How to bring Alice to the main screen of the Xiaomi phone: all ways and life hacks

Voice assistant Yandex Alice has long been an integral part of the smartphone ecosystem, but owners of Xiaomi often face the problem: how quickly to access the assistant without opening the application every time? The output of widgets to the home screen in MIUI has its nuances - from the shell version to the device model. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to place Alice on the desktop, including hidden functions and bypassing the limitations of the system.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi is actively blocking third-party widgets in new versions of MIUI 14/15, but there are legal and non-obvious methods to get around these restrictions. We tested all options on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO F5 models — the results are summarized in the compatibility table below. If you use a device with MIUI 12-13, the process will be easier, but there will be a solution for new versions.

1.Official way: Yandex widget with Alice

The easiest method is to use a standard widget from Yandex that includes the Alice call button, but in MIUI 14+ it may not appear in the list of available widgets. Here's how to fix it:

• 📱 Make sure you have the latest Yandex app update installed (version 23.10 or later).
• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Yandex and enable permission to display over other windows.
• 🖼️ With a long tap on the free seat of the main screen, select Widgets, find Yandex and drag the widget Search with Alice (4×1 or 4×2).

If the widget doesn’t appear in the list, try the following:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the cache of the Yandex application in the settings.
3. Install Yandex Maps – sometimes it helps to activate the widget.

💡

If the widget still does not appear, try temporarily changing the region of the phone to Russia in Settings → Additional → Region. After adding the widget, you can return the region back.

2.A quick call to Alice through gesture (MIUI 12-15)

MIUI has a hidden function of anchoring the voice assistant to double-press the power button, and this method works even without the widget:

1. Open Settings → Special Opportunities → Quick Access.
2. Select Voice Assistant (if you don’t have an option, skip the step).
3. Turn on the switch Double press the power button and select Yandex Alice from the list.

If your MIUI version does not have this option, use the workaround:

• 🤖 Install Assistant Trigger (Android 10 is required)+).
• 🔧 In the application settings, select Yandex Alice as the default assistant.
• 🎯 Assign Alice to double-press the power button or shake the phone.

3.Creating Alice's shortcut through Nova Launcher

The standard MIUI launcher severely limits customization, but with Nova Launcher you can create a direct shortcut to call Alice:

1. Install Nova Launcher and make it the default launcher.
2. With a long tap on the home screen, select Widgets → Nova Actions.
3. Drag the app shortcut widget onto the screen.
4. In the list, find Yandex Alice (or Yandex Voice Search) and confirm.

Advantages of this method:

• 🎨 Full freedom in setting the appearance of the label (icon, size, color).
• 🚀 Quick access without unnecessary taps - one click calls Alice directly.
• 🔄 It works even after the updates. MIUI, unless you reset the launcher settings.

4.Alice's voice call without unlocking the screen

If you need to call Alice without unlocking your phone, set up voice activation:

1. Open the Yandex app and go to Settings → Alice → Voice Activation.
2. Turn on the option Always works (including locked screen).
3. Activate the phrase “OK, Yandex or Listen, Alice.”
4. In Android Settings → Applications → Yandex → Permissions turn on the Microphone and display on top of other windows.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ On some Xiaomi models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M4 Pro) voice activation only works when connected to charging.
• ⚠️ V MIUI 15 may need to disable Battery Optimization for Yandex application.

5. Alternative methods: Tasker and ADB-team

For advanced users, there are ways to automate via Tasker or ADB. These methods require technical skills but give maximum flexibility.

Method 1: Tasker + AutoInput

Create a task that simulates clicking on Alice's widget:

1. Install Tasker and AutoInput.
2. Create a new task with AutoInput → UI Interaction.
3. Cut the screen coordinates where Alice’s widget is located (use AutoInput → Easy Setup to record the gesture).
4. Assign the task to double press the volume button or another action.

Method 2: ADB-button-tether

Through ADB, you can reassign physical buttons:

adb shell settings put secure assistant com.yandex.browser:.voiceassistant.VoiceAssistantActivity

After this command is executed, a long press of the Home button will open Alice.Warning: on some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+), this method requires unlocking the bootloader and can reset data!

💡

Use of the ADB-The most reliable way to do this is for the most experienced users, and the wrong commands can disrupt the system.

6.The solution to the problems: why Alice is not added to the main screen

If none of these methods worked, check out these points:

Pay particular attention to Xiaomi models for the global market (e.g. Xiaomi 12T Pro or Redmi K50i), which may not support Yandex widgets due to regional restrictions.

• 🌍 Changing the phone region to Russia (temporary).
• 📦 Installation APK-Yandex version with support for widgets.
• 🔄 Resetting the launcher settings (in MIUI This is done through settings. → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data).

💡

If you use Xiaomi.eu or custom firmware, check for the "Enable All Widgets" mod in Magisk's settings. It unlocks all widgets, including Yandex.

7. Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your Xiaomi model and MIUI version. Here is a quick comparison:

• 🏆 The most reliable: Nova Launcher + Alice's tag (works on all versions).
• ⚡ Fastest: Double press of the power button (if supported).
• 🎤 The most convenient: Voice activation (OK, Yandex) without unlocking.
• 🛠️ For the advanced: ADB-Tasker (maximum customization).

If you own a POCO F4 GT, Xiaomi 13 Lite or another model with MIUI 14+, start with the Nova Launcher method – it is guaranteed to work. For older devices (Redmi Note 9 Pro, Mi 10T), an official widget or voice activation will do.

💡

On devices with MIUI 15 (e.g. Xiaomi 14), some methods may require disabling MIUI Optimization in the developer settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions