Power Optimization Disabled on Xiaomi: Why Apps Fall asleep and How to Fix It

Have you noticed that notifications from messengers come with a delay, the activity tracker stops recording steps, and music apps suddenly “fly out” from the background? The fault is the optimization of power in the MIUI firmware, which aggressively restricts the operation of background processes in order to save battery life. This feature is useful for extending autonomy, but often interferes with the correct operation of applications, especially if you are using Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO with MIUI version 12-14.

In this article, we’ll look at how to completely or selectively disable power optimization on Xiaomi devices, including hidden settings that the manufacturer does not advertise. You’ll learn which applications are most often affected by restrictions, how to check current battery settings and what to do if changes do not persist after rebooting. We’ll also touch on the nuances for specific models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12) and explain why some applications can still “fall asleep” even after optimizing is turned off.

What is power optimization in MIUI and why it interferes with the

Power optimization is a set of algorithms in MIUI firmware that automatically pauses application background processes to reduce charge consumption. In theory, this should prolong the life of the smartphone, but in practice leads to:

• 📱 Notification delays (e.g., messages to Telegram or WhatsApp only come after an app is opened).
• 🎵 Stop music playback in the background (especially in Spotify, YouTube Music).
• 📊 Loss of fitness tracker data (apps like Google Fit or Mi Fitness stop counting steps).
• 🔄 The spontaneous closure of applications (e.g., Yandex.Navigator or 2GIS is reset after 5-10 minutes in the background).

Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi is actively masking these settings: in new versions of MIUI, menu items are moved or hidden behind several layers of the interface, and after updating the firmware, optimization settings can be reset to default values.

It is important to understand that nutrition optimization works on three levels:

1. System layer – Global battery saving settings (e.g., Balanced or Super Savings mode).
2. Application level – individual restrictions for each software (background activity, auto-run).
3. The MIUI layer is a hidden algorithm that cannot be disabled through the standard menu (ADB- commands are required).

How to check if the application is optimized

Before you turn off optimization, make sure that it's the problem.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a problem app (such as Telegram).
3. Go to Battery (or Charge Consumption in older versions of MIUI).
4. Look at the item Optimization of power or background activity.

If it says Optimized or Restricted, it means the system artificially slows down the application. Also, note the AutoRun section - if it is disabled, the application will not be able to start automatically after the device restarts.

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In MIUI 14, the path to battery settings may be different. If you don't find the Battery section, try: Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management

Step-by-step: how to turn off power optimization

There are three ways to disable optimization: through standard settings, the hidden developer menu, and the ADB- command, starting with the simplest.

Method 1: Through battery settings (for individual applications)

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management (in MIUI 12, the path may be different: Settings → Battery → Application Selection).
2. Click on App Selection (or Battery Optimization).
3. In the list, find the desired application and select Without restrictions.
4. Go back and check the AutoRun section – turn it on for that app.

Background activity permitted | Autostart enabled |Application added to battery exceptions |Notifications not blocked by system-->

Important: MIUI 13/14 may require additional confirmation in the Background Activity section after selecting No Limits, and some apps (like Facebook) may reset settings after the update, and they will have to be reconfigured.

Method 2: Through the Developer's Hidden Menu

If standard settings don’t help, try activating developer mode and disabling system-level optimization:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the item Limit background processes and set without restrictions.
4. Turn off MIUI Optimization (if there is one).

Method 3: Through ADB (to completely disable)

If the first two fail, you have to disable optimization through ADB. This is a radical method that completely removes all the limitations of MIUI, but requires a connection to a computer.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the command to disable optimization: adb shell dumpsys deviceidle disable
5. Reboot your smartphone.

Once this command is executed, all background constraints will be disabled until the next setup reset or firmware update, but note that this can slightly increase battery consumption (by 5-10% depending on the model).

Features for different Xiaomi models

MIUI firmware behaves differently on devices of different lines, and this is what you need to know for owners of specific models:

For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro, even after manual optimisation is disabled, some applications (such as Google Maps) can continue to “fall asleep”, in which case only the ADB- command or custom firmware installation (such as LineageOS) will help.

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On devices with a MediaTek chipset (like the Redmi Note 11), optimization is more stringent than on Snapdragon, due to the features of the processor’s energy-saving cores.

What to do if settings are reset after rebooting

One of the most common problems is automatically resetting your optimization settings after rebooting or updating your MIUI.

• 🔄 Security Policy MIUI, which returns “dangerous” settings to default settings.

Decisions:

1. Freeze system applications via ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.powerkeeper ⚠️ Attention: Disabling com.miui.powerkeeper may cause battery instability. Use this method only if other methods have not helped.

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, try the Google Play Battery Optimizer app, which automatically applies optimization settings after you reboot. However, note that these utilities require Accessibility Service rights, which may not be secure.

What applications are most often affected by optimization

Not all programs are equally sensitive to power optimization. Here are the TOP-5 apps that most often fall asleep on Xiaomi:

1. Telegram/Whatsapp – notification delays up to 1-2 hours.
2. Spotify/YouTube Music – Music stops when the screen is locked.
3. Google Fit/Mi Fitness – stop counting steps in the background.
4. Yandex.Navigator / 2GIS - reset in 5-10 minutes.
5. Zoom/Microsoft Teams – The microphone or camera is turned off in the background.

For these annexes, it is recommended that:

• 🔧 Disable manual optimization (see Method 1).
• 🔄 Add to the battery exceptions (Settings → Battery → Exceptions).
• 📌 Secure in the latest applications (swipe down and icon retention).

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For Telegram, additionally enable the option Without restrictions in the application settings: Settings → Data and memory → Data Use → Background data transfer

Alternative ways to combat the “falling asleep” of applications

If optimizing doesn’t work, try these methods:

1.Using a VPN to circumvent restrictions

Some applications (like WhatsApp) are more stable if VPN is active in the background. This is because MIUI is less likely to suspend processes using the network. Install any VPN- application (like ProtonVPN) and leave it running in the background.

2. set up automatic start-up via MacroDroid

MacroDroid allows you to create rules for automatically running programs, such as:

• 🔄 Launch Telegram every 30 minutes.
• 📱 Unlock Spotify when connecting headphones.
• 🔋 Disable optimization for selected applications after charging.

Installation of custom firmware

If you are willing to take drastic measures, install firmware without optimizing MIUI, for example:

• 📱 LineageOS is pure Android without any restrictions.
• 🔧 Pixel Experience – firmware with Google Pixel features.
• ⚡ Evolution X is a custom firmware with advanced battery settings.

⚠️ Warning: Installing custom firmware will void warranty and may cause the device to operate unstable. Before firmware, back up the data via TWRP.

FAQ: Frequent questions about power optimization on Xiaomi