How to Protect Games with a Password on Xiaomi: Official and Hidden Methods

Are you tired of kids or curious friends running your games on Xiaomi without demand? Or wanting to hide the progress of Genshin Impact from prying eyes? Setting a password on apps is not only a matter of privacy, but also a way to save battery power by blocking background game activity. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to password-protect games on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones – from built-in MIUI features to third-party encryption solutions.

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally reliable. For example, the standard application lock feature in MIUI is easy to get by by resetting, and third-party applications can conflict with the system. We tested each method on current firmware (including HyperOS) and highlighted their pros/cons. If you use Xiaomi 13T or Redmi Note 12, note that on new models, some methods work differently - read about this in the relevant sections.

1. Built-in application locking in MIUI/HyperOS

The most obvious way is to use the standard application lock feature available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10+ or HyperOS firmware. It does not require additional software installation and works at the system level, but has limitations:

• 🔒 Password is tied to Mi Account – if you reset it, the lock will be removed.
• 🎮 Do not block notifications from games (e.g., calls to return to Honor of Kings).
• 🔄 After restarting the phone, some games can be unlocked.

To activate the lock:

1. Open Settings → Passwords and Security → Block applications.
2. Enter the password from Mi Account (or create it if you don’t already).
3. Select the games you want from the list (like PUBG Mobile or Free Fire).
4. Activate the slider Blocking applications.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with pure Android (e.g, POCO F5 For the global market, this section may be called App Lock and is located in Settings. → Privacy. Please note that on some models (e.g. Redmi) A2) Application blocking function is not available due to simplified firmware.

Put Mi Account on the phone|Create a backup copy of game data|Check the version. MIUI/HyperOS|Turn off auto-update of blocked games-->

2. Hidden Features: Second Space and Dual Apps

If the built-in lock seems unreliable, use Second Space or Dual Apps, which create an isolated environment where you can run games with a separate password.

• 🛡️ Complete isolation – Second Space games are not visible in the main profile.
• 🔐 You can set up a separate PIN, graphical.
• 📱 It works on Xiaomi Pad 6 and other tablets.

Instructions for Second Space:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Second Space.
2. Set up a second profile (you will need to create a new password).
3. Install games only in Second Space – they won’t show up in the main menu.
4. To switch between profiles, use the gesture of double pressing the power button (configured in Settings → Buttons and gestures).

For Dual Apps (if you need to duplicate the game with different accounts):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Dual Apps
2. Select a game (such as Clash of Clans) and create a copy of it.
3. Block the original game through Application Lock and leave a copy in Second Space.

3. Third-party applications for blocking games

If the standard methods don't work, look at third-party programs, and we tested 5 popular apps and selected the most reliable ones:

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party blockers, disable Battery Optimization for them in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Autorun. Otherwise, the lock can be reset after the phone sleeps, and avoid apps called Game Locker, many of which contain malicious code.

The recommended algorithm for setting up AppLock:

1. Download AppLock from Google Play (don’t use APK from third-party sources!).
2. When you first start, set your primary password (don’t use your date of birth!).
3. In the Applications section, select games to lock (e.g., Call of Duty Mobile).
4. Activate Hidden Mode in the settings so that the AppLock icon does not appear in the menu.

Built-in lockdown MIUI|Second Space|Third-party applications (e.g. AppLock)|Don't block it.|Another way.-->

4. Blocking through Game Turbo (for gamer models)

If you have a Xiaomi Black Shark, POCO F4 GT or another model with Game Turbo mode, you can use it to restrict access to games.

• ⏰ Set time limits for games.
• 🔒 Block launch without password.
• 📊 Track usage statistics.

How to set up:

1. Open Game Turbo (the icon is usually on the desktop or in Settings → Special Features).
2. Select a game (such as Genshin Impact) and click Settings → Parental Controls.
3. Set a password and set limits (for example, lock from 22:00 to 8:00).
4. Activate the option Requires a password to start.

Important: The Game Turbo is only available on devices with a Snapdragon 8xx or Dimensity 1200+ processor. On budget models (for example, Redmi 10A), this feature is not available.

5. Encryption of game data (for advanced users)

If you need to not just block the game from launching, but completely hide its data (for example, save to Minecraft or progress to Stardew Valley), use folder encryption. This method requires root rights or special applications like Solid Explorer.

Instructions for Solid Explorer:

1. Install Solid Explorer from Google Play and buy a premium version (free doesn’t support encryption).
2. Go to the folder with the game data (usually /Android/data/[game name] or /Android/obb).
3. Select the folder, click More → Encrypt and set the password.
4. After encryption, the game will stop running without entering a password in Solid Explorer.

⚠️ Note: Encryption can cause data loss if you forget your password, PUBG Mobile) check file integrity and may ban your account for suspicious changes!

💡

If the game does not start after encryption, try moving the encrypted folder to /storage/emulated/0/Download and specify the new path in the game settings (if you have such an option).

6.Alternative methods: games hiding and remote access

If password blocking seems excessive, consider other ways to protect yourself:

• 👁️ Hiding game icons: Use launchers like Nova Launcher to hide games in a hidden folder. Access requires a gesture (e.g., double tapping).
• 🌐 Remote Access: Set up TeamViewer or AnyDesk to block games from another device (useful for parental controls).
• 📵 Restriction of mobile data: C Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Download the Internet for games – without updates they will become less interesting.

To hide games through Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher and install it with the default launcher.
2. Press the game icon and drag it to the folder.
3. Click on the folder → folder settings → Hide the name.
4. In Nova settings, activate Hidden Folders and set a gesture to open them (e.g. swipe down with two fingers).

💡

Hiding games through the launcher does not protect against access through Settings → Applications. To completely block this method, combine it with the built-in MIUI lock.

FAQ: Frequent questions about blocking games on Xiaomi