How to permanently disable TalkBack on Xiaomi: 5 working ways

TalkBack is a built-in screen speaker from Google that helps visually impaired users interact with the device through voice prompts. However, many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO face a situation where this feature is activated accidentally - for example, after pressing a button combination or a system glitch. The result is that the phone begins to voice every touch, gestures stop working, and the interface becomes almost unmanageable.

If you're in this article, you've probably tried to turn TalkBack off the standard way, but it didn't work. The problem is that with the speaker on, even simple steps like swiping down to open the notification curtain work differently. In this tutorial, we'll look at 5 proven methods, including ways to get the screen down or the device hanging. All solutions are relevant for MIUI 14/13/12 and models from Xiaomi Mi 11 to Redmi Note 12.

Note: If your device is running HyperOS (a new firmware from Xiaomi), some menu items may be called differently – we will specify alternative paths.

1. Standard TalkBack Disconnection through Settings

If the screen is touch-sensitive, but TalkBack is interfering with normal operation, try turning the feature off via the special feature menu. The speaker on changes the gesture logic, so you need to act carefully:

1. Unlock your phone (if the screen is locked, use a fingerprint or PIN-code – voice prompts will sound each character).
2. Swipe with two fingers down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar (instead of a standard swipe with one finger).
3. Click on the settings gear (double touch with a delay - this is how the selection of elements works when TalkBack is active).
4. Go to the Special Features section (in HyperOS – Additional Features).
5. Select TalkBack and move the slider to the off position.

If the speaker continues to work after the shutdown, restart the device. Sometimes MIUI requires a restart to apply the changes.

⚠️ Warning: When TalkBack is active, one tap highlights the element and a double tap activates it. Don't click randomly: this can cause you to accidentally change your settings.

Battery charge > 30%|Check Wi-Fi connection (for upgrade methods)|Remember. PIN-code-key|Turn off Bluetooth (may interfere with gestures)

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2. Disconnect via quick settings (if the screen reacts)

MIUI and HyperOS have a hidden Quick Settings Panel where you can deactivate TalkBack without diving deep into the menu.

• 📱 The screen responds to touch, but gestures are not working properly.
• 🔊 The announcer voices the action, but does not block access to the curtain.
• 🔄 The device is not suspended and allows you to open the menu.

Instructions:

1. Swipe two fingers down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the “Special Opportunities” icon** (the icon of the person in the circle) and click on it twice with a delay.

If there is no icon, try adding it manually:

1. Click on the pencil (tile editing) in the notification panel.
2. Find Special Opportunities on the list and drag it to the active area.

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If TalkBack is enabled after the MIUI update, check the System Updates section – sometimes the feature is activated due to a failure in the new firmware version.

3. How to turn off TalkBack if the screen is unresponsive

This gets complicated when TalkBack has blocked all gestures and the screen doesn't respond to touch, and one of three methods will help.

Method 1: Hardware reboot

Press and hold the power + volume button for 10-15 seconds until the device restarts. Once turned on, check if the speaker is switched off. This method will work if the failure was temporary.

Method 2: Connecting the mouse over OTG

If the screen is completely locked, but USB-port:

1. Connect. USB-mouse-wise OTG-adapter.
2. With the mouse cursor, open Settings → Special Opportunities → TalkBack.
3. Turn off the function and restart the device.

Method 3: Recovery Reset (extreme case)

This method will remove all data from your phone, including photos and apps, and only use it if other methods have failed.

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + volume increase to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe Data → Factory Reset (control – volume buttons, choice – power button).
4. After resetting, set up the phone as new.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F5) Recovery login requires additional confirmation via Mi Account. Make sure you remember your login and password!

Never |1-2 times a year |Frequently, several times a month |I constantly struggle with this feature-->

4. Disable TalkBack via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have access to a computer and USB-TypeC cable, you can turn off the speaker via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that doesn’t require a data reset and works even when the screen is locked.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Connect your phone to your computer and enable debugging via USB (if it was activated earlier).
3. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type:

adb devices

(Your device name should appear as a confirmation of your connection.)

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

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_enabled 0

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

5. How to prevent accidental turn on TalkBack

To prevent TalkBack from activating spontaneously, follow a few preventative steps:

• 🔒 Turn off key combinations: Go to Settings → Special facilities → TalkBack → Settings → Keyboard combinations and deactivate all combinations (e.g., holding two fingers).
• 📱 Update. MIUI: Older versions of firmware had bugs that caused the announcer to spontaneously turn on. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛡️ Set a password for special features: In some versions MIUI Protect the Special Opportunities section PIN-code (option hidden in Settings) → Security).
• 🔄 Create a backup: Use Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset to save data in case of reset.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with the instructions, users are faced with typical problems, and we'll look at some of the most common ones.

Error: “TalkBack doesn’t shut down after reboot”

Reason: The feature can be linked to a Google account or Mi Account.

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and delete the linked accounts.
2. Turn off the synchronization of settings in Settings → Additional → Synchronization.

Error: “Sensor fails after TalkBack shuts down”

Reason: Maybe the announcer changed the gesture settings.

1. Reset the device.
2. If it doesn’t help, reset your gesture settings to Settings → System → Gestures.

Error: "ADB can't see the device"

Reason: USB debugging is not enabled or drivers are not installed.

1. Install Xiaomi USB Driver drivers from the official website.
2. Enable debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).

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If TalkBack is turned on after a phone drop or moisture hit, the problem may be hardware, in which case turning off the function will not help - you need a diagnosis at the service center.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions