How to turn on the microphone on Xiaomi phone for voice queries: full instruction

Voice assistants and voice recordings have long been an integral part of everyday smartphone use. But what if your Xiaomi suddenly stopped responding to voice commands or the microphone refuses to work in applications? The problem can be in both the software settings of MIUI and hardware limitations. This article will help you understand how to properly activate the microphone on Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi devices – from basic settings to solving non-obvious crashes.

Many users are faced with a situation where voice search Google or Yandex Alice does not work, although the microphone is physically healthy. The reasons range from disabled permissions to conflicts with the MIUI shell. We will analyze in detail all possible scenarios, from hardware checks to fine-tuning the access rights for applications. Particular attention will be paid to models with dual microphones (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), where the problem may lie in the wrong choice of the main recording device.

Before you start settings, make sure that the problem is not related to mechanical damage. If the phone fell or came into contact with moisture, the microphone could fail physically - in which case repairs will be required. For all other cases, follow our instructions in order, starting with the simplest steps.

1. Checking the physical performance of the microphone

First, eliminate hardware malfunctions. Most Xiaomi smartphones have at least two microphones installed: the main one (bottom, next to the USB-C connector) and the additional one (top, next to the speaker) to check their performance:

Use the standard Dictaphone app (if remote, install any similar one, such as Easy Voice Recorder). Record a few seconds of sound, then listen to the recording. If the sound is missing or heavily distorted:

• 🔊 Check if the microphone holes are covered with a cover or a film, and even a thin protective layer can drown out sound.
• 💧 Avoid moisture – after contact with water, the microphone can recover after 24-48 hours of natural drying.
• 🔧 Try recording sound in a quiet room: sometimes the noise of the environment masks the malfunction.

If the recording is clean, but the voice commands are not working, it's a software problem. Move to the next section. If the microphone doesn't record sound at all, you may need to replace the microphone module (especially for the POCO X3 and Redmi 9 models, where this is a weak spot).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi 11 Ultra) only have the upper microphone responsible for noise cancellation during calls. For voice commands, the bottom microphone is used - make sure you test the correct one.

2.Configure the permissions for the microphone in MIUI

MIUI shell is known for its strict permission controls, which sometimes block applications from accessing the microphone.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find an application that needs a microphone (like Google or Yandex) and select Permissions. Make sure the switch next to the Microphone is active. Some applications (like Viber or WhatsApp) may need to be separately allowed access while using the program.

If the permits are not on the list:

• 📱 Restart your phone - sometimes MIUI Does not display permissions before restarting.
• 🔄 Update the app via Google Play – outdated versions may conflict with the system.
• 🛠️ Reset the app settings: in the same permissions menu, click Storage → Clear the data (this won’t delete the account, but will reset the microphone settings).

For models with MIUI 14 and later, check the global privacy settings: Settings → Privacy → Permissions → Microphone. This shows all the apps that have ever requested access. You can manually enable the apps that have been disabled.

3. Activation of the voice assistant (Google Assistant / Yandex Alice)

If the microphone is running in the voice recorder but doesn't respond to voice commands, the problem may be the settings of the assistant itself.

Open the Google app (not to be confused with Google Play!) and go to More → Settings → Voice Search. Make sure the OK Google option is enabled. To learn voice, click Voice Model → Retrain voice model and repeat the phrases to calibrate.

For Yandex Alice:

• 🎤 Open the Yandex application with Alice and go to Settings → Alice. → Voice assistant.
• 🔊 Enable the option to Listen to Alice and Allow Launch from the Lock screen (if necessary).
• 📱 Conduct voice training by repeating 3-5 phrases to improve recognition.

On some Xiaomi models (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro), the voice assistant may conflict with the proprietary Mi AI app. If you are not using Mi Assistant, disable it in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi AI → Disable it.

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If the voice assistant doesn't work on a locked screen, check the Smart Lock settings in Settings → Lock screen → Additional. Sometimes MIUI locks the microphone to save charge.

4.Microphone problems in specific applications

If the microphone does not work in only one application (for example, in Zoom, Discord or Instagram), the reason lies in the individual settings of the program or conflict with MIUI.

For applications that use WebRTC (such as browser calls in Google Meet), check your browser settings. In Chrome, go to chrome://settings/content/microphone and make sure the site has access.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, VK Calls) may require additional permissions to work in the background. Check the battery optimization settings: Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Find the right one. → No restrictions.

5. Resetting sound and microphone settings

If previous steps didn't work, try resetting the audio settings. This doesn't affect user data, but it returns all audio settings to factory settings, including the microphone.

Go to Settings → About Phone → All Options → Settings Reset → Reset Network, Sound and Display settings. After reset:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 🎤 Re-provide permissions to the microphone for the desired applications.
• 📲 Check the microphone in the voice assistant and voice recorder.

For models with MIUI 13/14, there is an alternative way: open Settings → Sound and vibration → Additional → Resetting the sound settings. This method is more gentle and does not affect network settings.

Make sure your phone has enough charge (minimum 30%)

Save important audio recordings (if you use a built-in voice recorder)

Remember the equalizer settings (if used)

Turn off Bluetooth devices (headphones, speakers)-->

6. Check hardware conflicts (double microphone, headphones)

Many Xiaomi smartphones (such as the Xiaomi 12T or POCO F4) have two microphones installed, and the system may not correctly identify the main one. If voice commands are not recognized, but recording in the recorder is ongoing, try manually selecting the source of the sound.

Use the engineering menu (not all models):

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code ##36446337##.
2. Go to the Audio section → Mic.
3. Check the signal levels for the Mic 1 and Mic 2. If one of them shows 0 dB, it is faulty.
4. In some firmware, you can manually select an active microphone - set a tick next to the one working.

Also make sure that the problem is not connected to the devices:

• 🎧 Turn off all Bluetooth headphones or wired headsets – the system can redirect sound to them.
• 🔌 Check the connector. USB-C For the presence of garbage: sometimes the phone mistakenly "thinks" that the headset is connected.
• 🔊 In sound settings (Settings) → Sound and vibration) select Speaker mode instead of Headphones.

7. Update of firmware and sound core

If the microphone problem occurred after the MIUI update, the cause may be a software bug. Check firmware relevance: Settings → About Phone → System Update. If an update is available, install it.

For models with custom firmware (such as Xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience), the problem may lie in an incorrectly assembled sound core.

• 🔄 Try reflashing the original Global Stable version MIUI via Fastboot.
• 🛠️ Install a patch for sound (search the forums) 4PDA or XDA Developers for your model).
• 📱 Reset your phone to factory settings (pre-reverse!).

On some devices (such as the POCO X3 NFC) after upgrading to Android 13, the microphone loses sound due to a conflict with Google Services, the solution is to roll back on Android 12 or wait for a patch from Xiaomi.

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Before you run your firmware through Fastboot, always check that the MIUI version is compatible with your model! The wrong firmware can "brick" the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the microphone on Xiaomi