How to disable Google Assistant on Redmi 9: complete guide

Smartphone owners Xiaomi Redmi 9 often face the intrusiveness of built-in services that are activated every time you press the power button or accidentally touch the screen. Google Assistant, while a useful tool for many, it can irritate users who prefer traditional controls or use third-party voice assistants. This is especially true for those who accidentally launch voice input in their pocket or during a call, which leads to unnecessary consumption of battery power and traffic.

The deactivation process is not always obvious, since the settings are scattered across different menus of the system MIUI and the Google application itself. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the possible ways to completely disable the function on your device. You will learn how to manage hotkeys, configure lock screen settings and prevent the background operation of a service that you do not need.

It is worth noting that completely removing a system component without root access is impossible, but proper configuration allows you to make it completely inactive for the user. On Redmi 9 with MIUI 12 and newer shell, it is critical to disable the power button binding, otherwise the assistant will be launched forcibly. Let's move on to the step-by-step setup of your device.

Disabling activation via the power button

The most common way to accidentally launch the voice assistant is by long pressing the power button. In standard settings Android and shell MIUI this function is often enabled by default. To change the behavior of the physical key, you need to go to the system settings of the device.

Open the settings menu and find the section responsible for additional functions. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but it is usually located in the "Advanced Settings" or "Accessibility" category. Here you need to find the item Pressing the "Power" button or similar.

• 📱 Go to Settings → Advanced settings → Pressing the "Power" button.
• 🗣 Select the "Do nothing" or "Shutdown menu" option to disable the Assistant from launching.
• ✅ Check the change by briefly and long pressing the lock button.

After completing these steps, long-holding the power button will no longer bring up the voice interface. This frees up the key for other tasks or simply prevents false alarms in your pocket. If you do not find this item in the specified location, try using the settings search by entering the query “button.”

⚠️ Attention: On some global versions of MIUI firmware, this item may be called “Google Assistant” and have a switch. In this case, simply move the toggle switch to the “Off” position.

Changing this parameter does not affect the operation of a short press to lock the screen or turn on the device. You simply reassign the action when holding it for a long time. This is a safe procedure that does not require superuser rights.

Setting up the “Ok Google” voice activator

The second channel of interaction with artificial intelligence from Google is voice activation. The smartphone constantly listens to the microphone for a passphrase, which can raise questions about privacy and CPU consumption. On Redmi 9 this function can be completely disabled.

To control voice search, you need to open the Google application itself. It is usually located on the Home screen or in the Google folder. Click on your profile avatar in the upper right corner to enter the service settings menu.

In the list that opens, select “Settings”, and then go to the “Google Assistant” section. Here we are interested in the “All settings” tab or immediately the “Hey Google and Voice Match” item. It is in this menu that the switches responsible for responding to voice are hidden.

• 🎙 Disable the “Hey Google” slider to disable voice activation.
• 🗑 Click “Delete voice model” if you want to erase the saved voice sample.
• 🔇 In the “Speaker” section you can disable voice responses, leaving only text output.

After disabling this function, the phone will stop responding to the phrase “Okay, Google”. This can also have a positive effect on the autonomy of the device, since the microphone and processor will be less involved in the background to process audio commands.

It is worth remembering that if you disable the voice model, you will have to re-teach the phone each time voice if you decide to return the feature back. This is a security measure that prevents strangers from accessing your account.

Managing widgets and lock screen

Users often confuse a full-fledged Assistant with a Google widget, which is located on the desktop or lock screen. On Redmi 9, this interface element can take up a significant part of the screen and interfere with the view. Removing a widget does not disable the service itself, but eliminates its visual presence.

To remove a widget from the home screen, simply hold it with your finger and drag it to the top of the display, where the “Delete” message or the trash can icon will appear. For the lock screen, the procedure is a little more complicated and requires entering the theme or lock screen settings.

Interface element	Location	Action	Result
Search widget	Desktop	Long press → Delete	Search bar disappears
Widget carousel	Lock screen	Settings → Lock screen	Swipe left is disabled
Microphone button	Search widget	Widget settings	Input icon is hidden
Discover feed	Swipe left	Google Settings → Discover	Disable news feed

Particular attention should be paid to the “Wallpaper Carousel” or “Widget Feed” function on the left from the main screen. Often this is where the assistant shortcut button is located. In the lock screen settings MIUI you can find the “Widget Feed” switch, which should be deaktivirovat.

⚠️ Attention: The lock screen settings interface may change after updates to the MIUI system. If you don't find the "Widget Feed" item, look for the "Lock Screen" section in the general settings or in the "Themes" application.

By removing visual elements, you will make the interface cleaner and more minimalistic. This is especially important for those who use live wallpapers or third-party widgets, which may be interfered with by the standard Google widget.

Limiting background work and battery

Even if you have disabled all visible activation methods, the service process may remain running on the system. On Redmi 9, with its MIUI battery optimization, you can forcefully limit the Google app so that it does not waste resources.

Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find the “Google” application in the list (not Chrome or Google Play Store, but the application with the “G” logo). Inside the application menu, we are interested in the “Battery” or “Battery Saver” section.

Here you need to select the “No restrictions” mode for important notifications if you use Gmail, or “Limit background activity” if you do not need the service at all. However, be careful: completely limiting your contacts and calendar may not work properly.

• 🔋 Select Battery Saver → Limit Background Activity.
• 🚫 Turn off auto-start for the Google app in the Permissions menu.
• 🧹 Periodically clear the application cache through the “Memory” menu.

This approach allows you to maintain the functionality of your account, but prevents the Assistant processes from being constantly active. The system will “wake up” the application only when you open it yourself or an important system notification arrives.

It is important to understand the difference between stopping the process and deleting. Stopping it through the task manager gives a temporary effect, but setting the battery is permanent; you yourself will not change the setting back.

Using Do Not Disturb modes and profiles

An alternative way to minimize Assistant interference is to use system profiles. At certain times, for example, during meetings or sleep, you may need guaranteed silence from your smartphone.

The Do Not Disturb mode in Redmi 9 can be configured to block not only calls, but also voice prompts. While this does not disable the service completely, it does prevent audio and visual intrusion.

You can set this mode to turn on automatically on a schedule. To do this, go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb. Here you can set time intervals when any notifications and voice activation should be blocked.

In addition, MIUI has a “Game Mode” or “Game Turbo” function. If you add applications there, the Assistant often locks automatically so as not to block the screen and not interfere with the gameplay with swipes.

Game Turbo Secret

In game mode, you can set up to answer incoming calls with quick messages, which completely replaces the need for voice dialing through the Assistant during the game.

Usage profiles are a compromise solution for those who do not want to go into deep system settings, but want temporary peace from smart functions.

Resetting settings and alternative solutions

If standard methods did not help or the settings were lost after the update, you can consider more radical measures. Resetting the Google app will return it to its original state, where some features may be disabled by default (although this rarely happens).

To do this, in the applications menu, find Google, tap "Storage" and select "Clear all data" and "Erase data". After that, when you first start, do not agree to activate voice control and train the voice model.

As an alternative, many users Redmi install third-party launchers or applications to control buttons, such as Button Mapper. They allow you to reassign button actions at a deeper level than the standard Android settings.

• 🔄 Reset Google app settings through the Memory menu.
• 📲 Install Button Mapper for flexible button management.
• 🚫 When initially setting up your phone, immediately reject offers Google.

Using third-party software gives maximum control, but requires caution. Make sure you only download apps from the official store Play Market or verified Mi GetApps sources.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party button remapping apps may require special permissions via ADB or working in accessibility mode, which can be difficult for newbies.

Ultimately, the combination of disabling the button power supply, voice activation and limiting background work gives a result almost identical to complete removal, but without the risk of disrupting system stability.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is it safe to completely disable Google Assistant on Redmi 9?

Yes, it is absolutely safe. Disabling Assistant features will not damage your phone or cause you to lose any personal data. You will simply stop using voice control. System processes will continue to run in the background to support other Google services, such as Search or Maps.

Will you lose voice typing after you turn it off?

No, voice typing (dictation) in Gboard and other apps will continue to work. Disabling the Assistant only affects executing commands and launching applications by voice, but not speech recognition for printing.

Is it possible to remove the Google application completely without root access?

Without superuser rights (Root), the Google system application cannot be removed using standard means. You can only disable its updates or limit its operation. Complete removal is possible only through ADB commands from the computer, but this may disrupt the operation of the account.

Why does the Assistant turn on itself after updating MIUI?

During major updates of the MIUI shell or Android system, the default settings may be reset. Google often reverts its activation settings after updates to its services. It is recommended to check the power button settings after each major system update.

Does the Assistant affect the speed of the Redmi 9?

Constantly listening to the microphone and background processes can slightly load the processor and drain the battery, especially on mid-range models like Redmi 9. Disabling unused functions can slightly improve responsiveness interface.