Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive calls from advertising agents or unwanted contacts that you want to get rid of once and for all. The lock feature in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS works effectively, but hides blocked calls and messages in the depths of system settings, which causes difficulties for users. Finding this hidden partition is necessary not only to check the history, but also to avoid accidentally blocking an important contact or, conversely, unlocking an erroneous number.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways to access the blacklist on Xiaomi devices, look at the interface differences between different versions of the firmware, and explain how to manage locks through the standard Security app. You will learn not only to view the list, but also to configure smart filters that will automatically cut off spam without your involvement.
Using the Security app to view locks
The main tool for managing calls and messages in Xiaomi smartphones is the system application Security. This is where all data about blocked actions is aggregated, regardless of whether you are using the old Redmi Note or the flagship Xiaomi 14. To get to the desired section, you need to launch an application with a shield icon, which is usually located on the home screen or in the Tools folder.
Once you open the app, scroll down to the Tools block, and you'll find Antispam (or Lock in some localities) where you click on it, you'll be taken to the filter control center, where you'll see the statistics of blocked calls and SMS, and you'll also have locking rules settings available.
At the top of the Antispam screen are tabs or icons that switch view modes. You need the Blacklist tab (sometimes denoted as "Blocked"). This is where the full database of numbers that have been rejected by the system is stored. The interface may vary slightly depending on the Android version, but the logic remains the same for all devices of the brand.
💡
If you can’t find the Security app, search the system by pulling your finger down on your desktop and type in the word “antispam.”
Importantly, this section allows you to not only see numbers, but also edit lists, add exceptions and customize behavioral patterns for unknown subscribers, and allows you to flexibly configure filters to avoid missing a call from a courier or doctor.
Search for blocked numbers through a standard call
An alternative and often faster way to block contacts is to use the built-in Phone app.This method is especially convenient when you need to quickly check if a particular number is in the block without going to the deep settings menus. Xiaomi's standard call interface has hidden but accessible lock management features.
Open the Phone app and look at the top right corner of the screen, and there's a three-dot button or a gear icon that opens the optional action menu. In the dropdown, you'll need to select Lock Settings or Antispam. The path can vary: some versions of MIUI have a separate sub-item, others have a part of the general call settings.
Once you go to the lock menu, you'll see the same data as the Security app, but in a more compact form, and it's convenient to view the history of blocked calls in chronological order, and if the number was automatically blocked from a spam database, it often has a corresponding tag next to it.
Right from this menu, you can manually blacklist a number, and you just click the plus or add button and enter the contact information, and that action will instantly bring the subscriber to Blacklist, and their attempts to contact you will be interrupted at the system level.
Differences between MIUI and HyperOS
With the release of the new HyperOS operating system, the visual design and layout of some controls have changed, and users who have moved from older versions of MIUI 12 or MIUI 13 may have difficulty finding familiar features, and understanding these differences is critical to effective contact management.
In the classic MIUI, the menu structure was flatter, and blacklist access was done through explicit tabs inside the Security app. In HyperOS, developers implemented a deeper nesting of settings, hiding some features under the headings “Privacy Protection” or “Special Features,” which is done to improve ergonomics, but requires addiction.
Below is a table showing the main differences in navigation for different firmware versions:
| Action. | MIUI 12/13/14 | HyperOS 1.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance through the bell | Three points. → Locking settings | Three points. → Antispam |
| Security location | The Tools Tab → Antispam | Tab Tools → Protection |
| Managing exceptions | Separate tab on the menu | Inside the rule settings |
| Visualization of the lairs | Cards with detailed statistics |
Despite the external changes, the functional core of the system remains the same. The filter algorithms work identically, and all your previously saved settings should be transferred correctly after the update. If you do not find the right item, try searching inside the phone settings by entering the "lock" request.
Set up the rules of automatic locking
One of the most powerful features of Xiaomi smartphones is the ability to automatically block not only specific numbers, but also entire categories of callers, which allows you to get rid of advertising calls, numbers from hidden IDs and even calls from other regions if you do not need them.
To set these rules, go to Antispam and click on the gear icon in the upper right corner, and the Lock Rules menu opens here, you can activate the Lock Hidden Numbers switch to ignore any undetected numbers, and you can also lock all unknown numbers, but you should be careful with it.
- 📞 Keyword Blocking: Allows You to Weed Out SMS-Spam containing certain phrases, such as “credit” or “winning».
- 🌍 Regional filters: the ability to ban calls with codes of other countries, which is important for protection against international fraud.
- ⏰ Do Not Disturb: Automatically activate blocking of all calls (except favorites) at a predetermined time, such as at night.
How do spam databases work?
Flexible rules allow you to create a personalized shield from information noise, and it is recommended to periodically check the logs of blocked calls to make sure that the system has not filtered something important, such as a call from a taxi driver or courier.
How to Unblock a Number and Add Exceptions
Situations where an important contact accidentally gets blacklisted happen quite often, this can happen due to user error or too aggressive filtering settings, you can restore communication with a subscriber by removing his number from the blocking list or adding to the exception list.
To unlock a number, open the Security → Antispam → Blacklist. Find the contact you want on the list, click on it and hold your finger (or click on the edit icon). In the menu that appears, select the option to Unblock or Delete.
If you want a particular number to never be blocked, even if it fits the general rules (like a hidden number or region), add it to the White List. To do this, in the anti-spam settings, look for the "Exceptions" or "White List" and make a contact from the phone book there, which guarantees priority call passage.
☑️ Checking the lock settings
Remember that adding to the whitelist takes the highest priority over any other filter, and it is the perfect way to protect yourself from skipping emergency calls or contacting loved ones in critical situations.
Synchronization and cloud-based blocking functions
Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers a convenient blacklist synchronization feature between devices tied to the same Mi Account, which means that if you lock a number on your tablet or second phone, it will automatically be locked on the main smartphone, and you need to log in to your account and enable sync to work.
Enabling cloud locking also allows you to use current spam databases. The smartphone periodically downloads updates to lists of scammers and telemarketers, providing real-time protection. Make sure that the Antispam settings activate the option “Update databases automatically”.
⚠️ Note: When you enable blacklist sync via Mi Cloud, the list of locked numbers can be seen on all your devices.
For enterprise users or those who change devices frequently, cloud sync is an indispensable tool, which allows you to save personal filtering settings even after resetting your phone to factory settings or when buying a new Xiaomi model.
💡
Cloud blacklist provides uniform protection across all your Xiaomi devices, but requires an active Mi Account.