AVL Avast for Xiaomi: which antivirus protects and does not brake the phone?

Choosing an antivirus for Xiaomi’s smartphone is a more difficult task than it seems, MIUI It already has built-in protection (AVL), On the other hand, popular solutions like Avast promise enhanced security, but often are sinned by aggressive advertising and background processes that eat up battery power?

In this article, we will discuss the key differences. AVL Avast and Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi models, POCO We will analyze: performance (processor and RAM load), protection efficiency (virus detection, phishing, fraudulent sites), the effect on autonomy (battery discharge in the background),

and also compatibility with MIUI and usability.

All conclusions are based on tests of 2026, taking into account the latest versions of the software.

Spoiler: AVL It is enough for 90% of Xiaomi users, but Avast can be useful for those who actively use banking applications, often downloading them. APK It's from unverified sources or roaming-enabled travel, but every solution has pitfalls, and you can read about them below.

1. What is it? AVL Why is it already installed on your Xiaomi?

AVL (Antiy AVL) — It is a built-in antivirus engine that Xiaomi has integrated into the MIUI Security, which is powered by technology from a Chinese cybersecurity company called Antiy Labs, unlike third-party antivirus software, AVL:

• 🔹 Does not require a separate installation – activated automatically when the first switch on the smartphone.
• 🔹 Minimum loading system - consumes up to 5% CPU scanning (against 15-25% of Avast).
• 🔹 Updated with the MIUI — No need to follow the versions manually.
• 🔹 It doesn’t show ads, unlike most free antiviruses.

AVL scan:

• 📱 Installed applications (including system applications).
• 📁 Files in device memory (APK, ZIP, RAR).
• 🌐 Network traffic for phishing links (in a limited amount).

But AVL There are limitations: Safety → Scanning is only manually or on schedule (no permanent real-time protection like Avast’s).

Nor does it block:

- Fraudulent SMS (smiley).

Fake websites in the browser (only if they download malicious files).

Data leaks through applications with excessive permissions.

2. Avast Mobile Security: pros and cons on Xiaomi

Avast is one of the most well-known antiviruses for Android, but its work for Xiaomi has nuances.

• 🛡️ Real-time protection – scans files and links when opened.
• 🔍 Wi-Fi network vulnerability testing (useful in public places).
• 📊 Monitoring applications for excessive data or battery consumption.
• 🔒 VPN (Limited traffic in the free version.

Xiaomi users, on the other hand, often face problems:

• ⚠️ Conflict with MIUI: Avast can block system processes (e.g., com.miui.securitycenter), leading to lags.
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption: up to 10-15% in 8 hours in the background (tests on the Redmi Note 12 Pro)+).
• 📢 Intrusive advertising in the free version (pop-up banners even in the settings menu).
• 📱 Slowdown: on weak models (e.g, POCO M4 Pro) Avast can "suspend" the system during scanning.

Important: Avast requires availability permission (Settings) → Special features that theoretically allow it to intercept data from the screen (such as passwords), the company claims not to use this maliciously, but the risk remains.

3. Performance comparison: who loads the phone the most

We tested both antiviruses on three Xiaomi devices with different chipsets: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (Xiaomi 13 Ultra), Dimensity 1080 (Redmi Note 12 Pro).+), Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 (POCO M5).

Results (average values for 5 launches):

Conclusion: AVL 3-5 times less resource-intensive than Avast. on weak smartphones (for example, Redmi). 9A) The difference is particularly noticeable – Avast can cause slowdowns when multitasking.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Avast on Xiaomi with a Snapdragon processor 4xx or Helio Gxx, add it to the battery optimization exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Optimize the battery, otherwise it will be constantly restarted.

4. Protection effectiveness: who is better at catching viruses and scammers

According to the independent laboratory AV-Test (2026), both antiviruses show high results in detecting common threats, but there are nuances:

• 🦠 AVL: - Catch 98% of known viruses for Android (the database is updated every 1-2 weeks). - Weakly protects against phishing - skips up to 30% of fraudulent links. - Does not scan archives deeper than 2nd level nesting.
• 🛡️ Avast: - Virus Detection: 99.8% (the database is updated daily). - Blocks 85% of phishing sites (including fake bank pages). - Checks archives of any attachments, but can give false positives on modified ones APK (for example, patch games).

Where Avast is definitely winning:

Protection against banking Trojans (e.g. Anubis or Cerberus)

- Lockdown SMS-fraud (smileyling).

Check Wi-Fi networks for vulnerabilities (e.g. man-in-the-middle attacks).

Where AVL may be sufficient:

If you only download apps from Google Play.

Do not use roaming or public Wi-Fi.

Do not store critical data on your phone (passwords, scans of documents).

💡

For most of the Xiaomi users AVL + common sense (not to be established) APK Avast is only needed if you are at risk (active online payments, downloading pirated content).

5. Impact on autonomy: who planted the battery faster

One of the biggest fears of users is, "Antivirus is eating the battery." To test this, we ran a test on Xiaomi. 12T Pro (MIUI 14, Android 13) with two scenarios:

1. Background: phone standby, Wi-Fi on, screen off.
2. Active use: launch apps, surf in Chrome, listen to music.

Results:

The reason for this difference is the constant activity of Avast:

It scans all downloaded files in real time (including browser cache).

Periodically checks the installed applications for changes.

Uses geolocation to block dangerous networks (if optional).

⚠️ Warning: If you notice that after installing Avast, the phone has been warming for no reason, check the antivirus settings. Turn off the options "Scan new apps" and "Check Wi-Fi networks" - this will reduce the load by 30-40%.

Compatibility with MIUI: What problems may arise

Xiaomi is not always friendly with third-party antiviruses. MIUI:

• 🚫 System process lock: Avast may accept com.miui.securitycenter or com.android.providers.downloads as a threat, resulting in a failure of the gallery or file uploader.
• 🔄 Duplication of features: Both antiviruses can scan the same file at the same time, which slows down the system.
• 📵 Notification problems: Avast sometimes intercepts push notifications from system applications (e.g., Mi Home or Mi Fit).
• 🔋 Auto-optimization: MIUI It can force Avast to close if it’s running in the background for too long (even if battery optimization is turned off).

How to minimize problems:

Add Avast to battery optimization exceptions|Turn off scanning system applications in Avast settings|Turn off Wi-Fi protection if you are not using public networks|Install Avast as the “Default App” for scanning files (to avoid conflicts with the software). MIUI Security)-->

If after installing Avast, the phone began to spontaneously restart or fly out to fastboot, try:

1. Remove Avast via Settings → Annexes.
2. Clear the Security Cache (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Systemic → Security → Clear the cache).
3. Reboot the phone.

7 What to choose: AVL Or Avast? Recommendations for different scenarios

There is no universal answer, it depends on your tasks. Here are our recommendations:

If you do decide to install Avast, follow these tips to reduce its impact:

💡

Turn off the “Performance Optimization” and “Waste Cleanup” functions in the Avast settings – they duplicate the built-in tools. MIUI They just load the system.

For maximum safety, a combined approach can be used:

- Leave it. AVL basic protection.

Install Avast, but disable everything except:

- On-demand scanning (manual).

- Check the links in the browser.

Wi-Fi protection (if necessary).

8.Alternatives: What other antiviruses are worth considering

If not AVL, You are not satisfied with Avast, pay attention to the:

• 🛡️ Bitdefender Mobile Security: - Easy Avast (consuming) ~80MB RAM. - Phishing detects better (95% blocking). - No advertising in the free version (but limited functionality).
• 🔒 Kaspersky Internet Security: - Highest efficiency (100% virus detection according to AV-Test). - Antispyware (blocks applications access to the camera / microphone). - Minus: paid license (~1500 rubles per year).
• 📱 Malwarebytes: - Specializes in adware and spyware. - Does not conflict with MIUI. - Free version without advertising.

For Xiaomi users with root rights, you can consider:

- LSPosed + XPrivacyLua module (block permissions for applications).

- Magisk + AVB Custom Key (System Integrity Check).

⚠️ Note: Do not install two antiviruses at the same time (e.g. Avast) + Bitdefender. They'll be in conflict, which will slow down the system and cause false positives.

FAQ: Frequent questions about AVL And Avast on Xiaomi.