Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive notifications that are not only annoying, but can hide a real security threat. MIUI and its more recent version of HyperOS have built-in powerful security tools, but they are not always activated by default or require manual verification. Users often look for a way to look into the “picture” where suspicious emails are getting to make sure that important codes from banks are not lost in advertising.
The main challenge is that the interface may differ depending on the version of the Android operating system and the region of the firmware. In some cases, spam is automatically deleted, in others it moves to a hidden folder. The anti-spam filter works on the basis of databases that need to be updated regularly. If you stop receiving SMS from delivery services or bank codes, they may be mistakenly classified by the system as undesirable.
In this detailed guide, we will look at all aspects of dealing with unwanted correspondence, not only finding blocked messages, but also setting up smart lists so that the phone can decide what to show to the user and what to hide, which will significantly improve the digital hygiene of your device.
Where to look for blocked SMS in a standard application
By default, Xiaomi smartphones use the Messages app from Google or its own development MIUI. In both cases, the logic of the work is similar, but the path to settings may differ. Most often, blocked messages are not deleted immediately, but accumulate in a special section, access to which is limited.
To view the list, you need to open the messaging app and find the settings menu, which is usually hidden behind three dots in the top corner of the screen, and that's where the "Spam and Lock" or "Blocked" item is located. Inside this section, all correspondence that is marked by the system or used as unwanted is stored.
It's important to understand the difference between just "unread" and "blocked" messages, which don't trigger an audible notification or show up in the general dialogue list until you look in, so that the scammers can't disturb you with an audible signal.
- 📱 Open the Messages app and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- 🛡️ Select “Spam filter settings” or “Spam and blocking».
- 📂 Go to the “Blocked Messages” section to view the content.
- 🔍 Use a search by number if you need to find a specific number. SMS sender.
⚠️ Warning: Don't store blocked messages for too long.Some of them may contain malicious links that could theoretically be activated by accidental clicking, even if the message is quarantined.
If you use a Google Messages app, the interface is a little different, so you click on your avatar or three menu bars, then you select "Spam and blocked." Inside, you'll see a list of all the numbers that the system has deemed suspicious. The filter here is very aggressive, so it's worth checking regularly.
Setting up an anti-spam filter and blacklists
So you don't have to manually check your spam folder, you have to set up automatic filtering correctly, and in Xiaomi smartphones, the Security system app is responsible for that, and it manages the deep settings of the network and communications, ignoring the settings of the specific message application.
Go to the Security app and find the Antispam section, where you can find SMS and MMS lock switches. You can choose Smart mode, which analyzes content, or hard lock mode for keywords. Keywords are a powerful tool to cut off messages that contain phrases like “credit”, “win” or “card”.
Hidden number blocking is also available, especially for those who are frequently called by automated answering robots, and enabling this option ensures that no message without a number detector will reach your screen.
☑️ Setting up protection against spam
Remember to update your databases. In anti-spam settings, you often have an "Update" item that downloads the last known numbers of scammers. Without an up-to-date database, protection becomes less effective as spammers constantly change their short numbers.
| Type of lockdown | Description of function | Recommended status |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Blocking | Hide messages with these phrases | Included (with caution) |
| Blocking hidden numbers | Rejects all SMS without sender ID | Included. |
| Smart filter | Automatic detection of spam by algorithms | Included. |
| Contact lockdown | Ignoring messages from people in the book | Off. |
Using the Security App for In-depth Analysis
The MIUI shell security app is the central permissions and access control hub, and you can see not only the current locks, but also the history of the actions, which is useful if you want to understand why the text message from a particular service stopped coming.
In the Permissions section, you can check if the Messages app is eligible to receive SMS. Sometimes, after a system update or a third-party antivirus installation, these rights may be lost. Access to SMS must be allowed at all times, otherwise the phone will not physically be able to receive the message, even if it is not spam.
Security also has a Cleanup feature, which can suggest that you delete junk messages when you scan the system. Be careful: sometimes junk refers to old confirmation codes that you might need to restore your accounts. Always check the file list for deletion before cleaning.
Third-party solutions to combat unwanted messages
If Xiaomi’s standard tools aren’t enough, third-party apps come to the rescue, with Truecaller, Should I Answer? and SMS Organizer taking advantage of crowdsourcing, a database that users around the world are adding to.
Installing this application requires broad permissions, the application must be able to read all your SMS and identify callers, which is necessary for the filter to work, but from a privacy perspective, it is a compromise, you trust your data to a third party for the sake of the inbox's purity.
Apps like Truecaller can not only block spam, but also sort messages into categories: Personal, OTP, Advertising, Banks, which allows you to instantly find the right notification without looking at hundreds of advertising mailings, and for the business segment it is an indispensable tool.
- 📲 Truecaller: Best number database, but requires registration and access to contacts.
- 🛡️ Should I Answer?: Open source, fewer access rights, but the base may be smaller.
- 📂 Google Messages: Built-in spam filter works perfectly and does not require the installation of excess software.
- 🔒 Kaspersky Who Calls: Reliable protection from a well-known security vendor.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t install multiple number-defining apps at the same time. They will conflict with each other, trying to intercept the control of calls and messages, which will lead to battery drain and malfunction of the phone.
Problems with confirmation codes and bank SMS
The most critical situation occurs when the login or transaction confirmation codes are left in spam, often because short bank numbers (e.g. 900 or 4545) are placed in the general databases of the advertising mailings, the system sees the short number and automatically hides the message.
To fix this, add a bank or service number to the White List. In the Security app -> Antispam -> Whitelist, add all the short numbers that matter to you. Messages from those numbers will come with an audible notification, even if they contain stop words.
If the code never arrives, check if the phone's memory is full. A crowded drive is a common reason new SMSs are not saved and lost. It's also worth checking the Do Not Disturb settings, which can hide notifications on a locked screen.
Cleaning the phone from advertising garbage and viruses
Sometimes, spam notifications (not SMS, but pop-ups) indicate the presence of a malicious application. The advertising virus can disguise itself as “memory cleanup” or “flashlight” applications that do not require special rights, but generate a stream of garbage.
To find the culprit, go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps. Carefully review the list. Search for apps without an icon, without a name, or with a suspiciously simple name (such as simply "Service" or "Update"). Deleting such an app will solve the problem.
It is also recommended to perform a full scan with the built-in antivirus, which is located in the Security app, which uses Avast or AVL databases and is able to find most known threats, and regular check once a month will help keep the phone clean.