Modern brand smartphones Honor are equipped with powerful artificial intelligence systems that are designed to simplify interaction with the device. However, for many users, constant activation voice assistant by pressing the power button or accidentally touching the screen becomes a source of irritation. This is especially true for models where the service is preinstalled Yandex.Alice or where the service is active Google Assistant, triggered at the most inopportune moment.
Complete disabling of these functions requires careful attention approach, since the settings can be scattered across different sections of the menu depending on the shell version Magic UI or EMUI. In this article, we will analyze in detail all available deactivation methods, from simple switches to forcibly stopping system processes, so that your phone responds only to your direct commands.
Features of the work of assistants on the Magic UI shell
Smartphone interfaces Honor have their own specifics for the integration of voice services. Unlike pure Androidhere, there is often a deep combination of hardware buttons with software. Power button by default can be programmed to call an assistant when held, which creates false alarms in a pocket or bag.
Developers strive to make controls as intuitive as possible, but sometimes this “concern” leads to the opposite effect. The user simply wants to turn off the screen or restart the device, but instead sees a search interface or hears a greeting. It is important to understand that system settings may be called differently in different firmware, so it is worth checking several sections of the menu.
There are two main types of assistants that you may encounter: built-in Google Assistant and partner Yandex.Alice, which is often preinstalled on devices supplied to the CIS regions. Methods for disabling them have both common features and significant differences in the paths to access the configuration.
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface may vary slightly depending on the specific model of your smartphone and the installed firmware version. If you do not find the specified menu item, try using the search in the settings.
Disconnecting the call by power button
The most common accidental activation scenario is a long press on the lock button. To change the behavior of this key, you need to go to the accessibility section. Navigation may look like Settings → Accessibility → Shortcut button.
In the menu that opens, you will see a list of actions associated with holding the button. By default, there is often a checkmark next to the “Voice Assistant” item. You will need to toggle this option to the "Off" position or select an alternative action such as "Nothing" or "Shutdown Menu" if such an option is available in your version of the software.
After making changes, the system may ask for confirmation. Click OK or Applyto save the new settings. Now a long press on the power button will perform the standard function of calling the reboot menu, and not launch unnecessary services.
☑️ Checking the button settings
Managing the Yandex.Alice service
On many devices Honor the Yandex with Alice application is preinstalled. This is not just a widget, but a full-fledged system service that has its own permissions and autorun settings. Simply removing an icon from the desktop is often not enough, since background processes continue to run.
For in-depth settings, go to the applications section and find “Yandex” in the list. Click on it to open the application card. Here you will need to find the item Open by default or Advanced. In some versions of the shell, you must first click on the three dots in the corner of the screen to display the full menu.
If the "Delete" button is inactive (gray), this means that the application is a system one. In this case, the only correct solution would be to force stop and disable notifications. It is also recommended to go inside the Yandex application itself and in its settings disable the “Voice Activation” and “Listen to the Hey Yandex command” functions.
If you do not use Yandex services, in the application settings you can clear the cache and data to reset all personalized settings and voice models.
Google Assistant settings on Honor
The second popular assistant is the brainchild of Google Corporation. It is deeply integrated into the system and is often activated by a swipe from the corner of the screen or the voice command "Ok Google". To limit its interference in your work with your smartphone, you need to change the settings of your Google account itself.
Open the Google application (icon with the letter G) and go to your profile. Select item Settings → Google Assistant → "Assistant" tab. Here you'll find the Google Assistant toggle. Set it to inactive state. This action will completely prevent the assistant from launching in any way.
It is also worth checking the tab "Phone" inside the assistant settings. Make sure the "Ok Google recognition" option is disabled. This will prevent the microphone from constantly working in the background to listen to the key phrase, which will also have a positive effect on the battery life of the device.
| Parameter | Default status | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Button activation | Enabled | Disable |
| Speech recognition | Enabled | Disable |
| Access from screen blocking | Enabled | Prohibit |
| Personal results | Enabled | Restrict |
Prohibiting access from the screen locks
One of the security features that often works against convenience is calling an assistant from a locked screen. An attacker or an accidental press in your pocket can activate voice search, which could theoretically lead to information leakage through voice commands.
To block this feature, go to Settings → Security → Lock screen and password. Find the section Lock screen settings or "Smart lock". In the list of functions, find the item “Call assistant” or “Short commands”.
Uncheck this item. Now, even if the phone is locked, swiping or pressing buttons will not be able to launch the voice interface. This significantly increases the privacy of your device and eliminates false positives in the bag.
Why can’t you just delete the application?
Many users try to remove Google or Yandex through third-party apps. This can lead to system instability as other applications depend on the libraries of these services. It is safer to use the "Disable" function.
Limit background activity and permissions
Even if you have disabled the main launch triggers, the application may remain active in the background, consuming RAM. For maximum effect, you need to limit the rights of voice assistants to work in the background.
Go to Settings → Applications → Applications. Find the desired assistant in the list (Google, Yandex). Go to section Battery consumption or Running applications. Here you can manually disable auto-start, background activity and minimized operation.
Also a critical step is revoking permissions to use the microphone. Without this right, the assistant will not physically be able to hear you. In the application card, find the "Permissions" section and select "Microphone", then set the value to "Deny".
⚠️ Attention: Denying access to the microphone may disrupt other functions, such as voice input of text in instant messengers, if they use a common system speech recognition module.
Comprehensive disabling of all permissions and background activity ensures that the assistant will not consume processor resources and battery in the background.
Reset settings and remove updates
In extreme cases, when standard switches do not work or settings are lost after a reboot, you can try a radical method - removing system application updates. This will return the assistant to the factory version, where many functions may be disabled by default.
In the application menu, select the voice assistant, click on the three dots in the upper corner and select Uninstall updates. Confirm the action. After this, the application will become “lighter” and take up less space, and its functionality will be reduced to the basic minimum.
If this does not help, you can use the safe boot mode for diagnostics. Hold down the power button, then in the menu that appears, hold your finger on the “Turn off” item for a long time until you are prompted to switch to safe mode. If the assistant does not work in this mode, then the problem is caused by some third-party application that conflicts with the system.
Before uninstalling system application updates, it is recommended to create a backup copy of important data, although this operation is usually safe for user files.
Frequently asked questions
Does disabling the assistant affect the work of others applications?
In most cases, no. However, if you disable Google Assistant completely, the “Ok Google” function in other applications may stop working, as well as voice dialing through a standard dialer, if it is tied to this service.
Is it possible to replace Alice with another voice assistant?
Yes, you can install third-party assistants from the app store. To designate them as the main ones, go to the default settings in the "Applications" section and select the desired app in the "Assistant and voice input" category.
Why are the settings reset after a reboot?
This may occur due to proprietary system optimizers that try to restore the "recommended" settings. Try disabling autorun for this application so that the system does not interfere with its processes.
Is it safe to disable system components via ADB?
Using USB debugging and ADB commands to remove system packages requires high skill. The error may cause the phone to stop booting. Use this method only if you are confident in your actions.