️ Some features (like voice search in Google Search) may stop working.
• ⚠️ After updating MIUI through OTA Files can be restored – you will have to repeat the procedure.
• ⚠️ On custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the path to files may be different.

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Deleting root-righted system files is the most efficient way, but also the riskiest. Always back up before changing files in /system!

Alternative methods: concealment and replacement

If you don’t want to delete Google Assistant, but it’s in the way, you can go another way – hide it or replace it with another assistant. For example, many Xiaomi users prefer Alice from Yandex or Bixby (if installed through third-party launchers).

Ways of concealment:

• 📱 Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) and hide the Google Assistant icon in the app menu.
• 🔍 In Google Search settings, turn off the assistant widget on the home screen.
• 🛠 Use apps like App Hider or Island (requires root) to isolate Google Assistant from the rest of the system.

Replacement with another assistant:

1. Download an alternative from Google Play (e.g. Yandex with Alice or Siri for Android).
2. Assign a new voice command in the app settings.
3. In Settings → System and Device → Home button, select a new application to hold the button.

These methods don't physically remove Google Assistant, but they make it invisible and inapplicable in everyday use, and the main advantage is that there are no risks to the system and the ability to return everything back at any time.

Possible problems and solutions

When you delete or disable Google Assistant, you may face unexpected consequences, and here are the most common ones and ways to eliminate them:

If the device is unstable after manipulating Google Assistant, try resetting to factory settings (Settings → Additional Settings → Restore and Reset) and this will return all system applications to their original state.

⚠️ Note: On devices with unlocked bootloader and custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu), some Google features may initially be disabled.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Google Assistant