Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the charge of a Xiaomi smartphone is rapidly melting and the sockets are nowhere near? Or the phone is about to turn off and you urgently need to wait for an important call? In such cases, ultra-charge saving mode comes to the rescue, a hidden but extremely useful tool in the arsenal of MIUI. This mode does not just reduce the brightness of the screen or turn off background processes: it radically changes the behavior of the device, sacrificing convenience for every percent of the battery.
In this article, we’ll look at how ultra-savings work on Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO, what limitations it imposes, and why it’s better to use standard energy saving mode in some cases. You’ll also learn how to enable this mode manually (even if it’s not in quick settings), which apps will keep working and which will be blocked, and how to get around the limitations without losing precious charge. We will also focus on the nuances for different versions MIUI (from 12 to 15) and smartphone models – from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14.
What is the ultra-charge saving mode on Xiaomi
Ultra Battery Saver is an emergency feature in MIUI that is activated automatically at a critical charge level (usually 5% or 10%) or manually enabled by the user. Unlike conventional energy saving mode, ultra saving not only optimizes consumption, but completely reboots the system, leaving only the most basic functions running:
- 📞 Telephony (calls and SMS)
- 🕒 Clocks and alarm clocks
- 🔋 Indication of battery charge
- 🔒 Lock screen (with limited functionality)
Important: In ultra-saving mode, Xiaomi turns off all background processes, including data synchronization, notifications from apps, and even access to mobile Internet (unless otherwise configured), which allows you to extend the device’s life from 5% charge to 3-5 hours in standby mode, versus 30-60 minutes in normal use.
The feature first appeared in MIUI 12 and has since undergone several changes, such as MIUI 14/15, where users can customize the list of applications that will remain active in ultra-saving mode (it was not possible before), but even in the latest versions of the firmware, the mode has strict restrictions:
What happens to the phone when ultra-savings are activated?
How to turn on ultra-saving mode on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions
There are two ways to activate ultra-savings: automatically (at low charge) or manually. Let's look at both.
Method 1: Manually Including Through Settings
If you want to turn on the mode in advance (for example, before a long trip), do the following:
- Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
- Slip on the item Power saving mode.
- Choose Ultra Charge Saving (some versions of MIUI may call Emergency Energy Saving).
- Confirm activation and the phone will restart.
Once you reboot, you'll see a simplified interface with a black background and a minimal set of icons, so to get back to normal mode, you just plug in the charger or manually turn off ultra-saving settings.
Save important data (mode disables background synchronization)
Close all applications (they will be forcibly closed)
Set up exceptions for critical applications (in MIUI 14+)
Make sure that the SIM- card is active (calls will work)
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Method 2: Automatic onset at low charge
By default, MIUI suggests turning on ultra-savings when the charge drops to 5%. To customize this behavior:
- Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Energy Saving Mode.
- Slip on Ultra Savings (or Automatic Energy Saving) settings.
- Set a trigger threshold (options available are 5%, 10% or 15%).
- Choose which features should remain active (e.g. mobile internet or alarm clock).
MIUI 15 has a Smart Ultra Savings option that analyzes your habits and only turns on Detects mode, which you often discharge your phone to zero. However, this feature works unstable on budget models (for example, the Redmi 12C or the POCO M6 Pro).
Never used it.
I'm manually on my trips.
I only use automatic mode.
I don't know what that is.
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What functions are turned off in ultra-saving mode
Ultra-saving mode radically changes the behavior of the smartphone, and here is a complete list of the limitations that are imposed on the device:
| Function | Status in ultra-savings | Exceptions (MIUI 14+) |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Internet | ❌ Unplugged. | You can manually turn on in the mode settings |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | ❌ Disabled. | No (except for Bluetooth for calls on some models) |
| Notifications from annexes | ❌ Disabled. | SMS and calls only |
| Geolocation (GPS) | ❌ Disconnected. | No. |
| Vibration and sounds | ⚠️ Partially (for calls only) | You can adjust the sound settings. |
A particularly unpleasant surprise for many users is the blocking of access to the gallery and files.
- 📷 View photos or videos
- 🎵 Listen to music (even offline)
- 📄 Open documents (PDF, Word, etc.)
- 🎮 Run games or heavy applications
This is because MIUI shuts down the file system to save power, but there is a workaround: if you urgently need to open a file, you can temporarily turn off ultra-savings (the phone will restart) or use cloud services (if mobile Internet is included in exceptions).
💡
If you need to urgently send a file in ultra-saving mode, use an SMS or messenger with support for the light version (for example, Telegram Go).
How to Set Up Application Exclusions (MIUI 14 and Newer)
Starting with MIUI 14, users can choose which apps will stay active in ultra-saving mode, which is useful if you need something other than a call to work, like a messenger or a navigator. Here's how to do it:
- Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Energy Saving Mode → Ultra Charge Savings.
- Slip on Application Settings (or Exceptions).
- Select from the list of applications that should remain active. Note that not all programs are supported (for example, games or video players are forcibly blocked).
- Save the changes.
Important nuances:
- 🔄 Once you add the app to the exceptions, be sure to restart the phone, otherwise the changes won't apply.
- 📱 Maximum number of exceptions is 5 applications (limit MIUI).
- ⚡ Each excluded application reduces ultrasaving time by 10 to 15 percent.
For example, if you add Google Maps and Telegram to the exceptions, a 5 percent charge phone will last about 3-4 hours, not 5 hours, but you can use navigation or read messages.
💡
Adding applications to exceptions is only useful for critical tasks (navigation, instant messengers, payments), and for everything else, it is better to use a standard energy saving mode.
Differences between ultra-savings and standard energy saving
Many users confuse ultra-savings with the usual Battery Saver mode, which are actually two different features with different goals:
| Parameter | Standard energy saving regime | Ultra-saving regime |
|---|---|---|
| Energy consumption | Decrease by 20 to 30 percent. | It's down 70 to 80 percent. |
| Phone reboot | ❌ Not required | ✅ Required. |
| Access to applications | Limited (background processes) | Blocked (except for exceptions) |
| Mobile Internet | Works (but slower) | Disabled (unless configured) |
| Operating time from 5% charge | 1-1.5 hours | 3-5 hours |
When should you use ultra-savings and when should you use standard mode?
- ⚡ Ultra savings are needed in critical situations: when the charge is running out, and you need to keep the phone as long as possible (for example, on a trip or while waiting for an important call).
- 🔋 Standard mode is suitable for everyday use if you want to save charge without drastic restrictions (e.g., at work or at university).
Interesting fact: some Xiaomi models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro) even fast charging is turned off in ultra-saving mode. That is, if you plug in a charger, the phone will charge 2 to 3 times slower than usual, this is done to protect the battery from overheating in emergency energy saving conditions.
Problems and mistakes of ultra-saving mode Xiaomi
Despite the obvious benefits, ultra-savings sometimes work incorrectly, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:
⚠️ Warning: If after the ultra-savings are gone, the phone doesn't return to normal (there's a black screen or apps don't work), do a forced reboot: press the power button for 10-15 seconds, which will reset the time constraints.
Problem 1: The phone doesn’t automatically turn on ultra-savings
If the mode is not activated at 5% charge, check:
- 🔧 Threshold settings in Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode.
- 🔄 Updates MIUI (older versions may not have been stable).
- 📱 Phone model: On some devices (e.g., POCO X3 Pro), ultra-savings are disabled by default.
Problem 2: Calls or SMS are not working
If you are unable to call or send a message in ultra-saving mode:
- 📶 Check if the SIM- card is active (sometimes the mode shuts down the mobile network).
- 🔄 Reboot the phone manually.
- 📞 Try using alternative messengers (like WhatsApp in the light version) if they are added to the exceptions.
Problem 3: The phone is quickly discharged even in ultra-savings
If the charge continues to fall too quickly:
- 🔋 Check if too many applications are added to the exceptions.
- 🌡️ Make sure the phone doesn't overheat (e.g., in direct sunlight).
- 🔍 Run Settings → Battery → Battery → Use the battery and see which application consumes power.
⚠️ Warning: Some models (like the Redmi Note 11) will have their fingerprint scanner turned off in ultra-saving mode, so you have to enter a PIN- code or a pattern lock to unlock the phone.