How to call an assistant on Xiaomi: all the ways for smartphones, watches and TV

Xiaomi’s voice assistants are not just a handy tool, but a full-fledged smart device control center. Without them, it’s hard to imagine a comfortable use of the Mi Home ecosystem, especially if you have multiple gadgets, from light bulbs to robot vacuum cleaners. However, not everyone knows how to properly activate the assistant on different devices of the brand — whether it’s a Redmi Note 12 smartphone, a Mi TV Q2 or a Mi Band 8 smart watch.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to call a voice assistant, including hidden functions and alternative methods for devices without built-in XiaoAI. We’ll focus on common errors (such as when the assistant doesn’t respond to voice) and how to fix them. If you want to customize voice control to your needs — from simple commands to script automation — read on.

1. Standard ways to call XiaoAI on Xiaomi smartphones

Most modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones have XiaoAI (aka Mi AI in global firmware) preinstalled, and can be launched in several ways, but first make sure the feature is enabled in the settings:

• 📱 Voice command: Say "Hi, Xiaoai" (Chinese firmware) or "OK, Google" (Global) only works when you're connected to the Internet.
• 🔘 On-screen button: Hold the Home button (on physical-button devices) or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold (on gesture navigation).
• 🔍 Search bar: Click on the microphone icon in the search bar on the home screen or in the app menu.
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Go to Settings → Additional → Voice Assistant and activate the switch.

Important: on smartphones with firmware MIUI 14+ for the global market (EEA) by default can be installed Google Assistant instead of XiaoAI. To return the brand assistant, you will have to manually download the APK- file Mi AI from the official Xiaomi site or through GetApps.

Tip for POCO owners: On devices in this series (such as the POCO X6 Pro), XiaoAI is often disabled by default. To activate it, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → XiaoAI and click “Enable”.

2. How to call an assistant on Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV, Redmi TV)

Xiaomi TVs support voice control via remote control or built-in microphone, but there are nuances depending on the model and region:

If the voice assistant does not respond to commands:

1. Check if the remote is connected to the TV (press any button – the indicator should light up).
2. Update the firmware TV through Settings → About TV → Software update.
3. Reset the remote settings: press the Menu + Home button for 5 seconds.

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If your TV doesn’t support Russian in XiaoAI, install an alternative launcher (like ATV Launcher) and use Google Assistant with an interpreter.

3. Voice assistant on smart watches and fitness bracelets Xiaomi

The Mi Watch, Redmi Watch 3 and Mi Band 7/8 also support voice control, but with limitations: For example, on the Mi Band you can only run workouts or check the weather, while on the Mi Watch you can access a full-fledged XiaoAI.

How to activate:

1. On the watch: Hold the side button (on the Mi Watch) or swipe down the screen and press the microphone icon.
2. On the bracelet: Enable the function in the Mi Fitness app (Device Profile → Voice Assistant).

Limitations:

• ⚠️ The Mi Band only works in Chinese or English.
• ⚠️ Redmi Watch 2 Lite requires a smartphone connection to process commands.
• ⚠️ Commands like "Measure pulse" or "Start tread training" only work with active Bluetooth.

4. Alternative ways to call an assistant (if the standard ones do not work)

If XiaoAI refuses to start, try these methods:

| Make sure the microphone is not silenced (check the physical switch on your smartphone)

| Update the Mi AI app via GetApps or Google Play

| Clear the app cache in Settings → Applications → XiaoAI → Storage

|Check the permissions for the microphone in Settings → Confidentiality → Application authorizations-->

Method 1: Google Assistant (for global firmware)

If XiaoAI is missing, set up Google Assistant:

1. Install the Google app from the Play Market.
2. Press the home button or say "OK, Google."
3. Follow the instructions for setting up your voice.

Method 2: Using Alice Yandex

For Russian users, Alice may be more convenient:

1. Download the Yandex application with a browser.
2. Activate voice search in the application settings.
3. Add Alice's widget to the main screen.

Method 3: ADB-Teams (for advanced users)

If the assistant is disabled at the system level, it can be forced to activate via ADB:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.voiceassist


adb shell am start -n com.miui.voiceassist/.main.MainActivity

⚠️ Warning: This method requires an unlocked bootloader and may disrupt the stability of the operation MIUI.

5. Set up voice commands and automation scenarios

XiaoAI can not only answer questions, but also manage a smart home through Mi Home, to customize personal commands:

1. Open the Mi Home app and go to Automation → Voice commands.
2. Click "Add command" and write down a phrase (for example, "Switch on the light in the living room").
3. Attach the command to the device (e.g., a Yeelight light bulb).

Examples of useful scenarios:

• 🌙 Goodnight → turns off the lights, turns on Do Not Disturb, and starts the timer for 8 hours.
• ☕ Morning → includes a coffee maker, opens the curtains and reads the weather forecast.
• 🏠 I'm gone → turns off all the outlets and activates the camera's security mode.

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For voice scripts to work smoothly, all devices must be connected to one Mi Account and be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Problems with recognition?

• Rewrite the command more clearly (without background noise).
• Use synonyms (e.g., "Switch on the lamp" and "Light the light").
• Update the device firmware in Mi Home.

Troubleshooting: Why isn't the assistant responding?

If XiaoAI or Google Assistant ignore your commands, check out the following:

⚠️ Warning: On custom firmware devices (like LineageOS), XiaoAI may not work due to the lack of Xiaomi services, leaving only Google Assistant or third-party solutions like Tasker.

If nothing helps, reset the assistant settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → XiaoAI → Storage.
2. Click on "Clear Data" and "Clear Cache".
3. Reset the device.

7. Comparison of XiaoAI, Google Assistant and Alice Yandex for Xiaomi devices

Which assistant is best suited for the Xiaomi ecosystem?

XiaoAI remains the best choice for managing Xiaomi devices, but if you are interested in Russian or offline functions, consider Yandex Alice or Google Assistant.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's voice assistant