Where in the phone Xiaomi are locked numbers

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to limit unwanted calls or messages. Spam, intrusive offers or communication with unpleasant interlocutors are all solved by the lock feature built into the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS. However, when it comes time to check who is in isolation, or urgently need to unlock an important contact, users are lost in the menu.

The interface may vary depending on the firmware version, but the logic of anti-spam remains the same for most models. The system stores all data about blocked subscribers in a special system application, accessed through call settings or a separate security service. Understanding where the locked numbers are on the phone will allow you to fully control incoming traffic and not miss really important calls.

In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the ways to access the list of ignored contacts, learn how to manage a blacklisted database, how to export data and what to do if standard search methods do not work.

The main path through the phone application

The quickest way to get to the settings is to use the standard call app, which is where the primary lock is most often done, so it makes sense that the list management is also there. Open the Phone app (green handset) and look at the top of the screen.

In the upper right corner, you'll usually have a menu icon represented by three dots or three horizontal bars, and if you click on it, you'll see a drop-down list of options, and you'll find Lock Settings or Antispam, and in some versions of MIUI, this item may be simply called "Block."

After you go to this section, the system will offer you several options, not only can you see the list, but you can also adjust the filtering rules, for example, enable blocking of all hidden numbers or activate a smart spam filter. To view a specific list of ignored contacts, select the option Blacklist.

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If you don’t see “Antispam” on the menu, try pinching your finger on any number in the call log – often the context menu suggests adding it to the blacklist, from where you can already go to full management.

It is important to note that new versions of the shell can slightly change the interface, so if you see Locked Numbers immediately after clicking on the menu, go there, and the system automatically redirects you to the desired section of the Security application, where the entire database is stored.

Searching through the Security App

The central node of access rights and filtering management in Xiaomi smartphones is the system application Security (green shield icon), which is where all security settings are aggregated, including antivirus, memory cleanup and, of course, call blocker.

Launch the app and scroll down to Tools, which contains an Antispam icon (often a tab shield with a ban sign) and clicking on this will open up the unwanted contact management menu, which is much more functional than a simple call app.

Inside the Antispam section, you'll see a few tabs or buttons, and you're interested in the Blacklist button, and if you click on it, you'll be taken to the full number repository, and you'll see all the entries that you've added manually or automatically by the system, and each record contains a phone number and, if you have one, a contact name.

The peculiarity of this method is that it works even if the Phone app shortcut has been removed or hidden.The Security app is system-based and non-deleteable, making this the most reliable way to access lock settings in any situation.

List management: Adding and deleting

Once in the blacklist, the user gets full control over the entries. The interface here is intuitive, but has its own features. To remove a number from the lock list, you usually just click on the number itself or use the edit button (often looks like a pencil or three dots in the corner).

Once you select a number, you have an action menu. To unlock a contact, you have to select Delete or Unblock, and the number will disappear from the database instantly, and calls from that device will start coming back to your smartphone, which is irreversible through the Back button, so be careful.

To add a new number manually, the Add button (usually with a plus icon) will suggest you enter the number manually or select it from the phone book. When manually entering, it is important to follow the format, although MIUI usually adjusts the formatting itself.

You can also set your lock schedule, so you can set the system so that certain numbers are locked only at night or on weekends, so you can find the rule settings on the blacklist menu and add a time slot.

Filtering settings and smart spam

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have advanced spam detection algorithms, and in the lock management section, you can find settings that allow you to automatically screen out calls from advertising agencies or scammers, and these data are often updated through cloud databases.

In the Settings menu, you can activate filtering by keywords in SMS. If the message contains certain phrases (for example, "credit", "win"), it will automatically move to the spam folder and will not disturb you with a notification.

The hidden number lock feature deserves special attention, and by activating this switch, you will prevent any calls where the subscriber is undecided. Be careful: this can cut off calls from doctors, couriers or emergency services using special gateways.

⚠️ Warning: Enabling Do Not Disturb or aggressive spam filtering may result in missing important calls from delivery services or healthcare facilities, which often call from unknown or hidden numbers.

You can also set up notifications here, and you can choose whether the phone will vibrate when you call from a blacklist or be completely silent, which is a useful feature for those who want to know about communication attempts but don't want to respond to them.

Table of differences between MIUI and HyperOS versions

The interface and layout of elements can vary significantly depending on the version of the operating system, and below is a comparative table that helps to navigate the differences between popular shell versions.

As you can see from the table, recent versions of HyperOS have a tendency to move settings deeper into the overall system settings menu, not just the call app, to unify management across all parts of the smartphone.

Synchronization and cloud problems

One of the common problems is to de-synchronize the blacklist between devices. If you use a Mi Account, the list of blocked numbers can be stored in the cloud. However, when you switch to a new phone or after resetting, the recovery of this list is not always correct.

In some cases, especially when changing the settings (e.g. from China to Global), the spam database can be cleared, because regional spam databases vary, and local numbers from one country may not be known to the system in another region.

You can use the export function for manual backup if it is available in your firmware version. It is usually located in the Anti-Spam Settings → Import / Export menu. The list file is stored in the phone's memory and can be transferred to another device.

⚠️ Warning: When you reset your settings to the factory (Hard Reset), all the blacklist stored only in the phone's memory will be permanently deleted.

Alternative methods and hidden codes

There are alternative methods of blocking control that can be useful if the standard menu is damaged or unavailable. USSD-codes or hidden test menus, although on modern versions of Android their functionality is limited.

You can also use third-party apps from Google Play, such as Call Blocker or Truecaller, which create their own layer on top of a standard call, in which case the blacklist will be stored in the database of a particular application, not in the Xiaomi system.

Advanced users can access the database through a root-rights file manager. A blacklist file is often stored along a path containing data/data/com.miui.guardprovider. However, direct editing of this file without proper knowledge can lead to unstable system operation.

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The most reliable way to manage locks is to use MIUI/HyperOS tools through the Security app, as they have integration with the call system.