How to completely disable the voice assistant in Xiaomi headphones: a detailed guide

Voice assistants in Xiaomi headphones are a useful feature for some and an annoying element for others. If you are tired of randomly triggering XiaoAI or Google Assistant when touching headphones, or just want to save battery power, turning this option off is the best solution. The problem is that the manufacturer does not always make this process intuitive: settings can be hidden in different menus depending on the model of the headphones and the version of the smartphone firmware.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to deactivate the voice assistant, from standard MIUI/HyperOS settings to hidden developer settings. Particular attention will be paid to models with a Qualcomm chip (for example, Redmi Buds 4 Pro or Xiaomi Buds 4), where disabling requires additional manipulations through ADB.

Why the voice assistant in Xiaomi headphones works on its own

The main cause of false positives is hypersensitive sensors on the headphone body, which the manufacturer adjusts to respond even to light touches, which leads to the activation of the assistant when:

• 🎧 Corrections of the earphone in the ear (especially important for models with intrachannel landing)
• 💦 Getting moisture or sweat (sensors perceive this as a pressing)
• 📦 Carrying in a pocket or bag (friction on the fabric simulates touching)
• 🔋 Low battery charge (some models will activate the assistant to notify you of the discharge)

The second common cause is firmware conflict: If the headphones and smartphone are running different versions of MIUI/HyperOS, the system can automatically turn on the assistant after connecting the devices. For example, Redmi Buds 3 Lite on V1.4.0.8 firmware often conflicts with smartphones on MIUI 14.0.5, which leads to spontaneous activation of XiaoAI.

The background app may also be to blame. miui_voiceassist, This application is responsible for integrating Xiaomi services and often ignores user disconnection settings.

Method 1: Disconnect via Bluetooth settings (for most models)

The simplest method, which works on Redmi Buds 3/4, Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Pro and other models with support for MIUI Pop-up. Instructions are relevant for smartphones on MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS:

1. Connect the headphones to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
2. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
3. Find your headphones in the list of connected devices and tap the gear icon (⚙️) near-name.
4. In the menu that opens, select Headphone Settings or Additional Settings (the name may differ).
5. Find the Voice Assistant (or XiaoAI/Google Assistant) section and turn the slider to the Off position.

If there is no voice assistant, try an alternative path:

1. In the same menu, find Touch Management (or Gestures).
2. Turn off the voice assistant activation option for all available gestures (single/double touch, hold).

Important: On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13.0.4 for Redmi Note 11) after disabling the assistant via Bluetooth, it can be activated again after restarting the smartphone, in which case you will need to use Method 3 (disabling via ADB).

Method 2: Deactivation via Mi AI (for XiaoAI)

If your headphones use a branded assistant XiaoAI, it can be disabled through the official Mi AI app. This method is suitable for models Xiaomi Air 2 SE, Redmi AirDots 3 and others with support for XiaoAI:

1. Install the Mi AI app from Google Play or AppGallery (if not already installed).
2. Open the application and go to the Settings section (Icon) ⚙️ top-right).
3. Select the Voice Assistant → Activation settings.
4. Turn off the options: 🎤 Voice activation (if any) 🔊 Activation through headphones 📱 Activation via Bluetooth devices

Save the changes and restart the smartphone.

If the Mi AI app is not in your region, it can be downloaded manually via APKMirror (make sure the version is compatible with your firmware). Alternatively, use XiaoAI Settings in the Settings menu → Applications → Application Management.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (HyperOS 1.0 for Xiaomi 14), disabling XiaoAI through the application may cause fast commands (e.g., voice control of a smart home) to fail.In this case, it is recommended to use Method 4 (manual removal of rights).

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you’ll need to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for all headphone models, but requires connecting your smartphone to your computer, and is especially relevant for Qualcomm Snapdragon devices (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), where the voice assistant is integrated at the firmware level.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your smartphone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version (or HyperOS Build Number). Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and activate USB Debugging.

Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).

ADB Tools

cmd

ADB

adb devices

(Your device name should appear with authorized status.)

adb shell settings put global assistant null


adb shell settings put global voice_interaction_service null




adb shell pm revoke com.miui.voiceassist android.permission.BIND_NOTIFICATION_LISTENER_SERVICE




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

After you execute the commands, restart your smartphone. The voice assistant will be disabled at the system level.

Warning: Disabling com.miui.voiceassist via ADB may cause some features to fail, such as:

• 🔔 Notifications about low charge headphones
• 🎵 Automatic switching of sound profiles
• 🔄 Quick connection to previously connected devices

Method 4: Manual removal of rights from XiaoAI application

If you don't want to completely disable XiaoAI, but you want to stop it from activating through your headphones, you can restrict the rights of the application. This method works without ADB and does not require a connection to a PC:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find XiaoAI (or Mi AI) in the list and tap it.
3. Select Permissions and Disable: 🎤 Microphone 📡 Bluetooth 🔊 Changes in sound settings

Stop it.

Reboot your smartphone.

This is less radical than ADB, but may not work on newer versions of HyperOS, where XiaoAI has extended system rights, and a combination of this method with Method 3 would be required.

💡

If voice search in other applications (e.g. Google Maps) stops working after XiaoAI is disabled, return the microphone permission but leave Bluetooth disabled, allowing voice input to be used without activation through the headphones.

Method 5: Resetting headphones to factory settings

If all previous methods failed, the last resort is hard reset headphones, which will remove all user settings, including those associated with the voice assistant. Xiaomi/Redmi:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the reset button on the case (usually located behind or inside) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white.
3. Open the case cover and wait until the headphones reset (the indicator will turn blue).
4. Connect the headphones to the smartphone again through Settings → Bluetooth.

Resetting does not guarantee a complete shutdown of the assistant if the problem lies in the firmware of the smartphone, in which case, combine this method with Method 3 (ADB).

Comparison of methods of disabling voice assistant

The choice of method depends on your headphone model and the firmware version of your smartphone. If you are not sure, start with Method 1 (Bluetooth) and gradually move on to more radical solutions.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users experience voice assistants turning on again after a system update or reboot, and here are some common bugs and ways to prevent them:

1. Incomplete shutdown: If you only disabled the assistant in Bluetooth settings but left active in Mi AI, it will trigger with certain gestures.Solution: Check all possible activation paths (see Method 2).
2. Automatic update of the headphone firmware: After updating through Mi Earphones, the settings may reset.Solution: Disable automatic update in the headphone app settings.
3. Google Assistant conflict: If the smartphone has Google Assistant installed as its default assistant, it can intercept commands. Solution: Disable it in Settings → Google → Settings for apps → Search, Assistant and Voice.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) after the XiaoAI shutdown through ADB You may not be able to use fast notification responses from your headphones, and to get this back, you'll have to manually assign gestures through Settings. → Special facilities → Quick answers.

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 📱 Compatibility of headphone and smartphone firmware (update both devices to the latest version).
• 🔄 The presence of conflicting applications (for example, Bixby on Samsung smartphones or Alice from Yandex).
• 🔧 System File Integrity (if you suspect a failure, reset your smartphone settings).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions