Voice assistants have become an integral part our digital interaction with smartphones, allowing you to control the device without having to unlock it. However, users often encounter a situation where Alice Yandex refuses to respond to commands if the phone screen is dark or locked. This creates significant inconvenience, especially in situations where you need to quickly set an alarm, check the weather or send a message without taking the device out of your pocket.
The problem lies not in the application itself, but in the aggressive energy saving policy of modern versions. Android. The system tends to shut down background processes to extend battery life, inadvertently blocking microphone access for the assistant. To fix this, you need to perform a number of specific settings, which may differ depending on the model of your smartphone and the firmware version.
In this article we will analyze in detail the algorithm of actions that will allow you to activate the function of calling an assistant from the locked screen. We will look at the settings of the Yandex application itself, system parameters Android, as well as specific features of shells from different manufacturers, such as Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei.
Basic setup of the Yandex application with Alice
The first step is to check the internal settings of the application itself, since this is where the main function switch is located voice access. Open the application Yandex and go to your profile by clicking on the person icon in the lower right corner. Next, select the section Settings and find the item associated with the voice assistant.
Here you need to activate the option Voice activation. Without enabling this parameter, the system simply will not listen to the command “Listen, Yandex” or “Hello, Yandex” when the phone is in sleep mode. Also make sure that the option is enabled Launch from locked screenif it is placed in a separate menu sub-item.
- 🎤 Make sure the correct speech recognition language is selected in the microphone settings.
- 🔋 Check if the power saving mode is enabled inside the Yandex application itself.
- 📢 Adjust the microphone sensitivity if the phone has difficulty hearing commands from your pocket.
Sometimes after updating the application, the settings may be reset to factory values, so periodically checking this section will not be superfluous. If the switch is active, but the function still does not work, the problem most likely lies deeper - in the system permissions Android.
System permissions and microphone access
The operating system Android requires explicit permission for any application that wants to use the microphone, especially when the device is locked. Go to general Settings of your smartphone, then to section Applications or Applications and notifications. Find the application in the list Yandex.
In the application information menu, select the item Permissions. Here it is critical to check the access status of Microphone. It must be set to Always allowed or Allow use in the background. If the restriction is "Only while using the application", Alice will not be able to hear you when the screen is turned off.
⚠️ Attention: On some versions Android (especially Android 12 and later), a green indicator appears in the notification shade when using a microphone. If you call Alice from a locked screen, this indicator may not light up immediately, but access should still be granted systemically.
It is also worth paying attention to the permission on Appear on top of other applications. This setting allows the Alice interface to appear on top of the lock screen. Without this permission, the voice response may play, but the assistant's visual interface will not appear, creating the illusion that the function is not working.
If you cannot find the "Appear on top of other applications" option in the main permissions menu, try finding it in the "Advanced" or "Special access" section in the application settings.
Exception from battery optimization
The most common reason why Alice stops working on the locked screen is the system’s aggressive “putting to sleep” the application to save battery. Android considers the background operation of the voice assistant (energy-consuming) and limits it. To fix this, you need to add the application to the exceptions.
In the same application information menu Yandex find the section Battery or Battery saving. Change the operating mode from "Optimized" to Unlimited or No restrictions. This action will prevent the system from killing Alice's process when the screen goes dark, allowing it to constantly wait for the activation command.
| Manufacturer | Settings section name | Required action |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Battery → Optimization | Find Yandex → Do not optimize |
| Xiaomi / Redmi | Battery → Autorun | Enable autorun for Yandex |
| Huawei / Honor | Battery → Launch applications | Disable automatic control |
| Realme / OPPO | Battery → Saving in the background mode | Allow work in the background |
After making changes, it is recommended to restart the device for the new energy saving settings to take effect. In some cases, the system may require confirmation of the action, warning about a possible increase in battery consumption, but for the voice assistant to work correctly, this is a necessary sacrifice.
☑️ Checking battery settings
Setting features on different Android shells
Various smartphone manufacturers add their own add-ons over the clean one Android, which often leads to additional barriers to the operation of background services. For example, on smartphones Xiaomi with a shell MIUI or HyperOS there is a "Memory Protection" mechanism that can force close applications.
You need to go to the application Security (standard for Xiaomi), go to section Permissions and find item Autostart. Make sure the switch is opposite Yandex active. In addition, in the multitasking menu (list of open applications), find the Yandex card, hold it and click on the lock icon. This will fix the application in RAM.
On devices Samsung with shell One UI the situation may be complicated by the function Adaptive battery. She learns your habits and may decide that you rarely use Alice on the locked screen, limiting her work. In this case, resetting battery usage statistics in the device settings helps.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces may change with each firmware update. If you do not find the indicated items, use the search in the phone settings by entering the keywords “autostart”, “battery” or “permissions”.
Specifics of working on older versions of Android
On devices with Android 8 and 9, the focus is shifted to the operation of widgets. Sometimes it’s easier to place a Yandex search widget on the home screen than to try to set up deep integration with the lock screen, since the system restrictions there are less strict, but the functionality is also limited.
Using the widget and shortcuts for quick access
If standard voice activation using the phrase “Listen, Yandex” is unstable even after all the settings, there is an alternative method of interacting with the assistant without full unlocking the phone. We are talking about widgets and shortcuts that can be placed on the lock screen or called up with a gesture.
Many users do not know that a widget can be displayed on the lock screen Yandex.Search. To do this, you need to go to the lock screen settings of your smartphone and add the necessary widgets. When you click on such a widget, the phone may offer to unlock with biometrics (fingerprint or face), after which the Alice interface will immediately open.
You can also set it to start by double-pressing the power button or by drawing a letter on the screen when the screen is off, if such a function is supported by your model. In the button settings, select an action Launch the application and specify Yandex. This will create a reliable mechanical trigger for calling the assistant.
- 📱 Add a search widget to the home screen for instant access after unlocking.
- ⚡ Set up the "draw V" or "O" gesture for quickly launch applications when the screen is off.
- 🔘 Assign a long press of the Home button or side button to launch the voice assistant.
This approach often turns out to be more energy efficient, since the microphone does not listen to the broadcast constantly, but is activated only by a clear mechanical action of the user. This is an ideal compromise between convenience and battery life.
Mechanical activation (buttons, gestures) is always more reliable than voice activation on a locked screen, since it does not depend on the sensitivity of the microphone and background restrictions of the system.
Solving problems with access and conflicts
In rare cases, the function may not work due to conflict with other applications that have access to the microphone, for example, with Google Assistant. If both assistants are active on your device, they can intercept each other's activation. It is recommended to disable the "Ok Google" function in the Google application settings, leaving active only the command standby mode for Alice.
Also check whether you have installed a “lite” version of the application or a version from a third-party store, which may have reduced functionality. For all functions to work correctly, including working with a locked screen, you need the full version of the application Yandex with current service updates.
If all else fails, try clearing the application cache. Go to Settings → Applications → Yandex → Storage and click Clear cache. Do not confuse this with clearing data, as the latter action will reset all your personal settings and search history within the application.
⚠️ Attention: On some corporate versions of Android or devices with security profiles installed (MDM) access to the microphone on a locked screen may be denied by the device administrator at the security policy level.
What to do if Alice is silent after updating Android?
Major system updates (for example, moving from Android 13 to 14) often reset all permissions to "default". You will have to go through the entire setup path again: grant permissions, disable battery optimization and retrain the voice model for a new activation phrase.
Why doesn’t Alice hear the command even when the phone is unlocked?
This may be due to contamination of the microphone, noise reduction in a noisy room, or the fact that another application (voice recorder, dialer) has seized exclusive access to microphone. Try rebooting your phone.
Can Alice be configured to run without the Internet?
No, Alice requires a connection to Yandex servers to process complex queries and speech recognition. Without the Internet, it can only execute basic system commands if they are preinstalled in the offline package, but a full dialogue is not possible.
Does the case affect the operation of voice activation?
Yes, some thick or closed cases can block the hole of the bottom microphone or create acoustic resonance, which is why the voice pickup sensitivity is significantly falls. Try removing the case to check.
How can I tell if Alice is listening to me all the time?
The application runs in (low power) mode, waiting for a key phrase. Full recording and sending of data to the server begins only after the trigger phrase is recognized. You can check your request history in your Yandex profile.
Why does Alice work worse on Samsung Galaxy than on Xiaomi?
This subjective feeling is often associated with different energy saving algorithms. On Samsung, the system aggressively closes background processes, so it is critical to configure the “Do not limit” item in the battery section, which users often miss.