Power saving mode on Xiaomi: a detailed analysis of the functions and subtleties of setting

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones sooner or later face the need to extend the battery life of the device. One of the most effective tools for this is the energy saving mode, which is built into the firmware. MIUI But how does it work? What processes restrict and what processes leave unchanged? And the main thing is whether to turn it on permanently or only in critical situations?

In this article, we will take a detailed look at all aspects of Xiaomi’s power saving mode, including its varieties (conventional and ultra mode), performance impact, background processes, and even hidden settings that not everyone knows about. You'll learn how to activate mode properly depending on the situation, what applications can be added to the exceptions, and why sometimes energy saving can, on the contrary, speed up battery discharge. MIUI, For example, with charging optimization or adaptive brightness.

What is Xiaomi’s energy saving mode and why you need it?

Energy saving regime in MIUI — This is a set of measures aimed at reducing the power consumption of the smartphone by limiting background processes, reducing the performance of the processor and disabling some functions. Its main task is to extend the device’s life from one charge when the battery is discharged to a critical level (usually lower than the current one). 15-20%) Or when the user wants to save money manually.

Unlike many other manufacturers, Xiaomi offers not one, but two options for energy saving:

• 🔋 Normal mode – moderate limitation of background processes and performance, retains the basic functionality of the smartphone.
• ⚡ Super Power Saving – Power Saving, which shuts down almost everything except calls, SMS and several selected applications.

It's important to understand that the power saving mode is not a magic button that will double the time, but its effectiveness depends on which processes consume the most power on your device, for example, if the battery is running out due to active use. GPS If you're not on mobile, you're going to have minimal back-end effects, but if you're going to be hit by multiple notifications and synchronizations, you're going to get a lot of relief.

How does the normal mode of energy saving: a detailed analysis

The normal power saving mode is activated automatically when the battery charge drops below 15% (the threshold can be changed in the settings), or manually through the notification panel or the battery menu.

• 📉 Limiting productivity CPU — processor frequency is reduced by 20-30%, which reduces heat and power consumption, but can cause lags in heavy applications.
• 🔄 Background Process Suspension – Applications running in the background get fewer resources, and some fall asleep completely before the next run.
• 📶 Mobile Internet Restrictions – Background data transfer is reduced, but basic functions (calls, instant messengers) remain active.
• 🔍 Reduce the frequency of screen updates - on models with 90 Hz/120 Hz display frequency may fall to 60 Hz.
• 🎨 Decrease in screen brightness – Average brightness level is automatically set, even if the maximum brightness was manually selected.

The mode does not disable notifications from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber) and does not block incoming calls, however, some applications, such as email clients or social networks, may be updated less often, which leads to a delay in notifications.

One little-known fact: In normal power saving mode, Xiaomi also disables automatic synchronization of Google accounts (e.g., Gmail, Calendar, Contacts) which means that new emails or events may not show up until you manually open the app or turn off mode.

Ultra-mode energy saving: when it is needed and how it works

Ultra mode (or Super Power Saving) is an emergency mode that is turned on automatically when the battery is below 5% or manually through settings. Its main feature is the complete shutdown of all functions except the most necessary ones. The screen becomes black and white, and the interface is simplified to a minimalist menu with large icons.

This mode only operates:

• 📞 Calls and SMS — basic telephone functionality.
• 📱 3 selected applications (manually configured, for example, messenger, maps, browser).
• ⚡ Battery Charge Indicator – so you can track the remaining percentage.

All other features including mobile internet (except calls), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS And the background processes, completely shut down, so you can extend the smartphone's life to 12-24 hourly 5% but at the cost of losing almost all of its functionality.

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If you urgently need to use a navigator or messenger at low charge, add these applications to the exceptions of ultramode Zarane. In the mode itself, you will not be able to change the list!

Interesting nuance: on some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO F3) The ultramode can automatically turn off if you plug in the charger, so that the smartphone can recover charge faster without wasting resources on maintaining minimal functionality.

How to turn on or off power saving mode on Xiaomi

You can activate the power saving mode in several ways, the fastest is through the notification panel:

1. Swipe your finger down from the top of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the Energy Saving icon (battery icon with sheet) and tap it.
3. Select Normal Mode or Ultra Mode (if available).

For a more subtle setting, go to the menu: Settings → Battery and productivity → Energy saving regime.

Here you can:

• 🔧 Set the automatic switching threshold (from 5% to 20%).
• 📱 Add applications to exceptions (they will work in the background even in ultramode).
• ⚡ Turn on or off automatic disabling mode when charging.

To turn off the mode, it is enough:

• Connect the smartphone to charging (if the appropriate setting is enabled).
• Or manually tap the energy saving icon in the notification panel.
• Or go to the battery settings and deactivate the mode.

What applications can be added to the exceptions and how to do it

By default, the power saving mode limits all background processes, but you can manually add apps to exceptions, which is useful if you need certain programs to work smoothly, such as messengers, navigators or fitness trackers.

To add an annex to the exceptions:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Energy Saving Mode.
2. Select the High Energy Application or Power Saving Exclusions (name depends on version) MIUI).
3. Put the badge on. + and select the desired applications from the list.

Note that even with exceptions, applications will not work at full capacity.

• 📲 Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) will receive notifications, but synchronization of contacts or media files may be delayed.
• 🗺️ Navigators (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps) will be able to update the location, but less accurately and less often.
• 🎵 Music services (Spotify, Yandex Music) will play tracks, but background buffering may be turned off.

Important: don't add too many apps to the exceptions, it'll negate the whole point of energy saving — 2-3 major.

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Adding an application to exceptions does NOT guarantee its full operation; the mode will still restrict background processes, just to a lesser extent.

The Impact of Energy Saving Mode on Performance and Gaming

One of the most common questions is, can you play energy-saving? Technically, but with serious reservations.

• 🎮 Lightweight games (such as Candy Crush or Subway Surfers) will run almost without lags.
• 🖥️ Heavy. 3D-game (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact to start slowing down due to restrictions CPU and GPU.
• 🔥 The heat will decrease, but with it will fall and FPS (frame-rate).

In ultramode, games won’t run at all – the system blocks all resource-intensive applications except those added to the exceptions (but even they will work with serious limitations).

If you're an avid gamer, it's best not to use energy saving while playing.

• 🔋 Close all background applications before launching the game.
• 📵 Turn on Do Not Disturb mode so that notifications don’t distract or waste charge.
• 🔄 Reduce the graphical settings in the game itself (resolution, detail, shadows).

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On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Black Shark or Black Shark) POCO F series) has a special "game mode" that optimizes performance without a strong effect on the battery. Try it instead of the standard energy saving.

It’s also worth remembering that long-term power-saving gaming sessions can lead to unstable performance – a smartphone can spontaneously reboot or exit mode – because the system tries to balance energy savings with game demands, which is not always successful.

Common Problems and How to Solve Them

Despite the obvious advantages, Xiaomi’s power saving mode sometimes doesn’t work properly, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: If after leaving ultramode, the smartphone began to slow down or spontaneously reboot, perform a soft reset (press the power button for 10 seconds.

Another common situation is that after the power saving is gone, some applications stop working correctly (for example, widgets are not updated or data is not synchronized).

1. Close the problem application through the latest task menu.
2. Clean its cache in settings (Settings) → Annexes → Select an application → Clear the cache).
3. Reboot your smartphone.

If the problem is repeated, check if the application is in conflict with optimizations. MIUI. To do this, you can temporarily turn off all energy saving functions and test the program.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Xiaomi’s Energy Saving Mode