How to completely disable TalkBack on Xiaomi Redmi phone: 5 proven ways

TalkBack, the voice assistant on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones, is often activated by accident — you just press the power button three times or press two volume buttons. Once turned on, the screen begins to voice all actions, and standard gestures stop working, which creates a lot of inconvenience, especially if you do not know how to return the phone to normal mode.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the possible ways to disable TalkBack on Redmi Note devices. 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/11, POCO X3/X4/X5 and other shelled models MIUI 12/13/14. You will learn how to exit voice assistant mode through settings, gestures, and what to do if the screen does not respond to touch. Separately, consider the cases when TalkBack blocks access to basic phone functions after a failed update. MIUI.

Why does TalkBack turn on on its own?

TalkBack (called Screen Narrator in some versions of MIUI) is designed for visually impaired people, which converts text and actions on the screen into speech cues, but often activates by accident.

• 🔄 Triple press of the power button - a standard gesture for quick activation (configured in Special. → Management convenience).
• 📱 Clutching two volume buttons for 3 seconds (works on some Redmi Note models and POCO).
• 🔧 Failure after update MIUI, When special features are reset to factory.
• 👶 Children or pets accidentally interacting with a phone.

If TalkBack is turned on without your knowledge, don’t panic: you can turn it off even without access to the basic settings.

Method 1: Disable via settings (if the screen responds to touch)

If you can interact with the screen (albeit with the voiceover of each action), follow this instruction:

1. Unlock your phone in the standard way (PIN, pattern lock, or fingerprint).
2. Make a swipe gesture with two fingers down from the top edge of the screen – this will open the notification panel.
3. Click on the settings gear (icon «⚙️»). In TalkBack, you need to touch the icon and tap twice.
4. In the settings menu, find the Special Features section (may be called “Special Features” or “Useability”).
5. Select TalkBack (or “Screen announcer”), then move the slider to the off position.

If the slider is inactive or the settings don’t open, try an alternative path:

Settings → System → Additional → Special features → TalkBack

Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)

Connect to Wi-Fi (in case of resetting)

Remember. PIN-code

Make a backup copy of important data-->

Method 2: Gestures to turn off TalkBack (if the screen is unresponsive)

When TalkBack is active, standard swipes and taps work differently, to turn it off without accessing the settings:

1. Press the two volume buttons (up + down) for 3 seconds. On some Redmi models, this turns off TalkBack.
2. If it doesn’t work, try triple pressing the power button – this can switch mode.
3. For MIUI 14 and later: swipe two fingers up from the bottom of the screen, then tap the "Pause" icon (||) in the upper right corner.

If the gestures don’t help, move on to the next method.

Method 3: Disconnect via Google Assistant (for MIUI 12 and later)

On devices with MIUI 12/13/14, you can use voice commands even if TalkBack blocks the screen:

1. Activate Google Assistant by saying “OK Google” or by pressing the Home button (if you have one).
2. Say “Switch off TalkBack” or “Switch off the screen announcer.”
3. Confirm the action with a voice if necessary.

If the assistant is not responding, check:

• 🔊 Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• 🎤 Permissions for Google Assistant in settings (Settings) → Annexes → Google → Permits).

💡

If Google Assistant is disabled, turn it on in advance: go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google → Assistant and voice input and activate the option.

Method 4: Resetting special features settings

If TalkBack is activated after a MIUI update or system failure, resetting special features settings without losing data will help:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find Resetting (or “Recovery and Reset”).
3. Select Resetting Special Opportunities settings.
4. Confirm the action with a password or PIN-code.

This method will return all convenience settings (including TalkBack) to factory settings, but will not affect personal data, apps, or media files.

💡

Resetting special features is the safest way to do so if TalkBack is activated after a MIUI update or system failure.

Method 5: Complete reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If none of these methods work, then you have a hard reset, which will delete all the data from your phone, so you can only use it as a last resort.

Instructions for Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power + volume button up for 10 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu (use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection):

Once rebooted, the phone will be like new. Redmi models with Mi Account lock will require you to enter the Xiaomi account data associated with the device.

💡

Before hard reset, be sure to extract SIM-If you have a card and a memory card, it will save them from random formatting.

Table: Comparison of ways to disable TalkBack

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When disabling TalkBack, users often face typical problems:

⚠️ Warning: If the screen turns black after TalkBack is turned off, but the phone vibrates when you press the buttons, this is a sign of a graphics driver failure. + Volume up 20 seconds for forced reboot.

• 🔄 Two fingers swipe doesn't work. → Check if the volume button is accidentally clamped (this blocks gestures).
• 🔊 TalkBack is turned on again after the reboot → Reset the special features settings (see Method 4).
• 🔒 Can't unlock the screen. → Use the voice command “OK Google, unlock your phone” (if Smart Lock is configured).

If the problem recurs, check your phone for viruses – some malicious apps change the settings of special features.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions