How to ban calls from unfamiliar numbers on Android Xiaomi

Constant calls from intrusive advertisers, scammers and bots can turn the life of a smartphone owner into a nightmare, especially for users of popular Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, which are often targeted by auto callers. Fortunately, the built-in MIUI shell and the new HyperOS functionality allows you to effectively cut off unwanted calls without installing third-party software.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available security methods, from standard system settings to hidden features of the engineering menu, learn how to create smart filters that will only let calls from your address book, and learn how to block even hidden numbers that are usually bypassed by standard blockers.

Ignoring these settings can lead to not only time loss, but also financial risks. Modern scammers use social engineering techniques, so completely blocking incoming numbers from the no contacts is the most reliable way to protect against telephone terrorism. Let's move on to the practical implementation of protecting your device.

Use of built-in MIUI spam protection

The first and most obvious step is to activate the built-in security module, which is already preinstalled on the system. Unlike standard Android, Xiaomi’s shell offers a deep level of call blocker integration. To access these settings, you need to open the system application Security and find the section responsible for filtering.

Here lies a powerful tool called Antispam, which takes the main burden of identifying and blocking suspicious numbers based on constantly updated databases, activating this mode does not require root rights and works immediately after the corresponding switches are turned on in the menu.

• 📱 Open the Safety app (green zipper icon) on your desktop.
• 🛡️ Go to the Antispam section at the bottom of the screen.
• ⚙️ Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner to access settings.
• ✅ Activate the switch to Block Spam.

Once the basic protection is enabled, the system will automatically analyze incoming calls, but for maximum efficiency, it is recommended to also enable the download of spam database updates, which will allow your smartphone to know about new fraud schemes that appeared just yesterday.

The “Contacts Only” regime is a radical defense

If you want to be guaranteed to get rid of calls from unknown numbers, the most effective method is to turn on Contact Only mode, in which the phone will ignore any incoming calls if the subscriber number is not stored in your phone book, which is especially true for older people or those who only expect calls from loved ones.

You don't need to be a technician to set up this mode, all the options are in the standard call interface, and it's important to understand that when you turn on this feature, you may miss an important call from a courier or a doctor if you don't save their number beforehand.

⚠️ Warning: Before activating the strict filter mode, make sure that all important numbers (polyclinic, school, emergency services) are stored in the phone's memory.

To activate this mode, go to the Phone app and call the settings menu. Find Lock or Blacklist. Depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS, the interface may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same. You need to find an option that sounds like "Block all unknown numbers" or "Allow only from contacts."

In some versions of the firmware, this feature is included in a separate menu called Unknown Numbers, where you can choose a strategy: simply drop a call, send it busy or redirect it to an answering machine, and the "Reset" strategy is most effective, since the caller immediately receives a signal that the number is unavailable or busy.

Set up a blacklist and filters for keywords

Xiaomi's built-in tools allow you to create not only blacklists for specific numbers, but also masks, which is especially useful if you are pestered by calls from a specific city code or operator prefix, you can block a whole group of numbers using the asterisk symbol as a stand-up sign.

For example, if you receive calls from numbers starting at +7999, you can blacklist the mask +7999*. The system automatically blocks any number that begins with this sequence of numbers.

Also, the keyword filtering feature in SMS is often available in lock settings, but for voice calls, exact matches are more important. You can manually add numbers to the blacklist directly from the call history. Just click on the number in the list of missed or committed calls, select the option “Block” or “Add to the blacklist”.

• 🚫 Open your call history and find an unwanted number.
• 👆 Click on it and select Add to the blacklist.
• 📝 To create a mask, enter the number with an asterisk in the lock settings.
• 🔍 Check the list of blocked periodically so as not to block the excess.

Blocking of hidden and private numbers

A separate headache is when you call from hidden numbers, where you see the words "Hidden Number" or "Private Number" on the screen instead of numbers. The usual blacklist here is powerless because you don't have numbers to lock, but at the carrier level or through special codes, this problem can be solved.

At the Xiaomi smartphone level, you can reject anonymous calls if your carrier supports this feature and sends the appropriate signal. Check this in the call settings. Go to Settings → Applications → System Settings → Calls (the path may vary depending on the Android version).

In the optional call settings menu, look for Deflect anonymous calls. If the switch is active, the phone will automatically reset calls where the subscriber number is not specified, which is common in the corporate sector, but is useful for ordinary users suffering from anonymous trolling.

Use of operator codes and USSD-request

Sometimes the smartphone itself is not enough, and then the services of a mobile operator come to the rescue. The largest operators (the Big Four in Russia and their counterparts in the CIS) provide spam blocking services at the network level, which means that the call will not even reach your device, saving battery power.

These services are usually used to activate USSD-They are entered into the dialing field as a normal call, for example, in some operators, activation of Anti-Detector or Spam Blocker is carried out by codes of the form *112*01# The exact codes depend on your rate and region.

The advantage of network locking is that it works even when the phone is off or out of range (roaming calls will simply not be forwarded).However, some of these services may be charged a subscription fee, so carefully consider the tariff conditions before connecting.

⚠️ Note: When using network lock services, make sure that you do not have other forwarding services activated, as they may conflict with each other and important calls may be lost.

Third-party applications and their effectiveness

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools aren’t enough, the market offers a host of third-party solutions, such as Truecaller, Yandex.Blocker, or Kaspersky Who Calls, which use crowdsourcing, a database that users can add to, which allows them to identify new spammer numbers faster than official databases.

Installing these apps on Android requires broad permissions, including access to contacts and call history, to enable Caller ID. Without these permissions, the app will not be able to identify who is calling you and show the name of the organization instead of the number.

But there are downsides to third-party solutions: They can consume more battery life and slow down the system, and some can send your contacts to their servers to update their databases, which calls into question privacy.

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Use Do Not Disturb mode for night time, set it so that repeated calls (if someone calls a second time within 3 minutes) still pass - this can be an emergency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Comprehensive spam protection on Xiaomi is achieved by combining built-in Antispam, Contacts Only mode and, if necessary, the services of the telecom operator.