How to permanently disable TalkBack on Xiaomi Redmi: 5 ways + problem solving

TalkBack on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a built-in screen speaker for people with visual impairments. It voices all the actions on the screen: taps, swipes, notifications and even text in messages. However, many users activate it accidentally (for example, by clamping down volume buttons or through special features settings), after which the phone starts to “talk” each command, and the control becomes uncomfortable.

If you’re in this article, you probably need to urgently turn off TalkBack on Xiaomi Redmi — and it’s not as easy as it sounds. The fact is that with the speaker on, standard gestures work differently: one tap highlights the element, a double tap activates it, and swipes require delay. We’ve put together all the working ways to turn off (including the hidden method through safe mode for locked devices), as well as solutions to typical problems — when buttons don’t respond or settings aren’t available.

Why does TalkBack turn on on its own?

In 80 percent of cases, people activate TalkBack accidentally, and here are the most common reasons:

• 🔄 Triple press of the power button: on some Redmi models (for example, Note 10 Pro or Redmi) 9A) This is a gesture of quick access to special opportunities.
• 🔊 Clutching Volume Buttons: Keeping Volume Up + Loudness down at the same time 3-5 seconds, can trigger activation.
• 📱 Error after update MIUI: firmware MIUI 13-14 were bugs that caused special features settings to reset.
• 👶 Children or pets: Accidental taps on the lock screen (especially if Double tap is enabled to wake up).

Less commonly, the problem is caused by viruses or malfunctions in com.android.talkback, the voice application in the system, in which case the switching off via settings may not work and radical measures will be required (for these, see the section on resetting).

Triple press of the power button|Clutch volume buttons.|After updating MIUI|Children/animals pressed the screen|Another option-->

Method 1: Standard shutdown via settings (if the phone responds to touch)

If the screen is responsive to touch (albeit with a delay), use this method.

• 👆 One tap – the element is selected (TalkBack will voice its name).
• 👆👆 Double tap - activation (analogue of a conventional press).
• ➡️ Swipe right/left – transition between elements.
• 🔄 Two fingers down - scroll down the page.

Now, follow the steps:

1. Open the settings. Do that with a double tap on the icon.
2. Scroll down to the Special Opportunities section (swipe down with two fingers).
3. Find TalkBack (voiced as “Tolkback”) and double tap open it.
4. In the top corner, double tap, click on Turn off.
5. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

Make sure your phone is charged (minimum 20%)|Close all applications (swipe up with a delay)|Turn off Bluetooth headphones (they may interfere with voiceover)|Remember the password from the Mi Account (required for resetting)-->

If after these actions TalkBack is turned on again by itself, the reason may be:

• 🔄 Quick access gesture (see section on gesture settings).
• 📱 System cache failure (solution – cleaning the TalkBack cache in application settings).

Method 2: Disconnect via Safe Mode (if the phone is locked)

If TalkBack is activated on a locked screen (for example, after a reboot), and unlocking is PIN-If you have a code or a fingerprint that doesn't work because of a modified gesture, use Safe Mode, and it disables all third-party apps, including TalkBack.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button (hold 10-15 seconds).
2. After vibration, release the button and immediately press Volume down.
3. Keep Volume down until the phone boots in Safe Mode (the screen will be labeled "Safe Mode").
4. Unlock the screen in the standard way (PIN, pattern lock).
5. Go to Settings → Special Options → TalkBack and turn off the function.
6. Reboot your phone in the usual way.

⚠️ Warning: In Safe Mode, some features (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) may not work. PIN-code.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not help, and you do not want to reset, you can disable TalkBack through ADB (Android Debug Bridge requires a computer and USB-cable, but guaranteed to work even on a locked phone.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (not wireless charging!).
• 📦 Installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download from the official website).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (Installation instructions - here).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your computer and enable USB Debugging: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. Tap the MIUI Version 7 times until it says "You're a developer." Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device name should appear. If not, check the drivers.)

adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/com.google.android.marvin.talkback.TalkBackService:com.xiaomi.accessibility/com.xiaomi.accessibility.talkback.TalkBackService

adb shell pm disable-user com.google.android.marvin.talkback

Once you've completed the commands, restart the phone. TalkBack will be disabled.

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.marvin.talkback

This will clear the application data and prevent automatic start-up.-->

Method 4: Disabling the Quick Access Gesture

On many Xiaomi Redmi models (e.g. Note 11 Pro+, Redmi 10C), TalkBack can be turned on triple-press the power button. If you accidentally activate the feature in this way, you need to not only turn it off, but also remove the gesture to avoid re-energizing.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Special features → Quick access gestures.
2. Find TalkBack and move the slider to the off position.
3. Go back to the Special Features section and check that TalkBack is indeed disabled.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi firmware, the triple-press gesture may be tied to another action (such as a screenshot or voice from Google Assistant.

Method 5: Resetting settings (extreme case)

If none of these things work, and TalkBack is preventing you from using your phone, you'll have to reset to factory settings, and that will delete all the data from your device, so only use it as a last resort.

How to reset your settings on Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons when you see the Recovery menu (English or Chinese).
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
5. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (or similar).
6. Confirm the action and wait for the reset to be completed.
7. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Warning: After resetting, the phone will require you to enter the Mi Account information that was previously linked. If you don't remember the password, restore it in advance on account.xiaomi.com!

💡

Setting resets are a last resort, and before you use them, try all other methods, including disabling through ADB or Safe Mode, and once reset, you can't recover data (photos, messages, apps) without backing up.

What if TalkBack is turned on again?

If TalkBack is activated after a reboot or spontaneously, the problem lies in one of the following factors:

• 🔄 Automatic app update: TalkBack can update via Google Play and reset settings.
• 📱 Failure in MIUI: Especially relevant for the beta versions of firmware (MIUI 14 Beta).
• 🛠️ Viral software: some Trojans change the settings of special features.
• 🔧 Conflict with other services (e.g. Google Assistant or Bixby).

Decisions:

1. Turn off TalkBack Automatic Update: Go to Google Play → Menu → Settings → App Auto Update. Select Do Not Update Automatically.

TalkBack

• Settings → Applications → Application Management → TalkBack → Storage → Clear cache / Clear data.
• Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
• Reverse to stable firmware if you use MIUI beta.

If the screen is completely black, contact the service - it is impossible to disconnect independently.