Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy A12 often face a situation where pre-installed applications begin to irritate with their constant interference with the operation of the device. Voice assistant from Yandex, known as Alice, can be activated accidentally when removing the phone from your pocket or locking the screen. This is not only distracting, but also consumes battery power, which is critical for budget models with a capacious, but not unlimited battery.
Complete removal of a standard app on Android is often impossible without superuser rights, however, there are effective methods deactivation all assistant functions. We will look at the standard system settings One UI, permission management and hidden parameters that will allow you to regain full control over your gadget.
It is important to understand that the deactivation process depends on the version of the operating system and the specific shell build. Samsung One UI. The interfaces may differ slightly, but the logic of action remains the same for the entire line of devices from the Korean manufacturer. Follow the instructions carefully so as not to disable system-important services.
Disablement through application settings
The very first and logical step is to access the internal settings of the Yandex with Alice application itself. Users often ignore this section, believing that global phone settings override personal preferences within the app. However, this is where the switch responsible for voice activation and reaction to the name is hidden.
Go to the application menu and find the Yandex icon or the separate “Alice” application. Once launched, click on the profile avatar or menu icon to expand the list of options. You need to find the “Settings” or “Alice Settings” section. In this block, look for an item related to activation by voice or button.
Disable the toggle switch responsible for listening to the phrase “Listen, Yandex” or “Alice”. This will prevent the microphone from constantly running in the background. It is also recommended to disable the Hands-Free Replies feature if it is active, as it causes the screen to light up when contacting the assistant.
- 📱 Open the Yandex application and go to your profile.
- ⚙️ Find the voice assistant settings section.
- 🔇 Deactivate the voice option activation.
- 🚫 Deny access to the microphone for background work.
After making changes, be sure to completely close the application by swiping it from the list of running processes. This ensures that the new settings take effect immediately. If you use a widget on the home screen, it is also better to remove it, as it can serve as a trigger for starting the service.
Check the list of permissions in Android settings periodically, as application updates may automatically request access to the microphone again.
Manage permissions in the Android system
Operating The system Android on board Samsung A12 provides powerful tools for controlling application access to resources. Even if you have disabled everything inside the application, the system may allow background activity. To completely ignore the assistant, you need to limit its rights at the level system permissions.
Go to the main settings of your smartphone. Find the "Applications" or "Application Manager" section. In the list that opens, find Yandex (or Yandex with Alice). Click on the name to open the application card, which displays information about the version, memory and access rights.
⚠️ Attention: When permissions are disabled, some functions of the main Yandex application (search, maps) may not work correctly. Make sure that you limit the rights specifically for the voice module, if it is highlighted separately, or be prepared for the fact that voice input in the search will stop working.
Select “Permissions”. Here you need to find “Microphone” and select the “Disable” option. This is a key point: without access to a microphone, the voice assistant will physically not be able to hear you. It is also worth checking the “Appear on top of other windows” item and disable it so that widgets do not overlap the interface.
Additionally, in the application card, find the “Battery” or “Energy Consumption” section. Set the mode to "Restricted" or "Prohibit background activity." This action will tell the system One UIthat this application should not consume resources when you are not using it directly.
Lock screen settings and Bixby
On smartphones Samsung there is often a conflict or confusion between the built-in assistant Bixby and third-party assistants like Alice. However, if Alice is built into the system through partnerships, she can take over control of the lock screen. You need to check your security and lock screen settings.
In your phone settings, go to the “Lock screen” section. Scroll down to Lock Screen Services or Voice Assistant. Make sure that the Yandex application is not selected there. If the choice is between Bixby and Google, leave Google or “No” to avoid unnecessary activations.
It is also worth paying attention to the “Rise to Wake” or “Double Tap” function. Sometimes these actions wake up the phone and activate the widget with Alice. Disabling these features in the "Advanced Features" section will help reduce the number of false positives.
If you have a custom theme or launcher installed on your device, check its settings. Third party shells may have their own search widgets that use Alice by default. Replacing the launcher with a standard one One UI Home or adjusting the current one can solve the problem.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Forbidden | Blocks voice input |
| Background activity | Limited | Saves battery power |
| Appears on top of windows | Forbidden | Removes pop-up windows |
| Access to contacts | Forbidden | Protects personal data |
Comprehensive restriction of rights combined with prohibition of background activity - the most reliable way to “put to sleep” the assistant without deleting the application.
Using power saving mode
Samsung Galaxy A12 equipped with an effective energy management system that can become an ally in the fight against intrusive applications. Power saving modes not only limit the brightness and frequency of the processor, they aggressively “freeze” background processes, which is ideal for stopping Alice services.
Activate the power saving mode through the notification shade or in the battery settings. Select Optimal or Maximum Energy Saving. The settings for this mode often contain a list of applications that are allowed to run in the background. Make sure that Yandex or Alice are not in the list of exceptions.
There is also a “Sleep for inactive applications” function. Enable it in the battery settings. The system will automatically restrict applications that you have not used in the last 3 days. If you rarely launch Yandex manually, Alice will be automatically disabled by the system after each use.
This method is good because it does not require deep intervention in the permission settings, which may get lost during the update. The system itself will control the “appetites” of gluttonous services, extending the operating time of your smartphone smartphone
- 🔋 Turn on the power saving mode in the curtain.
- 📉 Add the application to the list sleeping.
- ⏳ Set up automatic sleep.
- 🛑 Check the list of exceptions for background work.
Impact on notifications
When you enable strict energy saving, you may stop receiving push notifications from Yandex (for example, about traffic jams or ordering a taxi) until the application is opened.
Forced stop and reset settings
If standard methods do not help and service continues to be active, you can resort to more radical measures. Force stop is a temporary solution that completely unloads the application from RAM. However, the system may restart it the next time you start the phone.
To force a stop, go to “Settings” → “Applications” → “Yandex”. Click the Force Stop button. Confirm the action in the pop-up window. After this, the process will be completely destroyed until your next launch.
Alternatively, you can clear the application data. This will return it to the "as after installation" state. All your settings within the application, history and cache will be deleted. This often helps if there is a software glitch that causes the assistant to activate cyclically.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing data will log you out of your account within the application. You will have to log in again and re-configure all preferences if you decide to use Yandex services again.
To clear data, in the same application menu, click “Storage”, and then “Clear data” or “Delete data”. The system will warn you about the consequences. This step is especially useful if the problem occurred after a recent application update.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.yandex.searchpluginFor advanced users with access to USB and computer debugging, there is an option to disable system components via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). The command above (approximate, package may vary) allows you to disable the system search plugin, which effectively removes it for the user without requiring root access. But use this method only if you are confident in your actions.
☑️ Checklist for complete deactivation
Alternative solutions and widgets
Often the source of the problem is not the settings themselves, but the interface elements. “Voice Search” or “Yandex.String” widgets placed on the desktop or lock screen are direct triggers. Their presence implies the user’s readiness to interact with the voice assistant at any time.
Remove all Yandex-related widgets from desktops. To do this, hold down an empty space on the screen, select “Widgets”, find Yandex and remove them. Also check your lock screen settings: a weather or news widget from Yandex can activate voice input when touched.
If you need search, but don’t need Alice, consider installing alternative launchers or Google widgets, where you can more flexibly customize the behavior of the voice assistant. Replacing the standard launcher One UI Home with a third-party one (for example, Nova Launcher) gives full control over which widgets and services can run on the screen.
By removing visible interface elements, you break the chain of events leading to the launch voice engine. This is the most elegant solution that does not require “breaking” the system.
Is it possible to completely remove the Yandex application from the Samsung A12?
Without root access, you cannot completely remove the system application, but you can “freeze” it through settings or ADB. For the user, this is equivalent to deleting: the icon will disappear, processes will not work, the battery will not be consumed.
Why does Alice turn on itself in your pocket?
This happens due to the “Active Screen” function or the sensitivity of the touchscreen. Enabling the “In Pocket” mode in the screen settings or completely disabling microphone permissions for the application helps.
Does disabling Alice affect the operation of the Yandex navigator?
No, the Yandex.Navigator application works independently. However, if you disable access to the microphone in the global settings of the application, voice control inside the navigator will also stop working.
Do I need to restart the phone after disconnecting?
It is advisable. A reboot ensures that all background services will be restarted with the new permission settings, and old processes hanging in memory will be finally terminated.