The modern smartphone has become a repository of confidential information, where access to instant messengers or banking applications is equated with access to a personal safe. Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 10 devices often wonder how to restrict access to specific programs without blocking the entire interface of the device, this is especially true when children use the phone or when the gadget falls into the hands of colleagues for a short time.
The MIUI operating system, which is based on Android in Redmi 10 smartphones, offers built-in and powerful tools to protect privacy without the need to install third-party software. The application lock function works at the system level, which ensures high reliability and no advertising, typical for free analogues from the Play Market.
In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide to activating protection, setting up biometrics and hiding icons from prying eyes. Competent settings of these parameters will allow you to feel confident in any situation, knowing that your correspondence and photos are reliably protected from curious glances.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The main tool for protecting data in the MIUI shell is the system application Security, and that's where all the antivirus settings, memory cleaning, and, importantly for us, the application blocker are concentrated, and to get started, you need to find an icon on your desktop called Security or Security and run it.
Once you open the app, scroll down to the Protect or Tools section, where you will see Application Lock. When you first start, the system will ask you to create an unlock password that may be different from the lock screen password of the smartphone itself. It is important to remember this code, because without it, access to secure programs will be impossible.
The system will also offer to link a Mi Account to restore access in case of a forgotten password, a critical step that users often ignore and then cannot open their own apps, and once you have an account, you will see a complete list of all installed programs.
- 🔒 Find the desired application in the list and click on the switch opposite it to activate the protection.
- 👁️ Select the “Fingerprint Unlock” option for quick access without entering the code.
- ⏱️ Set up an automatic lock timer: instantly, 1 minute later or when you exit the program.
- 📱 Add important apps to exceptions if they should remain available at all times.
⚠️ Warning: If you forget the application unlock password and do not link your Mi Account in advance, the only way to restore access may be to completely reset your phone settings with all data lost.
Once the security is activated, when you try to open the selected application, the system will request a previously entered password, pattern lock or fingerprint, which creates a reliable barrier that cannot be avoided by simple brute force, since the encryption algorithms in MIUI are quite serious.
Set up biometric unlocking for applications
Entering a password every time you open a messenger can seem tedious, especially if you use chat dozens of times a day. Xiaomi Redmi 10 smartphone features a quality fingerprint scanner located on the side of the face, which is perfectly integrated with the security system MIUI.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the application blocker settings. In the upper right corner of the screen, there is usually a gear icon that opens the settings menu. Here you need to find the item "Unlock fingerprint" and activate it. The system will require confirmation that you are the owner of the device.
Using biometrics not only speeds up access, but also increases security, because a fingerprint is unique and extremely difficult to forge, unlike a simple pattern lock, but it is worth considering that in some situations, such as immediately after a phone reboot, the system will still require the input of a master password.
☑️ Setup of biometrics
You can also find the "Task Lock" option in the settings, which if you activate it, you will also need to verify your identity when you try to open the menu of running applications (swipe from the bottom up and hold or menu button), which prevents an outsider from seeing the contents of your windows in the background.
Hiding applications through the function “Hide applications”
Sometimes a simple login password is not enough, and you want to completely remove the app icon from the desktop to hide the fact that it is there. In Xiaomi Redmi 10, there is a separate “Hide the application” function that works in conjunction with the blocker.
To take advantage of this opportunity, open the Security app and find Hide Apps, where you will be asked to create a special access code consisting of a number and a grille symbol, such as #1234#, which will be used to log into the hidden partition.
Once you have the code installed, you'll have all the programs that you can hide in the list, and you just tick the box against the app you want, and then the icon disappears from the desktop and from the menu of all the apps, and you'll have to open the standard Phone app to get into the hidden app and type in the code you created.
- 🙈 The app icon disappears completely from the menu and search.
- 🔢 Access is only possible through a set of special code in the dialer-e.
- 📞 Notifications from hidden apps can also be hidden from previews.
- 🔄 Applications continue to work in the background and receive messages.
This method is particularly effective at protecting applications that no one should know about, and even if someone picks up an unlocked phone, they won't be able to find the program they want with standard search methods.
What happens if you forget the concealment code?
Second Space Mode for Total Isolation
For those who want the highest level of privacy, MIUI offers a “Second Space” feature, which is not just a password for an app, but the creation of a full-fledged second operating system inside your Redmi 10.
In the second space, you can install separate apps, create new accounts, take your photos and files. You can switch between the main and second space instantly using a special fingerprint or password. To an outsider, the phone will look like a regular gadget with a set of standard programs.
The second space is set up in the Settings menu -> Second Space. The process takes a few minutes, because the system needs to create a virtual partition of memory, and once created, you get a clean desktop where you can install any applications and protect them with a different fingerprint input.
| Parameter | Main space | Second space |
|---|---|---|
| Access to files | Full access | Isolated (by default) |
| Accounts. | Your personal | Individual (possibly anonymous) |
| Notifications | All notices | Only selected applications |
| Entrance | Basic password/finger | Special password/finger |
Using a second space is the best way to separate work and personal life or create a completely hidden environment for sensitive data.The applications in this space work independently, and removing them in the main profile will not affect the second space.
💡
Use different wallpaper for the main and second space to visually understand what mode you are in, and do not accidentally open the excess with outsiders.
Limitations and features of protection in MIUI
Despite its high efficiency, the application protection system in Xiaomi has its own technical features that the user should know about, and understanding these nuances will help to avoid situations where the phone “glues” or stops letting in applications.
First, application locking is closely related to MIUI system processes. If you decide to install a third-party launcher (desktop shell), the lock function may stop working correctly or require additional permissions. In some cases, a standard MIUI launcher is a prerequisite for the stable operation of the blocker.
Second, system updates can sometimes reset some security settings. After a major Android or MIUI update, it is recommended to recheck the lock status for important applications.
⚠️ Note: When installing applications from unknown sources (APK-The security system can automatically block them from starting before checking. This is not a bug, but a security mechanism that needs to be confirmed manually in the settings.
Also, the impact of energy saving mode is worth remembering: Aggressive battery optimization in Redmi 10 can kill the background processes of the blocker, which can cause the application to open without a password after a long downtime.
What to do if the password is forgotten
When the password is forgotten, it is one of the most stressful. Unlike unlocking the screen, where there is a counter, errors can lead to a temporary lock of the function.
If you have linked your Mi Account to the locker, the password entry screen should have a button on it, "Forgot your password?" and if you click on it, the system will prompt you to send the confirmation code to the associated phone number or email. Once you enter the code, you can set a new password for the applications.
In case the account was not tied, the situation is complicated. The only official way to reset the password lock applications without losing personal data (photos, contacts) is to clean the data of the application itself through the application management menu, but this will reset all lock settings for all programs.
💡
Regularly checking the relevance of your linked Mi Account is the only guarantee that you will not lose access to your protected data in the future.
To reset your phone, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the list “Security” (or “Security”), click “Clear” and select “Clear all data.” Then, the next time you log in to the blocker, the system will ask you to reset your password as the first time.