Have you ever wondered what the voice assistant is called in Xiaomi, Redmi or smartphones? POCO? Many users mistakenly refer to it as “Alice” by analogy with Yandex or “Siri” as Apple, but Xiaomi has its own unique assistant with the original name. In this article, we will not only reveal the official name, but also discuss in detail how to use it, which devices support this feature, and why XiaoAI has become a key element of the ecosystem of the Xiaomi smart home.
Voice assistants are no longer a curiosity — they save time, make it easier to manage and even entertain. But not everyone knows that Xiaomi developed its assistant back in 2017, and since then it has evolved to the level of a full-fledged AI assistant. If you own a device from this brand, you probably have already encountered XiaoAI, just without knowing it. Let's figure out who this "little AI" is, which is how it can make your life easier.
The official name of the voice assistant Xiaomi
Xiaomi’s voice assistant is called XiaoAI (literally “little love” or “little AI”), a name that reflects the brand’s philosophy of creating a friendly and useful digital companion that is always at hand. Interestingly, in some localizations (e.g. India), the assistant may be called Mi. AI Assistant, but in global firmware and on most devices, the original name is used – XiaoAI.
Why is it important to know? Because XiaoAI is integrated not only into smartphones, but also into a huge number of Xiaomi smart home devices, from Yeelight lamps to Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaners.
- 🔍 Quickly find the assistant settings in the device menu
- 📱 More accurately formulate search engine queries (for example, "how to configure XiaoAI on Redmi Note 12")
- 🤖 It’s easier to interact with Xiaomi’s tech support if you have problems.
By the way, in some models of smartphones (for example, in the Xiaomi 13 series), the assistant can be represented as Xiaomi. AI The Assistant is interface-based, but it's basically the same XiaoAI with the redesign. Don't confuse it with Google Assistant, which can also be pre-installed on devices with Google services.
How to activate XiaoAI on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones POCO
XiaoAI takes less than a minute to activate, but the launch methods may vary depending on the device model and firmware version. MIUI. Here is a universal instruction that will suit most of the modern smartphones of the brand:
- Open the Settings. → Additionally. → Voice assistant XiaoAI.
- Turn on the voice activation switch.
- Write down a voice sample from the system prompts (this is necessary to recognize your voice).
- Select the activation command: the standard one is "Hey, XiaoAI" (or "Hello, XiaoAI" in Russian).
On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5 Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) The path may be slightly different:
Settings → Applications → Smart Assistant → XiaoAIIf your menu doesn’t have a “Voice Assistant” option, it could mean:
- 📱 You have an outdated version. MIUI (Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system)
- 🌍 Regional restrictions (in some countries XiaoAI is disabled by default)
- 🔧 Assistant disabled in security settings (check Settings) → Confidentiality → Special permits)
☑️ Preparation for XiaoAI setup
Important: On devices without Google services (like Chinese versions of smartphones), XiaoAI can be the primary assistant. In global versions, it often runs parallel to Google Assistant, and you can choose which one to activate by default.
⚠️ Note: If XiaoAI does not respond to voice commands after setting up, check if third-party software (such as antivirus or battery-saving apps) blocks access to the microphone. Also make sure that the language settings select the supported locale (Russian, English or Chinese).
What devices support XiaoAI (full list 2026)
XiaoAI was originally designed as a cross-platform assistant, so it’s available not only on smartphones, but also on a huge number of Xiaomi devices.
| Category of devices | Examples of models | Features of XiaoAI |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphones | Xiaomi 14/13/12, Redmi Note 12/11, POCO F5/X5 | Full support for voice commands, integration with MIUI |
| Smart speakers | Xiaomi Smart Speaker, Mi AI Speaker | Voice control of music, weather, smart home |
| Televisions | Mi TV Q2, Redmi Smart TV X | Content management, movie search, audio customization |
| Smart watches | Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Redmi Watch 3 | Limited functionality (timers, reminders) |
| Robot vacuum cleaners | Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 | Voice start cleaning, choice of modes |
XiaoAI is particularly useful in the Mi Home smart home ecosystem, for example, you can say, "XiaoAI, turn on the living room light and start the vacuum cleaner," and both devices will execute the command simultaneously, without having to configure each device separately: it is enough to link them once in the Mi Home app.
Fun fact: In some Xiaomi smart speakers, the assistant can recognize the voices of different family members and tailor responses to their preferences, such as telling a child stories and telling an adult news.
Which devices do not support XiaoAI?
The main teams for XiaoAI: what he can do in 2026
XiaoAI is expanding, but it already supports more than 1,000 different teams in Russian and English, and the most useful ones are categorized as follows:
📱 Smartphone management
- 🔋 "XiaoAI, Enable Power Saving Mode – Activates Battery Mode
- 📸 "Take a selfie – launches the front camera
- 🔦 "Turn on the flashlight for 3 minutes" - timer for flashlight
- 📵 "Put your phone on silent, shuts down the sound.
🏠 Smart home.
- 💡 "Turn off the lights in the bedroom – Yeelight control
- 🌡️ "Set the temperature to 22 degrees for Mi Air Conditioner
- 🧹 "Start cleaning the kitchen" - a team for a robot vacuum cleaner
🎵 Music and entertainment
- 🎶 "Turn on the playlist for training – start the music
- 📺 "Find the movie "Lord of the Rings" - search for Mi TV
- 🎮 "Start the game Genshin Impact – a quick start of applications
One of the most interesting features is contextual commands, for example, if you ask, "XiaoAI, what's the weather forecast for tomorrow?" and then you say, "What's the day after tomorrow?" the assistant will understand that it's about the weather and give a relevant answer without repeating the request.
XiaoAI can also do this.
- 📅 Create reminders and events on the calendar
- 📊 Provide information on exchange rates, stocks, news
- 🍳 Give recipes for dishes (for example, "How to make lasagna?")
- 🚗 Report traffic jams and build routes (integration with Mi Maps)
💡
If XiaoAI doesn't understand your command, try to paraphrase it more easily, like, "Please tell me what the dollar is today?" instead of "Please tell me what the dollar is today," the assistant is better at understanding short and clear language.
XiaoAI vs Google Assistant: Which Assistant is Best for Xiaomi
Many Xiaomi users are faced with a dilemma: which voice assistant to choose, native XiaoAI or Google Assistant? Everyone has its pros and cons. Let's compare them by key parameters:
| Criteria | XiaoAI | Google Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Integration with MIUI | ✅ Complete (managing phone settings) | ❌ Limited (only basic functions) |
| Xiaomi Smart Home | ✅ Complete management of all devices | ⚠️ Partial support (only through a IFTTT) |
| Searching the Internet | ❌ Limited (uses) Baidu/Yandex) | ✅ Fully-fledged Google search |
| Language support | 🇷🇺 Russian, English, Chinese | 🌍 30+ languages, including Russian |
| Offline mode. | ✅ Partial work (timers, reminders) | ❌ Internet is required for most functions |
So which assistant to choose? It depends on your tasks.
- 🏡 If you have a lot of Xiaomi devices and you are actively using a smart home – XiaoAI is the best choice.
- 🌐 If you want to find high-quality Internet search, translations and integration with Google services, it is better to use Google Assistant.
- 🔄 Ideally, you can configure both assistants and switch between them depending on the situation (for example, XiaoAI for managing equipment, and Google Assistant for finding information).
Interestingly, in the latest versions MIUI Now you can activate both of these assistants simultaneously, like, "Hey, XiaoAI" to control your smartphone and "OK, Google" to search the web. To set this up, go to the Internet:
Settings → Applications → Smart Assistant → Voice Assistant by Default⚠️ Note: On some devices (especially those with Chinese firmware), Google Assistant may be disabled by default, requiring you to manually install Google services or flash the global version to activate it. MIUI.
How to Improve Voice Instruction Recognition in XiaoAI
Sometimes XiaoAI can be bad at recognizing commands or reacting with a delay. It's not always the assistant's fault -- often the problem lies in device settings or external factors. Here are proven ways to improve its performance:
- Update the firmware - in new versions MIUI Voice recognition algorithms are improving. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
- Rewrite your voice sample – sometimes it’s enough to re-record your voice in XiaoAI settings, especially if you have a cold or your voice has changed.
- Turn off battery savings for XiaoAI – go to Settings → Battery → Saving charge → Appendices and add XiaoAI to exceptions.
- Check the microphone, a contaminated microphone can impair recognition, clean it with a soft brush or compressed air.
- Use headphones with a microphone – in noisy places, this significantly improves the quality of recognition.
If the problem persists, try resetting the assistant settings:
Settings → Applications → Smart Assistant → XiaoAI → Storage → Clean up dataAfter that, you will have to reconfigure voice activation, but this often helps solve recognition problems.
💡
For maximum accuracy, speak clearly, without accent, and keep the microphone at a distance. 20-30 Avoid noisy spaces – XiaoAI works best in a quiet environment.
The future of XiaoAI: what to expect from the voice assistant Xiaomi
Xiaomi is actively developing its voice assistant, and in the coming years we will see major updates.
- 🤖 AI Content Generation – XiaoAI will be able to create texts, resumes and even poems on user request (similar to Bard or ChatGPT, but with voice control).
- 🎭 Emotional responses – the assistant will learn to recognize the user’s intonation and adjust the tone of the response to it (for example, sympathize if you sound sad).
- 🌍 Advanced multilingualism – Support for the simultaneous use of multiple languages in a single dialogue.
- 🚗 Integration with cars – management of the functions of electric Xiaomi SU7 vocally.
- 🛒 Voice purchases – ordering goods in Xiaomi Mall without manual input.
The prospect of local command processing is particularly interesting: Most XiaoAI requests are now sent to Xiaomi servers for processing, but in the future some functions (such as managing a smart home) will work completely offline, which will speed up response and increase privacy.
XiaoAI is also expected to become more “proactive” – for example, it will be able to:
- 📅 Remind yourself of important events by analyzing your calendar and mail.
- 🏋️ Giving health advice based on data from the Mi Band (e.g. reminding you to drink water or stretch).
- 💡 Optimize the power consumption of smart home devices depending on your daily routine.
The goal, according to the developers, is to make XiaoAI not just an assistant, but a full-fledged digital companion that will anticipate your needs, for example, if you turn on the lights and start the vacuum cleaner every day at 18:00, over time the assistant will do it automatically.