How to set a password for the application on Xiaomi 9T

The smartphone stores a huge amount of personal information, from instant messaging to banking applications. For owners of Xiaomi Mi 9T, as for users of other models of the brand, the issue of data protection is especially acute, because anyone can access the device who picks it up. Fortunately, the MIUI shell offers a built-in and powerful tool to encrypt access to specific programs without the need to install third-party software.

In this article, we will take a look at how to set up App Lock on your device, not only by installing a digital code or a pattern lock, but also by hiding the app icons themselves, making them invisible to prying eyes even on your desktop, which will provide a double level of security for your personal data.

The setup process takes only a few minutes, but it ensures that your photos, finances and correspondence remain confidential.We will look at all the nuances of the MIUI security system, including creating a backup password in case you forget the main unlock code.

Built-in MIUI protection: App Lock features

The MIUI shell is famous for its functionality, and one of its key security elements is the built-in lock module. Unlike many other manufacturers, Xiaomi does not require the installation of additional utilities to protect specific applications. App Lock is integrated at the core level of the system, which ensures its stable operation and the inability to bypass through simple manipulation of the menu.

The main feature is that you can choose any type of authentication: pattern lock, digital key. PIN-It allows you to flexibly adjust the timeout, determining how long after you leave the application, you need to re-enter the password, which creates a balance between usability and high security.

Importantly, App Lock works even if the app is already running in the background. If you swerve a banking app and open your browser, re-referencing finance will require proof of identity, which prevents accidental access to sensitive data if someone else uses the phone while you're distracted.

In addition, the system allows you to hide the applications completely, in this mode, the icon disappears from the desktop and from the All Apps menu. The hidden software is only accessed through special code in the Security application or through search, making your data almost invisible to prying eyes.

Initial Security Password Setup

Before you start blocking individual programs, you need to create a primary security password for your account on your device. This is the code that will be used by default to protect applications unless you set up a separate one. To start, open the standard system application Security, which has a green icon with a shield.

Inside the app, scroll down to Application Protection (or App Lock) and the first time you run, the system will tell you to create a password. You can choose a pattern lock by connecting dots on the screen, or a digital code. A pattern lock is often easier to type with one hand, but the digital code is considered more secure in terms of entropy.

⚠️ Note: Do not use simple combinations like "1234" or geometric shapes in the form of the letter "L." These passwords are easily selected by squash or by fingerprints on the screen.

Once you have a password, the system will ask you to link your Mi Account, which is a critical step, and by linking your account, you can restore access to blocked apps if you forget your password, and without a linked account, you can only reset your phone completely, and you lose all your data.

Then you'll be asked to set up a backup password, which is an extra code that's different from the main one, which you'll need to remember or write in a secure place, if you forget the main pattern lock, or if your fingerprint is no longer readable by the system.

Selecting and activating a lock for applications

Once you create a password, you'll be listed on all the apps installed on Xiaomi 9T. Here you'll see the switches opposite each program. You need to activate the switches opposite the apps you want to protect, usually messengers, a gallery, banking clients, and social networks.

The system allows you to sort applications by category or search them by name, which is convenient if you have a large number of programs installed. Once you activate the switch, a lock icon will appear next to the application, indicating that access to it is now limited, you can turn off the protection at any time, simply by returning the switch to its original position.

For maximum ease of use, Xiaomi offers to configure unlocking by fingerprint. To do this, in the App Lock settings menu, find the item Use your fingerprint and activate it. Now, to log into secure applications, you will need to touch the scanner built into the screen, which greatly speeds up the access process.

You can also pay attention to the notification settings, so you can prevent the content of the notifications from the secure applications from being displayed on the lock screen, which will prevent information from leaking when the phone is lying up.

• 🔒 Select applications containing sensitive data for initial security installation.
• 👍 Activate fingerprint unlock for instant access to important programs.
• 🔔 Configure to hide the contents of notifications on the lock screen to prevent data leakage.
• ⚙️ Change your security password periodically to maintain a high level of device protection.

Application Hiding Function: Double Protection

One of the most powerful features of MIUI is that it can not just block, but completely hide the application. When you hide the program, its icon disappears from the desktop, from the menu of all applications, and even from the list of recently launched tasks, the application will look like it has been removed from the device to an outsider.

To activate this feature, go to the App Lock settings and select Hide apps. In the list that opens, mark those programs that should become invisible. Once activated, you will need to enter a special code or use the search bar to access them.

Hidden applications are accessed through the Security app. Scroll down to Hidden Apps and enter a password. You can also set up quick access through search: just pull the screen down on your desktop, type in the name of the hidden app, and it will appear in search results after you enter the password.

It's important to understand the difference between blocking and hiding. Locking leaves the icon visible but requires a password to run. Hiding removes the icon completely, requiring knowledge of where and how to search for an application. Combining the two provides the highest level of privacy.

Timeout setting and additional parameters

Xiaomi’s security flexibility allows you to set the time it takes for the app to require a password again after you leave it. The default option is “Immediately”, which means you have to enter the code each time you switch to another application and back.

You can change this setting for 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 1 hour, and it's convenient for apps you use frequently for a short period of time, like a bank customer when you pay for in-store purchases -> Autolocking.

You can also activate locking when you start your device, and if you have it enabled, no secure application will open immediately after you turn on your phone or restart without entering your password, even if you have previously saved a session.

Another useful option is the ability to block system settings, you can prevent changing important phone settings, such as disconnecting the Internet, changing time or resetting settings, without entering the password App Lock, which prevents an attacker from trying to bypass the protection through the system menus.

Elimination and safety advice

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where App Lock stops working or requires a password at the wrong time, most often due to aggressive energy savings MIUI, which can "kill" the background security check process. To avoid this, find the Security application in the list of installed programs, go to its properties and select No restrictions in the energy saving section.

Another common problem is time desynchronization: If time is lost on your phone, some secure applications (especially banking) may not start or issue certificate errors. Always keep the option of automatic time synchronization over the network on.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party launchers (desktop shells) may conflict with the application hide function. If you use custom launcher, the concealment function may not work properly or may not work at all.

To improve security, it is recommended to periodically check the security log, and in the Security app you can see what attempts to access blocked applications have been made recently, which will help to identify unauthorized attempts to penetrate.

Remember, App Lock is software-based protection, it's effective against people you don't know, or if you lose your phone, but it's not going to protect your data if you get into the hands of professional hackers with physical access to memory, so use complex passwords and don't store critical data in plain sight.

💡

Tip: Check periodically to see if new apps have appeared on the App Lock list after system updates. Sometimes new system services require manual protection activation.

💡

App Lock on Xiaomi 9T is a powerful tool that turns a regular smartphone into a secure data store, but only if you correctly configure and use backup copies of passwords.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)