How to completely disable PAI on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways of 2026

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO smartphone based on MIUI, you’ve probably encountered PAI (Personal AI Assistant) feature, which is a built-in assistant that analyzes your actions, offers personalized recommendations, and even manages some settings automatically, but not everyone likes the system collecting data about their habits — especially when it affects performance or privacy.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable PAI on Xiaomi in 2026, including hidden settings, ADB commands, and even radical methods for those who want to get rid of the assistant forever. You will learn how to deactivate PAI without losing MIUI functionality, what risks are associated with a complete deletion, and what to do if the system again activates the assistant after an update.

What is PAI in Xiaomi and why they want to disable it

PAI (Personal AI Assistant) is a proprietary development of Xiaomi, integrated into the MIUI shell since version 12.5. According to the manufacturer, the assistant should simplify interaction with the device: automatically sort notifications, offer quick actions depending on the context (for example, launching the navigator when connecting to a Bluetooth magnet), and even optimize battery consumption.

However, in practice, many users face problems:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption — PAI Works in the background, constantly analyzing sensor data and applications.
• 🛡️ Personal data collection – the assistant needs access to call history, location, application use.
• 🐢 Slowing down the system on budget models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) PAI may cause lag.
• 📱 Incorrect recommendations – for example, offering to turn on mobile data when you specifically disabled it.

In addition, PAI cannot be completely removed by standard means – even after switching off in settings, it can be activated again after the MIUI update.

Method 1: Disable PAI through standard MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to deactivate the assistant in the settings menu, which is suitable for most models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5, etc.) and does not require superuser rights.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the Memory section. → PAI (On some firmware, the path may be different: → PAI).
3. Turn off the PAI Personal Assistant slider.
4. In the window that appears, confirm the action by clicking Disconnect.

After that, the basic functions of the assistant will be deactivated, but some services (such as application usage analytics) may continue to work in the background.

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find it on the list. PAI Service (or Personal Assistant).
• 🔍 Click Stop and Disable (if available).

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for the European market, paragraph PAI It may not be on the menu, in which case try the alternative methods described below.

Method 2: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If the PAI does not turn off through settings or is activated again after restarting, you can use the ADB command (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and enabling debugging mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on MIUI Version until you become a developer.

USB debugging

Settings → Additional → For Developers

ADB

Minimal ADB and Fastboot

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

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant

The first command disables PAI for the current user, the second - removes the application updates (the application itself will remain in the system, but will stop working).

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI team ADB They can drop, and PAI To avoid this, add a command to the auto-execution script when booting (e.g., via Tasker or MacroDroid).

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If PAI still works after executing the commands, check for duplicate services: enter the pm list packages | grep pai in ADB and disable all found packages.

Method 3: Completely remove PAI via TWRP (requires unlocking the bootloader)

For those willing to take drastic measures, it is possible to physically remove PAI files from the system.

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
• 📱 Established custom recaveri TWRP.
• 🛠️ Backup of data (procedure may result in resetting).

Instructions:

1. Download the official ZIP-file-box PAI (for example, Disable_PAI_MIUI.zip for your model).
2. Reboot the phone to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
3. In the Recovery menu, select Install and specify the path to the downloaded file.
4. Confirm the installation with a swipe and wait for completion.
5. Clear the cache (Wipe → Dalvik / ART Cache) and restart the device.

This method removes PAI at the system file level, but has risks:

• ⚠️ Possible errors in work MIUI (For example, missing tiles in the notification curtain).
• ⚠️ After the firmware update PAI You may return, you will have to repeat the procedure.
• ⚠️ Xiaomi warranty will be canceled due to unlocking the bootloader.

Method 4: Disconnecting through file editing build.prop

Another way to deactivate PAI is to change the build.prop system file, which contains the shell configuration, a method less risky than deleting via TWRP, but requires root rights or access to ADB with superuser rights.

How to do this:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open ADB Shell:

adb shell


su

1. Open the build.prop file in a text editor (for example, via nano or vi):

mount -o rw,remount /system


nano /system/build.prop

1. Add a line to the end of the file:

ro.miui.pai.disabled=1

1. Save the changes (Ctrl+O, then Ctrl+X to nano).
2. Reset the device:

reboot

Once you reboot, PAI must be disabled at the system level, and to get it back, you just need to delete the added string from build.prop.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of build.prop can lead to bootloop ( looped reboot).Before changes, make a backup of the file with the cp command /system/build.prop /sdcard/build.prop.bak.

Alternative methods: what to do if the PAI is not turned off

If none of the above methods worked, try the following options:

• 🔄 Reset to factory settings: Sometimes PAI "It's built into the system so deep that only a complete reset helps you get rid of it. Before that, save your data and your accounts! → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 📵 Firewall Blocking: Applications like NetGuard or AFWall+ Can block access PAI Install a firewall from F-Droid and turn off the Internet for com.miui.personalassistant.
• 🛡️ Use of the Xposed/EdXposed: DisableFlagSecure module or MIUI Optimizations allows you to disable system components, including PAI. Requires root and an installed Xposed framework.
• 🔧 Switching to custom firmware: Firmware like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or HavocOS does not contain PAI And other proprietary components of Xiaomi. MIUI (for example, the themes of design).

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On devices with MIUI EU (European version), PAI is often disabled by default. If you use global or Chinese firmware, consider switching to MIUI EU via Xiaomi.eu.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off PAI, you'll see common errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

If you notice a performance deterioration or unstable MIUI after disabling the PAI, try:

1. Clear the system cache: Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Remove updates to the PAI Service app in the Play Market.
3. Install a compatibility patch through Magisk (e.g. Universal SafetyNet Fix).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions