How to completely disable wiretapping on Xiaomi phone: 7 working methods

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often wonder if their device can listen to conversations without the user’s knowledge?In the face of growing cyber threats and data leak scandals (such as the MIUI Analytics incident in 2020), this fear is not unfounded. The manufacturer claims that it does not conduct covert surveillance, but the MIUI operating system has default features that can record sound for voice commands, analytics or even on request from third-party applications.

In this article, practical ways to disable potential wiretapping on Xiaomi, taking into account the features of the firmware. We will examine both standard privacy settings and advanced technical techniques (including ADB and SELinux rights change). Importantly, some methods require superuser rights (root), which voids the warranty. All actions you perform at your own risk.

1. Verification of microphone permissions for applications

The first step is to audit applications that are allowed to access the microphone, and even legitimate programs (like Google Assistant or Mi AI>) can activate sound recording in the background to turn this off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Microphone.
2. Look at the list of apps with access, and look for programs with suspicious names (e.g. com.miui.analytics).
3. Turn off permission for all applications except those that are critical (like phone calls).

⚠️ Note: Some system processes (e.g. com.android.systemui) can automatically restore access to the microphone after rebooting. ADB (section).

2. Disable voice assistants and MIUI Analytics

Voice assistants (Mi AI, Google Assistant, Alice) and analytics services (MIUI Analytics, User Experience Program) are the main candidates for hidden recording of sound, and disabling them will reduce the risk of listening:

• 🎤 Mi AI: Settings → Folder "Additional" → Xiaomi's voice assistant → Turn off all switches.
• 📊 MIUI Analytics: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Tap 7 times according to version, then return to Settings → Additionally. → Confidentiality → Special permits → Send an error report → turn off.
• 🔍 Google Assistant: Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, helper and voice → Voice assistant → turn off.

Important: Even after these functions are disabled, system processes can periodically activate the microphone for diagnosis, and this can only be completely blocked through ADB or root.

3.Using incognito mode and blocking background activity

MIUI has built-in Incognito Mode, which restricts applications from accessing the microphone and camera, and it activates as follows:

1. Open Settings → Special Opportunities → Incognito mode.
2. Turn on the mode and add to the list of applications that you want to deny access to the microphone (for example, social networks).
3. Activate the option “Block background activity” to completely turn off the microphone when the application is folded.

⚠️ Note: Incognito mode does not block system processes (e.g. mediaserver) that can record audio for media processing.

4.Mic locking through ADB (no root)

If system applications ignore permission settings, you can block access to the microphone through Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method does not require root, but a computer and USB-cable.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version → tap 7 times.
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, open the terminal and type in: adb shell pm revoke com.miui.analytics android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO adb shell pm revoke com.android.systemui android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO
4. To block all applications (except system calls) use: adb shell settings put global capture_request_audio_source 0

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ADB-commands block access to the microphone at the system level, but do not protect against wiretapping through hardware vulnerabilities (for example, a sound chip).

5. Physically shutting down the microphone (for advanced users)

If the software doesn't work, you'll have to turn off the microphone hardware, a radical way that guarantees you stop recording any sound, but you can't make calls (unless you use the headset).

• 🔧 Method 1: Open the phone case and unfurl the microphone contacts (sweater iron and repair skills required).
• 📱 Method 2: Use a Bluetooth headset with a physical microphone switch and turn it off when no calls are needed.
• 🛡️ Method 3: Install a hardware kill-switch (e.g. Hardware Privacy Switch) if your model supports modifications.

⚠️ Attention: Opening the case Xiaomi voids the warranty. IP-certification (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) after disassembly, moisture protection is lost.

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Before you physically shut down the microphone, check its location on your model’s diagram. On most Xiaomi, the main microphone is next to the Type-C connector, and the additional microphone is next to the top speaker.

6. Alternative firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)

MIUI stock firmware is known for telemetry collection, so many users are switching to custom firmware such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience, which lack built-in “spyware” modules and allow for flexible resolution settings.

Advantages of alternative firmware:

• 🔒 Full control over permissions (including AppOps for hidden features).
• 🚫 No pre-installed Xiaomi services (e.g. MiPush, Analytics).
• 🔄 Regular security updates (as opposed to older versions) MIUI old-model).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Loss of guarantee.
• 📱 Not all functions work (for example, IR-blaster NFC on some models).
• 🔧 Requires unlocking the bootloader (the procedure takes up to 720 hours of waiting on new devices).

Instructions for installing LineageOS:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and device binding).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Download the firmware from the official website of LineageOS and sew through recovery.

7.Taking for wiretaps: signs and tools

How do you know if your Xiaomi is being tapped?

• 🔋 Unusual battery consumption (mediaserver process consumes) >5% charge).
• 📶 Network activity in the background (check in Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic).
• 🎧 Extraneous noises during calls (echoes, clicks).
• 📱 Spontaneous switching on of the microphone (indicator in the status bar).

For diagnosis, use the applications:

• 🛡️ NetGuard – Blocks Network Access for Suspicious Applications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wiretapping on Xiaomi