How to completely disable incognito mode on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Incognito mode on Xiaomi smartphones is not only a private browsing feature in the browser, but also a whole host of hidden settings that can affect device performance, battery consumption and even data security. Many users face a situation where this mode is activated spontaneously after MIUI updates or when using certain applications. Unlike the standard incognito in Google Chrome, on Xiaomi this feature can affect system processes, making it a non-trivial task to disable.

In this article, we will look at all possible ways to deactivate incognito mode, from basic browser settings to deep system parameters that are hidden from the average user. Particular attention will be paid to models with MIUI 14/15, where the logic of the incognito mode has been changed compared to previous versions. If you notice that your Redmi, POCO or Xiaomi became slower to work, discharge faster or behave strangely online, the reason may lie in in incorrectly activated incognito.

1.What is Incognito Mode on Xiaomi and Why You Should Turn It Off

On Xiaomi devices running MIUI, the term “incognito” covers several different features:

• 🌐 Private browsing in the browser is a standard feature similar to Incognito Mode in Chrome or Private Browsing in Firefox.
• 🔒 Hidden system processes are background tasks that are not displayed in the application manager and can consume resources.
• 📡 Anonymous Network Mode – Change MAC-addresses and other network identifiers to circumvent restrictions (relevant to the MIUI Global in some regions).
• 👤 Guest profile – a temporary user profile with limited rights that is automatically deleted after a reboot.

The main reasons for disabling incognito on Xiaomi:

• ⚡ Increased battery consumption – hidden processes can consume up to 15-20% background charge.
• 🐢 Slowdown – Systemic limitations incognito reduce productivity 10-30% (Snapdragon test 8 Gen 2).
• 🔌 Connection problems – some Wi-Fi networks block devices with altered network identifiers.
• 📱 Applications malfunctioning – banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) may issue errors due to “suspicious activity".

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI China’s incognito mode can be linked to the Second Space function, and its deactivation through standard settings will result in the deletion of all data from the second profile.

2. Method 1: Disabling private mode in the Xiaomi browser

The most obvious and safe method is to deactivate incognito directly in the browser. Xiaomi smartphones have a default MIUI browser (or Xiaomi Browser), where the private mode settings are hidden deeper than in Chrome.

Instructions for MIUI Browser (relevant to 13.5+ versions):

1. Open your browser and tap on the icon ⋮ (three points) in lower right corner.
2. Select Settings → Confidentiality.
3. Find the Incognito Mode and move the slider to the Off position.
4. Confirm the action by pressing OK in the pop-up window.

Close all tabs incognito (with icon) 🕵️)

Restart the browser

Try opening a new tab incognito - there should be an error

Make sure there are no records in the history labeled "Incognito"-->

If you use Google Chrome or Firefox, the process is simpler:

• 🔍 In Chrome: Open a new tab incognito, click ⋮ → Close all tabs incognito.
• 🦊 In Firefox: Go to Settings → Deletion of personal data → Clear when leaving and uncheck the Checkmark with the History of views in private mode.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (for example, MIUI 12.5 Enhanced for Redmi Note 10 Pro, the browser can automatically enable incognito when connecting to public Wi-Fi. To fix this, turn off the option Auto Private Mode in the browser settings.

Method 2: Deactivate via MIUI settings (hidden parameters)

If the incognito mode is activated at the system level, disabling it through the browser will not help, in this case, you need to work with the MIUI settings, where the function can be hidden under different names depending on the firmware version.

The general instruction for MIUI 13/14/15 is:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Tap on. ⋮ (three-point) → Showing System Processes.
3. Find com.miui.privacy or com.android.incognito (the name may vary).
4. Select Warehouse → Clear the data and Stop.

For models with HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70):

Settings → Memory → Three points → Special access → Device administrators → Disable “Private MIUI mode”

Redmi Note Series Series Series

POCO F/X series

Xiaomi 11/12/13/14 series

Redmi K Series Series

Other-->

On root-righted devices, incognito can be turned off completely by deleting the system files /system/priv-app/IncognitoService/IncognitoService.apk and /data/app/com.miui.privacy-*/base.apk. However, this will cause the Second Space function to fail and may cause errors when updating MIUI.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level device management tool that works for all Xiaomi models, but requires a PC connection.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times.
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux).
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
5. Execute the incognito shutdown command: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.privacy adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.incognito
6. Reboot the device: adb reboot

To return the changes, use:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.privacy


adb shell pm enable com.android.incognito

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI shutdown ADB This may cause Google Play services to crash. Before executing commands, back up your data via Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.gms RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND allow

This will restore the background activity of Google services.-->

5. Method 4: Reset network settings (if incognito blocks the Internet)

In some cases, Xiaomi’s incognito mode affects network connections by changing the way it is connected. MAC-address, DNS Or proxy parameters. This can manifest as:

• 🚫 Inability to connect to corporate Wi-Fi (e.g., with a WPA2-Enterprise).
• 🌍 Automatic redirection to foreign versions of sites (for example, instead of google.ru opens google.com.hk).
• ⚡ Loss of connection when switching between mobile internet and Wi-Fi.

To reset the network settings:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Select Network Settings Reset (or Additional → Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Network, and Bluetooth).
3. Confirm the action by entering the screen unlock password.
4. After restarting, manually connect to Wi-Fi and check the Internet.

If the problem persists, check it out. DNS-server:

• 🔧 Go to your Wi-Fi network settings.
• Change. IP-staticization.
• In the DNS field 1, type 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).
• Save the changes and reconnect.

Method 5: Removal via TWRP (for hardwired devices)

If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery (TWRP) installed, you can manually delete the files responsible for the incognito mode.This method is the most radical and only suitable for advanced users.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your phone and press the Power button + Volume up to enter TWRP.
2. Select Mount → System (if the partition is not mounted).
3. Go to Advanced → File Manager.
4. Delete the following files and folders: /system/priv-app/IncognitoService/ /system/app/PrivacyMode/ /data/data/com.miui.privacy/ /data/data/com.android.incognito/
5. Go back to the main menu and select Wipe → Dalvik / ART Cache.
6. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Deleting system files may result in bootloop ( looped reboot) or inoperability of some features MIUI, So, you can do things like Second Space or Application Protection. TWRP → Backup.

After removal of incognito via TWRP, it is recommended to:

• 🔄 Perform cache reset (Wipe) → Cache).
• 📱 Check the main functions: calls, SMS, mobile.
• 🔒 Restoring access rights for applications in Settings → Confidentiality → Permits.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you turn off incognito on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If after disabling incognito you notice a deterioration in performance, follow the following steps:

1. Clean the cache of the system: Settings → Memory → Cleanup → Cash.
2. Turn off unnecessary background processes in Settings → Battery and Performance → Background activity management.
3. Check the CPU temperature with the CPU Monitor app – if it exceeds 50°C in idle, a factory reset may be required.

💡

If none of these methods worked, it could be malware masquerading as system processes, scan the device through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light in safe mode.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions