The modern smartphone has become the digital store of our lives, from personal messaging to accessing bank accounts. Owners of popular models such as the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro often wonder how to restrict access to certain programs for prying eyes. Standard screen protection methods such as a pattern lock or fingerprint scanner protect the device from only full login, but do not hide the content of specific applications from those who have already unlocked the phone.
The MIUI shell that you have installed on your device has powerful access-restriction tools that are not always obvious to the average user. Unlike some other manufacturers, Xiaomi doesn't allow you to simply take and password any application through the standard settings menu without activating a special security mode. This is done to create a unified data protection ecosystem, but requires the smartphone owner to perform a number of preliminary actions.
In this article, we will discuss how to circumvent system limitations and securely close access to selected programs. You will learn about the nuances of the system account Mi Account, which is a key element in this procedure, and also consider alternative methods of protection if the standard way does not suit you.
Preparation of the MIUI security system
Before you start blocking directly, you need to activate a basic level of protection at the system level. In Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, this is the built-in Security app, which can not be removed, but can be ignored, which leads to problems when trying to hide data. The first step is to set a common password for protecting the device, which will serve as the basis for all other restrictions.
You need to go to the settings menu and find the password and security section, and here the system will suggest you create a digital code or a pattern lock. It's important to understand that this password will not only be used to unlock the screen, but also as a master key to restore access to hidden applications in the event of a biometric failure. Don't use too simple combinations that are easy to guess from the tracks on the screen.
⚠️ Note: If you forget your password and do not link your Mi Account, restoring access to blocked apps may require a complete reset of your phone settings.
Once the code is installed, the system will automatically suggest adding a fingerprint to quickly unlock. On the Redmi 8 Pro, the scanner is located on the back, and its setting is quick. Biometric data is stored in a secure processor module, making it safe to use for authorization in system functions, including access to hidden content.
☑️ Preparation for lockdown
Activation of the application hiding function
The most effective way to block access to the program on Xiaomi is to use the Hide App function, which operates by completely disappearing the app icon from the desktop and menu, and to run it requires entering special secret code in the Themes app or through a hidden gallery entrance, which provides a double level of protection: visual absence and password access.
To activate this feature, you'll need to log in to Mi Account, which is a mandatory requirement of the manufacturer that many users perceive as bayonets, but it's the cloud account that synchronizes the encryption keys. Without logging in, the app hide menu will be inaccessible or inactive. The login process takes a couple of minutes and requires a stable Internet connection.
Once you log in, open the Themes app (a brush or flower icon, depending on the regional version of the firmware). Go to the user profile, usually a person icon in the upper right corner. In the menu that opens, you need to find Hide Apps and activate the switch. The system will ask you to come up with a secret template that will be entered with your finger on the screen to display the hidden.
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Use a complex but memorable pattern to log into hidden apps that is different from the main screen unlock password.
When the function is activated, you can choose which programs will be hidden, and once you confirm the selection, their icons will disappear, and to open them, you will need to launch the Themes app, pinch the profile avatar area, and enter a predefined secret code, only after that a list of protected programs will appear.
Use of the Second Space Mode
If you want more radical data isolation than just hiding icons, Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro offers a “Second Space” feature, which is a fully isolated environment inside your smartphone that works as a separate user in the operating system. Apps installed in the second space are not visible in the first, have their own settings, their own galleries and their own accounts.
Activating the second space creates an actual cloned system, so you can install the same messengers with different phone numbers or accounts, and you can either log in through a separate fingerprint (for example, the thumb of the left hand opens the main space and the right one opens the hidden space) or through a special password, which is ideal for separating work and personal life.
To enable this feature, go to Settings → Second Space and click “Enable.” The system will create a virtual copy of the interface.
| Comparison parameter | Hiding applications | Second space | Application lockdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility of the icon | Hidden. | Hidden in the main profile | Visible, but requires a password. |
| Notification data | Hidden. | Separated | Content hidden |
| Difficulty setting up | Medium | Tall. | Low (if available) |
| Battery consumption | Minimum | Medium (background processes) | Minimum |
Alternative methods of blocking
Staffing resources MIUI It's not always convenient, especially if you have to open and close apps quickly without typing complex codes every time, and third-party solutions from the Google Play Store come to the rescue. There are many locker applications that overlay a security screen with a password request over the selected program, PIN-code.
One of the popular solutions is to use specialized launchers or utilities like AppLock, which is that they monitor running processes, and as soon as you try to open a secure application, the locker instantly blocks it with its authorization window, and only after you successfully enter the code, you can access the functionality of the program.
However, this method has its drawbacks: Third-party applications require wide permissions, including “over other windows” and access to use the phone. On the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro with its aggressive energy saving system, such programs can be closed by the system in the background. To prevent this from happening, you need to lock the locker application in memory and allow auto-start.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party blockers, carefully check the permissions you request. Don't trust access to contacts and microphones to questionable applications from unverified sources.
Also, it is worth considering that some banking applications may conflict with lockers, considering them an attempt to introduce malicious code (overlay attack). In such cases, the banking application may simply refuse to start until you turn off the protection.
Set up notifications and previews
Even if you have a password on the application, an attacker can see confidential information through pop-up notifications on a locked screen or in the notification curtain. In Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, the notification privacy settings are placed in a separate powerful unit, which must be used for comprehensive protection.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Display format. Here you can select Security mode, which hides the content of all notifications, showing only the name of the application. But for maximum protection, you better configure the concealment of content for specific applications individually. This is done through the Security menu → Hide content.
In this section, you'll see a list of all installed programs. Just turn on the switch in front of those apps that shouldn't flash messages on the screen. Once this feature is activated, even if the phone is unlocked, the text of the message on WhatsApp or Telegram will be replaced with asterisks or the phrase "Hidden Content" until the moment the application itself is unlocked.
Hidden functions of MIUI Security
Frequent problems and their solution
Xiaomi users often face a number of common problems when setting up security, one of the most common being the inability to activate app hiding due to regional restrictions. If you are in a region where cover services are limited, the system may require you to change region in your phone settings, usually by switching to India or China, after which the features become available.
Another problem is that you update your firmware, and after another MIUI update, your security settings can get lost, and your Mi Account can get unplugged, and you have to go through the authorization process again, and sometimes you have hidden apps that stop opening with secret code, and the solution is to clear the theme and security cache of the application through the application management menu.
If you've used a third-party locker and it's stopped working, check your battery settings. On Redmi 8 Pro, go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Management, find your locker and set "No Limits" mode, which will prevent the system from killing the protection process in the background.
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Regularly checking access settings and passwords is the key to the security of your data in the long run.