OK Google on Xiaomi: How to turn on and configure voice assistant in 5 minutes

Why Xiaomi doesn’t work OK Google and how to fix it

Google’s OK voice assistant should make it easier to interact with a smartphone, but on Xiaomi devices (especially those with MIUI firmware), its activation is often questionable, and the problem lies in the conflict between the company shell and Google services: by default, the system can block background activity of the Google application, and in some regions (for example, in China), voice search is completely disabled at the firmware level.

In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to enable OK Google on Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi smartphones – from basic settings through the application to manually adding language and fixing microphone errors. Instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 and Android 12-14, including models Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T and others.

If you still have questions after reading, check out the FAQ section at the end of the article, where we’ve collected answers to typical problems (such as why the assistant doesn’t respond to voice or why the microphone icon disappeared).

Preparation of the smartphone: what to do before setting up

Before you turn on OK Google, make sure your Xiaomi meets the minimum requirements:

• 📱 Android Version: Not Lower than Android 8.0 (for Android) MIUI 12+). On older firmware, the voice assistant may not work properly.
• 🔊 Microphone: Make sure it is not physically silenced (such as by dust in the connector) or turned off in the settings.
• 🌐 Internet: For the first setup, you will need a stable connection to Wi-Fi or mobile network (voice commands are processed on Google servers).
• 🔋 Battery charge: If the level is below 15%, the system may limit background activity of applications, including voice search.

Also make sure that the device has a Google app installed (not to be confused with Google Play Services!). If it is not, download from Google Play. For models without Google services (such as the Chinese versions), you will need to install GMS.

Method 1: Enabling OK Google through the Google App

This is the simplest and most official method.

1. Open the Google app (the icon with the letter G on a colored background).
2. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner → select Settings → Voice search.
3. Slip on the Voice Assistant and turn on the Hey Google switch (or OK Google in older versions).
4. The system will suggest recording a voice sample – say the phrase “OK Google” 3 times in a row (important: do it in a quiet room!).

If the Voice Assistant is not available or is inactive, check:

• 📌 System language: must be English or Russian (some regional firmwares block the function).
• 🔄 Updates: Open Settings → The phone. → Update the system and install the latest patches.
• 🛑 Limitations MIUI: Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Google and Allow AutoRun, Background Activity and Notifications.

Important! on some models (such as the Redmi 10A or POCO M4 Pro) after setting up, it may be necessary to restart the smartphone for the changes to take effect.

Method 2: Configure through Android settings (for power users)

If the standard method didn’t work, try enabling OK Google through Android’s hidden settings, which is suitable for devices with MIUI 13+ and root rights (optional).

Follow the following steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times)
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the command in ADB: adb shell settings put secure voice_interaction_service com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox/.VoiceInteractionService
4. Reset the device.

After the reboot, check the assistant with the command "OK Google, what day is it?". If the answer does not follow, move to the next method.

Method 3: Manually adjusting language and region

One of the common reasons OK Google is not working on Xiaomi is because of incorrect regional settings, for example, if the system is installed in Chinese or China region, the voice assistant will be blocked.

To fix this:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Language and Input → Language.
2. Choose Russian (Russia) or English (United States).
3. Go back to Settings → Google → Managing Google Account → Data and Personalization → Language Settings.
4. Set the main language as Russian or English.

After changing the language, restart the Google app and reset the voice assistant. If the problem persists, check if a VPN with Chinese IP is installed, which can also block the function.

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If Google still doesn’t work after changing OK, try resetting the Google app settings: Go to Settings → Apps → Google → Storage → Clear Data.

Solving the Problems: Why OK Google is not responding

Even after setting it up properly, the voice assistant may not work properly, and let’s look at common mistakes and how to fix them:

• 🔇 Resistance to voice: Check if the microphone is drowning out the cover or the protective film. Open Settings → Annexes → Permits → Microphone and make sure that the Google app has access.
• 📵 It doesn't work without the Internet: OK Google requires a network connection to handle requests. Turn on mobile data or Wi-Fi.
• 🔋 Power Saving Mode: Add Google App to Exceptions: Settings → Battery → Energy consumption of applications → Google → No restrictions.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (Like Redmi. 9A With the global version), the voice assistant can conflict with the branded XiaoAI. To fix this, turn off XiaoAI in the settings: Settings → Annexes → Application management → XiaoAI → Shut down.

If none of the methods worked, the problem may be a hardware malfunction of the microphone, which can be checked using the Microphone Test app (available on Google Play).

How to Install Google Mobile Services (GMS) on Chinese Firmware

Xiaomi smartphones sold in China often ship without Google services. To enable OK Google on such devices, you will need to manually install GMS (Google Mobile Services).

Warning: the process requires unlocking the bootloader and may result in data loss.

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool.
2. Install custom recovery (such as TWRP).
3. Download the GMS package for your model (for example, NikGapps or OpenGapps).
4. Sweat the package through recovery.
5. After the reboot, perform the standard OK Google setting.

⚠️ Attention: Installation GMS For Chinese firmware, it can disrupt Xiaomi’s branded services (such as Mi Cloud or Themes). MIUI through OTA Google services may disappear – they will have to be reintroduced.

For POCO X3 Pro, Redmi K40 and other popular devices, there are ready-made firmware with pre-installed GMS (for example, MIUI EU) and can be found on the xiaomi.eu or XDA Developers forums.

FAQ: Frequent questions about OK Google on Xiaomi

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If OK Google still doesn’t work, check to see if your Xiaomi has custom firmware installed without Google certification, in which case the only way out is to flash the official global version of MIUI.