Why Xiaomi needs built-in spam protection
Xiaomi smartphones have long ceased to be just devices for calls and messages β they have become full-fledged digital assistants that store personal data, financial information and access to dozens of accounts. That is why the manufacturer pays special attention to security, including built-in mechanisms to combat spam. SMS, a comprehensive system that analyzes incoming calls, messages and even notifications from applications to protect the user from fraudsters, advertising mailings and phishing attacks.
In 2026, the problem of spam became even more acute: according to Kaspersky, every third smartphone user in Russia is faced with fraudulent calls or calls. SMS Xiaomi is responding to this challenge with its own solution, built-in anti-spam, which is powered by artificial intelligence and a database of known spammers. But how exactly does it work? What types of threats do it block? And most importantly, how do you set it up so you don't miss an important message, but you don't drown in the flow of advertising.
What is anti-spam in Xiaomi and how does it work?
Antispam in Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi models, POCO Black Shark is part of the ecosystem. MIUI Security, which is integrated into firmware at the system level. Unlike third-party applications (like Truecaller or GetContact), built-in antispam does not require separate installation, does not collect your contacts for analysis and works completely offline (except for updating spammer databases). Its main objectives:
- π΅ Blocking spam calls from scammers, call centers and automated robots.
- π§ Filtration SMS β screening out advertising mailings, phishing messages and messages with malicious links.
- π Analysis of notifications from applications (optional) β identification of suspicious push notifications.
- π‘οΈ Protection against Scam Calls (e.g., from βbanking security servicesβ or βtax").
The system operates on three key components:
- Local spammer database β updated through Settings β The phone. β Update the system and contains numbers marked by other users MIUI as undesirable.
- Machine learning algorithms analyze the behavior of incoming calls (frequency, time, geolocation of a number) and identify suspicious patterns.
- Cloud Verification (optional) β Checking the number through Xiaomi servers to detect new threats.
Itβs important to understand that anti-spam in Xiaomi doesnβt delete messages or calls completely β it flags them as spam and invites the user to make a decision: block, ignore or add exceptions. This distinguishes it from the aggressive filters of some banking applications that can block even legitimate messages.
What types of spam are blocking Xiaomi anti-spam
Built-in anti-spam in MIUI It categorizes threats into several categories, each of which is handled differently:
| Type of spam | Examples | How antispam responds |
|---|---|---|
| Financial scam | SMS from Sberbank with a request to click on the link, calls from the βtaxβ with a demand to pay a fine. | Blocks the number and labels the message as Fraud. |
| Promotional mailings | SMS from beauty salons, microloans, online casinos. | Moves to the Spam folder in the Messages app. |
| Robobrae | Automatic calls with recorded voice ("Your card is blocked..."). | Drops a call or sends it to voicemail. |
| phishing | Links to fake websites (e.g., βenter data to receive a giftβ) | Blocks shipment SMS and give warning. |
| Spam from apps | Intrusive push notifications from games or stores. | Hide notifications (if the appropriate setting is enabled). |
Xiaomiβs anti-spam is especially effective against spam calls with spoofing, when scammers disguise themselves as bank or government numbers. The system analyzes Call Detail Records (call data) and compares them with legitimate numbers of organizations from its database. For example, if you received a call from a number. +7 495 123-45-67, posing as Sberbank, but the real number of the bank is different - anti-spam will show a warning.
β οΈ Warning: Antispam does not block calls from numbers stored in your phone book, even if they are marked as spam in the Xiaomi cloud database!
How to turn on and configure anti-spam on Xiaomi
By default, anti-spam in MIUI It's on, but you can fine-tune it to your needs. Here's a step-by-step guide to how to do it:
- Open the Security app (the shield icon).
- Go to Antispam (or Spam Protection in newer versions of MIUI).
- Activate the switches: π Call Filtering β Blocking Spam Calls. π¬ Message filtering - analysis SMS. π Notification Filtering (optional) β Hiding Spam Push Notifications.
Filtration settings
- Low β only blocks obvious spam.
- The average is the recommended level.
- High β can block legitimate messages (for example, from delivery services).
For more flexible settings:
- π Blacklist: Add numbers manually through Settings β Blacklist.
- βͺ Whitelist: exclude important numbers (banks, support) from filtering.
- π Update the spammer database: check the relevance of the base in Settings β The phone. β Updating the system.
Call filtering is enabled and SMS|
The filtration level is set to "Mediocre"|
Important numbers added to the whitelist|
Spammer database updated to the latest version-->
If you use Google Messages instead of Xiaomiβs standard Messages app, built-in anti-spam wonβt work β youβll have to rely on Google protection or install third-party solutions.
What to do if anti-spam blocks important messages
One of the most common problems is when the system mistakenly labels legitimate spam. SMS (For example, confirmation codes from banks or notifications from couriers. Here's how to fix it:
- Check the Spam folder in the Messages app. If there is an important message, click on it and select Don't Spam.
- Add the number to the whitelist: Settings β Security β Antispam β Whitelist β Add a number.
- Reduce the filtering level to Low if errors are repeated.
- Turn off cloud check (if enabled) in the anti-spam settings β sometimes it gives false positives.
If the problem is with banking SMS (For example, there are no codes from Tinkoff or Sber, try it:
- π¦ Add short bank numbers (e.g. 900 for Saver) to the whitelist.
- π± Install the official application of the bank β some financial institutions send push notifications instead of the bank. SMS.
- π§ Temporarily disable antispam for the test (but donβt forget to turn back on!).
β οΈ Note: If you have turned off antispam to get banking SMS, Never click on links in such messages - scammers often fake bank numbers.
π‘
To quickly find all blocked messages, enter the request is:spam in the search for the Messages application - the system will show all filtered correspondence.
Comparison of Xiaomi antispam with other solutions
Many users are wondering: is Xiaomiβs built-in anti-spam enough, or is it better to install a third-party app like Truecaller or Kaspersky Who Calls?
| Criteria | Xiaomi's built-in anti-spam | Truecaller | Kaspersky Who Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precision of locking | High for well-known spammers, but may miss new numbers. | Very high (using crowdsourcing). | High (Kaspersky database is updated frequently). |
| Confidentiality | He's not collecting your contacts. | Uploads contacts to the server (you can disable it). | Minimum data collection. |
| Functional | Locking down calls/SMS, whitelist. | Call identification, chat, spam filter for WhatsApp. | Blocking calls, checking links to SMS. |
| Offline work | Yes (except for cloud checks). | No (requires the Internet for identification). | Partially (the database is updated online). |
| Cost | Free. | Free with Advertising, Premium - 99β½/moss. | Free. |
Our verdict:
- β Xiaomiβs built-in antispam will suit most users β it is lightweight, does not load the system and reliably blocks the main threats.
π‘
For maximum protection, you can combine Xiaomiβs built-in anti-spam with Kaspersky Who Calls β they do not conflict and complement each other.
Frequent antispam problems and their solutions
Despite the reliability, anti-spam in MIUI Sometimes it fails. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them:
1 Antispam does not block obvious spam
Possible causes and solutions:
- π An outdated spammer database β Update the system through Settings β The phone. β Updating the system.
- π΅ Cloud check disabled β Enable it in the anti-spam settings.
- π± Conflict with another antivirus β Temporarily disable third-party applications to block calls.
2. They don't. SMS bank-service
What to do:
- π¦ Add short bank numbers to the whitelist (e.g. 900, 1234).
- π² Check if it's blocking. SMS The Banking Application (sometimes they are in conflict).
- π§ Reduce the filtering level to Low.
3 Antispam eats up battery charge
This is unlikely because the system is operating at a level of MIUI without constant activity in the background, but if you notice an increased flow rate:
- π Turn off cloud verification β it requires an internet connection.
- π Check the battery consumption statistics in Settings β Battery β if antispam doesnβt appear there, the problem is different.
4 After the update, the anti-spam stopped working.
Decision:
- π Reboot the phone.
- π οΈ Reset your anti-spam settings to standard (Settings) β Security β Antispam β Resetting settings).
- π² If the problem persists, revert to the previous version. MIUI (spoiler).