How to put a lock on the application on Android Xiaomi

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face the challenge of limiting access to certain features of their device, whether it’s protecting personal messaging, hiding the gallery from prying eyes or restricting children’s access to games, the built-in tools of MIUI and the new HyperOS allow them to solve these problems without installing third-party software.

The Chinese company's shell data protection system is flexible enough that you can use digital code, a pattern lock, or biometrics like a fingerprint or facial recognition, and it's important to understand that the right mood of the security settings ensures that your sensitive information is kept safe even if you lose your device or pass it into the wrong hands for a call.

Use of the built-in App Lock tool

The main tool for protecting data is the built-in App Lock module, which is integrated directly into the Security app, which is preinstalled on each device of the brand. To activate the security, you need to open the Security app and scroll down to the Privacy Protection or Tools section, and there you will find the Application Block item.

When you first start up, the system will suggest you create an unlock password. PIN-Note: do not use simple combinations like 1234 or 0000, as they are easy to match. Once you create a password, you will be prompted to link your Mi Account account to allow you to restore access if you forget the code.

Once you set the password, you'll see a list of all the programs you've installed, and you'll just have to switch sliders against the apps you want to protect, and now when you try to open a Viber or a Gallery, you'll ask for proof of identity, and you can set up automatic locks right after you leave the app, or after 1.5 or 15 minutes.

⚠️ Attention: If you forget your App Lock password and don't link your Mi Account in advance, it's almost impossible to reset the protection without completely resetting your device.

Set up biometric unlocking

Constant password entry can be uncomfortable, so the MIUI-based Android system suggests using biometrics. Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with fingerprint scanners and facial recognition modules that can be integrated with App Lock. To activate this feature, go to the application lock settings and select "Use fingerprint" or "Face unlock".

To work properly, you need to have your biometrics added to your basic settings (Settings → Passwords and Security) and once you have the appropriate switch on the App Lock menu, you will log in to secure applications instantly after you touch the scanner or look at the screen, which greatly speeds up access while maintaining a high level of data protection.

It’s worth noting that biometric unlocking has its own peculiarities: If a device has been rebooted or not used for more than 24 hours, the system will still require the input of a master password or pattern lock, a standard Android security measure that prevents unauthorized access through sleep mode.

• 👆 The fingerprint scanner in the power button or under the screen is the fastest.
• 👁️ Unlocking the face is less safe in the dark, but more convenient to use.
• 🔒 The primary password remains mandatory after each device reboot.

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For maximum speed of the fingerprint scanner in the App Lock app, add the right thumbprint (if you are right-handed) separately in the security settings, even if it is already in the system.

Hidden Applications Mode in MIUI and HyperOS

In addition to blocking, Xiaomi’s Hidden Apps shell offers a feature that completely removes the icons of selected programs from the desktop and menu, and can only be found through a special action in the Themes app or through search, which is the perfect way to hide the presence of certain programs from prying eyes.

To activate this mode, open the Topic app, go to profile (human icon) and select Settings. There will be "Hide apps." Once you turn on this feature on the desktop, you will need to spread two fingers to the sides (plug out) to open the hidden folder, access to it is also protected by a password.

It's important to distinguish between locking and hiding. Locking leaves the icon in place, but requires a password to log in. Hiding removes the icon completely. Combining these methods gives the best result: you hide the application, and you use biometrics to access the folder of hidden applications. In new versions of HyperOS, the interface may be slightly different, but the logic of the work remains the same.

Parental control and time limitation

If your goal is not adult protection, but to restrict access to children, a standard App Lock may not be enough, and this is where Parental Control or Google Family Link integration comes in. In the Xiaomi smartphone settings under Digital Well-being, you can set time limits for specific applications.

You can set a limit, like 1 hour a day for YouTube or games, and when the time is up, the app icon will turn grey and you can't run it without entering your parental password, and it's an effective way to combat gadget addiction and control what your child is doing on their phone.

And there's also the Second Space, which is a unique MIUI feature, which is creating a completely separate profile on the phone with its apps, photos and accounts, and switching between the main profile and the second one through a password or fingerprint, and it's a radical solution to separate work and personal life, or to give the child a limited set of entertainment.

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The combination of App Lock and Second Space creates a strong barrier: an outsider will not even know about the existence of hidden data in the second profile.

Problems with notifications and background work

Users often find themselves in a situation where, after locking, notifications from messengers stop coming while the phone is locked, this is due to aggressive battery optimization in MIUI. In order for messages to arrive on time, you need to properly configure permissions for the protected application.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the right messenger (like WhatsApp) and select AutoStart. Make sure the switch is active. Also in the Notifications section, check to allow the display on the lock screen. Without these settings, the system energy savings will kill the application process, and you will not be able to see the incoming message before unlocking.

Another nuance is pop-ups. If the app is allowed to display on top of other windows, the lock may not work correctly when an incoming call is made via the messenger. App Lock has a "Block Incoming Calls" option that should be activated for full protection.

• 🔋 Allow AutoRun for all protected messengers.
• 🔔 Check the notifications display settings on the locked screen.
• 📡 Make sure the application is not limited in background data transfer.

What to do if the lock password is forgotten

A situation where a user forgets a password, pattern lock or_pattern_ App Lock, which is common. If you've been using Mi Account when you set up, it takes a couple of minutes to recover. On the password screen, click "Forgot your password." The system will prompt you to enter your Xiaomi account login and password, and then you can set the new code.

If the account was not tied, the situation is complicated: you can’t reset the App Lock password through the standard system settings. The only official way is to completely reset the device to the factory settings (Hard Reset), which will delete all data, photos and contacts if they were not synchronized with the cloud.

There are third-party methods through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and a computer that allow you to delete the lock configuration file, but they require pre-debugging over USB and superuser rights, which is difficult for the average user.

⚠️ Warning: Attempting to find a password by brute-force will lead to a temporary lock of the device for 30 seconds, 5 minutes or more. After many unsuccessful attempts, the phone can lock permanently before connecting to the owner's account.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)