How to lock on unfamiliar numbers on Android Xiaomi

Spam calls and intrusive offers from marketing agencies have become a scourge of the modern digital world. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the device is torn from calls from numbers that are not recorded in the contact book. This is not just annoying, but also prevents work, rest or sleep. Fortunately, the Android operating system, in conjunction with the proprietary shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS, provides powerful built-in tools to combat this evil.

You don't have to download third-party programs that may be asking for permissions right away. The standard phone features allow you to flexibly filter incoming calls. You can completely cut off calls from everyone who isn't on your contact list, or create a personal blacklist for specific attackers. Understanding how these mechanisms work will help you regain control of your personal space and silence.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available locking options, and we will look at the system locker settings, the features of working with hidden numbers and the nuances of using third-party solutions, and it is important to set these settings correctly so that you do not miss a really important call from a courier or a doctor who can call from a new number.

⚠️ Note: When you enable full lock mode for unknown numbers, make sure you don’t expect important calls from delivery services or organization employees who may be calling from city or mobile numbers not stored in your book.

Use of built-in MIUI and HyperOS blocker

The first thing that Xiaomi smartphone owners need to do is explore the capabilities of the built-in Security app, a system tool that is deeply integrated into the shell and more stable than any other third-party counterpart, and that's where the master switch is, which allows them to ignore calls from anyone who's not on your contact list, and it's the most effective tool for those who want to radically solve the problem of spam.

To activate the function, you need to open the Security app, which usually has a green icon with a shield. From the menu, select Lock. Then click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen to get into the settings. Here you are interested in the Lock Rules section or the Black List. This menu hides the option to Lock Unknown Numbers. By activating the slider, you will prevent calls from all numbers that are not in the phone book.

• 📱 Open the Security app on the home screen.
• ⚙️ Go to the “Block” section and click on the settings (cogs).
• 🚫 Enable the option to “Block Unknown Numbers».
• ✅ Check that the switch is on green.

It's worth noting that MIUI algorithms allow you to manage exceptions flexibly, and even if you have a lock on, you can add certain numbers to a whitelist so they can always reach you, which is critical when you're getting calls from a health clinic or from a utility from different numbers, and it also keeps a log of blocked calls, where you can look if you suspect you might have missed something important.

Set up a blacklist for specific subscribers

Sometimes you don't have to cut everyone off, you just have to block a specific intrusive person or collector, and in Redmi and Xiaomi, this is done through the standard phone app, you can add a number to the blacklist directly from your call history or contacts, and it's a more point-based tool that doesn't disrupt your connection to the rest of the world.

To add a number to the stop list, open a call log. Find the number you want, press it and hold your finger, or click on the "i" icon or arrow next to the number to open the details. In the menu that appears, select Add to the blacklist. After that, the subscriber will hear the beeps, but your phone will not call, and nothing will appear on the screen. All attempts to communicate will be recorded in the lock log.

You can also create whole block groups, for example, you can block all numbers starting with a specific prefix if spam is massively from one PBX. To do this, select Add a number and type a mask, for example, +7999*. This is a powerful tool for filtering entire ranges of numbers, which is especially true during advertising campaigns.

⚠️ Attention: A blocked subscriber does not receive notification that he is blacklisted.For him, your phone will just hum or defuse a long time, which may prompt him to call again from other numbers.

Blocking of hidden and unknown numbers

A separate category is called non-determiner number (AON) calls, which use special services or PBX settings to hide their ID, and on Xiaomi Android devices, fighting them has its own peculiarities, since a standard blocker can skip such calls, considering them to be system or emergency.

Hidden number locking often requires the use of operator codes or special numbers. USSD-However, new versions of HyperOS have added a feature called "Block Hidden Numbers" directly from the phone menu. → Settings → Lock inboxes. If there's a switch on it, activate it. That will prevent calls from those who are hiding their own. ID.

If the software option is not enough, you can use the services of your mobile operator, Tele2) there are paid or free services for protection against spam and hidden numbers, activation is made through the operator's application or USSD-This is the most reliable way, because the filtering is done at the network level, before the signal reaches your smartphone.

Comparison of blocking methods: table of possibilities

The choice of protection depends on your specific needs and the level of spam intrusion. Some prefer hard filtering, disabling everything unknown, and some just want to cut off a couple of specific numbers. Below is a comparison table that will help you determine the optimal strategy for protecting your smartphone.

As you can see from the table, the combination of the built-in unknown number blocker and the detector application gives the best result: the system tool cuts off those who are not in contacts, and the smart application flags and blocks known spam databases, even if the number is formally “new” for you, but already marked by other users as fraudulent.

Don't neglect manual settings. Check the lock log periodically. If you see that the system has blocked an important call (for example, from a taxi), be sure to add this number to the exceptions or whitelist. Xiaomi's customization flexibility allows you to adapt the phone to your rhythm of life.

Use of third-party applications and determinants

Built-in tools don't always suffice, especially when spammers are constantly changing numbers, and apps like Yandex (with Alice), Kaspersky Who Calls, or Truecaller come to the rescue, using cloud databases where users tag spam numbers themselves, and when they call you, the app checks the database and either tags the call or resets it automatically.

Installing such software on Android requires broad permissions, and the app must have access to calls and contacts in order to function. On Xiaomi smartphones after installation, you must necessarily go to the application settings and allow auto-start and work in the background, otherwise the system will “kill” the process, and the lock will not work. → Annexes → All applications → Annex selected → Auto-start.

• 📲 Download the app from the official Google Play store or GetApps.
• 🔐 Provide all requested calls and contact permissions.
• 🚀 Enable auto-start and remove battery restrictions in settings MIUI.
• 🗑️ Periodically update databases within the application.

But there's a flip side to this: privacy: Many number identifiers upload your phone book to their servers for analysis, and if privacy is your priority, it's best to use apps from large Russian or antivirus companies (Yandex, Kaspersky) that declare stricter security policies, or to limit themselves to built-in tools.

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Tip: When using third-party number detectors, set them to “Silent Lock” mode, then the phone will not ring and vibrate when spam calls, and the call will simply disappear from the history or be marked in red.

Frequent problems and their solution

Despite the system's cleverness, users may encounter situations where the lock is not working or is not working correctly. Often the problem lies in a conflict of settings or system updates. For example, after updating the MIUI to a new version of the locker setting, they may reset and have to be activated again. It is also worth checking whether the Do Not Disturb mode is turned on, which can be disguised as a lock.

Another common problem is that calls pass but don't show up in the lock log.This could be because the Security app has been removed or frozen by the user.Do not remove Xiaomi's phone and security system components. If you happen to do so, you can only restore them through resetting or flashing.

If you set up a lock, but the spam continues, check if you have a record in your contacts with the name "Spam" or "Advertising", where you could previously accidentally save this number. The blocker sees the number in the contacts and skips it, considering it familiar. Conduct an audit of the phone book and delete the questionable records.

⚠️ Warning: Don't install multiple call blocking apps at the same time.They'll conflict with each other trying to intercept an incoming call, which could cause the phone to freeze or skip real calls.

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Main conclusion: For maximum protection, combine the built-in lock of unknown numbers in the MIUI/HyperOS with a smart determinant from a reliable vendor, but watch for application permissions.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions