How to put a password on the application in the phone Xiaomi Redmi Note: the complete guide

Today’s Xiaomi Redmi Note smartphones store a huge amount of sensitive information that must be restricted. Messengers, bank customers and personal galleries are often targeted by curious glances or intruders when a device is lost. MIUI’s built-in security system offers powerful security tools, but its functionality is not always obvious at first glance. Setting a password on a particular application is an effective way to create an additional barrier, even if the phone itself is unlocked.

Redmi Note owners often look for ways to isolate important data from outsiders without using third-party software. The standard shell allows you to assign different types of locks: a pattern lock, a digital code or a fingerprint. Application protection works at the system level, which ensures the stability and absence of advertising typical of free analogues from the Play Market. In this article, we will discuss the configuration process and possible nuances.

Preparation for protection settings

Before you start setting limits, you need to make sure that the device has a primary screen unlock password. Without this step, Xiaomi's security system will not allow you to create an isolated loop for applications. This requirement is dictated by the logic of Android, where the master password is the root of trust for all nested levels of protection. If you only use face unlock or fingerprint scanner without a pin code, the system will require you to install it.

It is also worth checking for a Mi Account, although it is not always necessary for the basic application lock function, but it is desirable for restoring access in critical situations. Make sure that the operating system is updated to the latest available version, as in older MIUI builds the security settings interface may have differed.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from blocking applications and do not link the Mi Account, it will be almost impossible to restore access to data inside protected programs without a complete reset.

It is recommended to pre-determine the list of programs that require increased protection, usually WhatsApp, Telegram, Gallery and banking applications. Chaotic setting of passwords on all programs at once can cause irritation from constant authorization requests, so a reasonable approach to access segmentation is important.

Activation of the application blocking function

The MIUI shell security process is standardized and takes only a few minutes. You need to go to the security settings menu, which is the central privacy management node. This is the Lock App tool that encrypts access to selected programs. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (Global, China, EEA), but the logic remains the same.

To start, open the standard Security app with a green shield icon, which is preinstalled on all Redmi Note smartphones. At the bottom of the screen, find and select Application Protection. When you first start, the system will suggest creating a unique password that may differ from the screen unlock password, which adds an additional layer of security.

Once you have entered and confirmed your password (or pattern lock), you will be asked to configure additional settings, such as fingerprint unlocking. Accepting this will greatly speed up your daily smartphone usage, allowing you to open secure programs with the touch of the sensor. Don't ignore this step, as entering a complex password each time can be inconvenient.

Password type selection and biometrics

Xiaomi offers flexible authentication settings, allowing you to combine different methods of authentication of the user. You can choose a digital pin code, a pattern lock or a complex alphabetic-digital password.

A pattern lock is often considered less reliable because fingerprints on a screen can give off a trajectory, but it's enough to protect against the casual gaze of a child or colleague. A digital code of 6 or more characters is the gold standard for security in the mobile industry.

• 🔐 pattern lock: convenient to draw, but leaves traces on the screen.
• 🔢 Digital. PIN: Quickly entered with one hand, high reliability at a length of more than 4 characters.
• 👁️ Face unlock: convenient, but less safe in bright sunlight or in complete darkness (without IR backlighting).
• 👆 Fingerprint: The fastest and most reliable method integrated into the hardware of the Redmi Note.

Importantly, biometric data (fingerprints and face) is stored in a secure TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) module of the processor and is not transmitted to Xiaomi servers. This ensures that even when the cloud is hacked, your biometric keys remain secure. Using a fingerprint scanner built into the power button or screen makes the application unlocking process instant.

Setting up a list of protected applications

Once you set the password, you'll see a list of all the programs installed on your smartphone, and you'll have to manually select the ones you want to lock, and by default, all the switches are in the "off" position, which requires you to react actively for every important application.

At the top of the list, you'll usually see the programs you use most, and below you'll see the full alphabetical list. You can use the search bar if the application you're looking for has a complicated name. Once you activate the switch next to the program name, you'll see a password window or a fingerprint request when you start it.

It is worth considering that some system applications may not appear in the list to block, as they are critical to the operation of Android. However, most user programs, including Viber, Instagram and Yandex, fully support this feature. If you install the application after you set up the lock, it will automatically appear in the list, but lock on it will not apply until you turn on the appropriate switch.

Additional security parameters

The application protection menu hides advanced settings that allow you to fine-tune the behavior of the security system. By clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the app list, you will be taken to the option menu, you can change the type of password or adjust the time after which the application will require authorization again.

The Lock After option allows you to select the time interval: immediately, in 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 30 minutes. Choosing the "Immediate" option means that even when switching between windows or returning from a folded state, the application will again request a password. This is the most secure, but not always convenient mode.

It also offers Hide Content, which when activated in notifications on a locked screen, text messages from secure apps (like WhatsApp) will not appear, instead of a message, you will only see a notification that a new message has arrived, which preserves privacy even when the phone is lying up.

⚠️ Attention: Content concealment only works if the smartphone's screen lock is enabled. If the phone is unlocked, notifications can be displayed normally depending on the settings of the specific program.

Another useful option is the ability to add apps to the Guest mode exception or second space if they are used, which allows you to create complex access scenarios where certain data is visible only to the main user with full rights.

Use of the Second Space

For users who need radical data separation, Xiaomi Redmi Note offers a Second Space feature: It's not just a password for an app, but creating a completely isolated environment inside a smartphone. The second space has its desktop, its apps, its galleries and contacts, access to which is protected by a separate password or fingerprint.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Second Space and follow the instructions of the Settings Wizard. You can switch between the main and second swipe spaces from the edge of the screen or through a special shortcut. It is the perfect solution for separating work and personal life or for transferring the phone to children without the risk of accessing your personal photos.

Apps in Space Two are installed separately, and if you want WhatsApp in both space and space, you have to download and configure it twice, and that ensures that you completely isolate the data, so even if you know the password from one space, you can't access the files of the other without the right to do so.

Addressing problems and restoring access

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where they forgot the password from blocking applications. If you have linked a Mi Account account, recovery takes a few seconds. On the password entry screen, click Forgot the password and the system will prompt you to enter data from your cloud account to reset the protection.

In the case of an unlinked account, the situation is complicated: older versions of MIUI allowed you to reset your password through service code or clear the data of the Security application, but in modern versions (MIUI 12, 13, 14), the security holes are closed. The only way is to completely reset the device to factory settings, which will lead to the loss of all data.

• 🔄 Mi Account Reset: Only works if your phone is connected to the internet.
• 🧹 Cleaning up data: trying to clear the data of the application "Security" through the settings of the application most often requires confirmation of the lock password, creating a vicious circle.
• 📞 Service center: official Xiaomi services will not unlock devices without proof of ownership, unless a reset is made.

So it's critical to not neglect your account binding and master password memorization, write down a complex password in a secure location, or use password managers, and remember that your data security is in your hands.

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Tip: Use the same biometric key (fingerprint) to unlock the screen and apps so you don’t get confused about authorization methods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Regularly checking security settings and updating passwords is the best way to prevent personal data leakage.