How to Password Apps on Xiaomi Redmi 9T: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the need to protect personal data from prying eyes. The Redmi 9T model, which runs on the MIUI shell, offers built-in tools to restrict access to instant messengers, gallery and banking applications. The security installation takes only a couple of minutes, but provides a high level of privacy for your correspondence and photos.

The system security settings in this model allow not only a pattern lock, but also biometrics, which means that to enter a secure partition, you just need to put your finger on the scanner or look at the front camera, and this functionality makes using your smartphone comfortable and safe at the same time.

In this article, we will take a closer look at how to activate locking, configure exceptions, and hide applications, how to create a strong access code and what to do if you forget it, and follow the step-by-step steps to fully control access to your device.

Use of the built-in Security application

The primary data protection tool in Redmi 9T is the System Security (or Security) app, which is where Application Protection is located, which allows you to selectively block the launch of any program, and to get started, you need to find the icon with a green shield on your desktop or in the Tools folder.

When you start the app, go to the bottom of the screen where the tabs are located. We're interested in the Application Protection section. When you first log in, the system will ask you to create an unlock password. This can be a four-dot pattern lock or a digital key. PIN-It is important not to confuse this password with the unlock code of the screen of the smartphone itself, although they may match according to your wishes.

⚠️ Note: Forgotten application protection passwords cannot be reset in the standard way without losing data or Mi Account. Write down the code or link to a Google account to recover.

Once you have set a password, you will be asked to add a fingerprint, which will significantly speed up the login process for blocked programs, and the system will also suggest hiding the contents of notifications so that the text of messages does not appear on the locked screen.

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Take a photo of your pattern lock on another device and save it in a safe place if you are afraid to forget the combination.

The configuration interface offers flexible options. You can choose which applications will be protected. By default, the system often offers to protect Gallery, Messages and Contacts, but the list can be expanded.

Step-by-step instructions for setting a password

The process of installing protection on the Redmi 9T is logical and requires no special skills, the main thing is to carefully follow the sequence of actions in the settings menu. Below is a detailed guide that will help you activate the function in a few minutes.

First, open your smartphone Settings. Search the Apps in the list, then select Application Protection. If you can't find that item through the settings, the easiest way to search is by typing the word "protection."

Once the function is turned on, a list of all installed programs will open, and there will be a switch opposite each name, activate the ones you want to restrict access to.

• 📸 Gallery – to protect personal photos and videos.
• 💬 WhatsApp / Telegram / Viber – to preserve the confidentiality of correspondence.
• 🏦 Banking applications – for additional financial security.
• 📷 The camera so that no one can take a picture without your knowledge.

Once you have selected the applications, go back to the security menu, and you can set up additional options, such as automatically locking when you leave the program or by timer, so you don't have to enter a password every time you quickly switch between windows.

Once you've finished setting up, check the function. Try opening the secure application. If the system asks for a password or a fingerprint, everything is set up correctly.

Set up biometric unlocking

Redmi 9T features a side-by-side fingerprint scanner that is integrated into the power button, which allows biometrics not only to log in, but also to validate access to secure applications, and makes the sign-in process instant.

To set up, go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Fingerprints. If you haven't added a fingerprint yet, do it now. After adding, go back to the Application Protection menu and click on the gear icon in the top right corner.

In the security settings menu, find the fingerprint unlock and activate it. Now, when you try to open a locked application, the phone will vibrate, waiting for the scanner to touch. If the fingerprint is not recognized, the system will prompt you to enter a pattern lock.

⚠️ Note: Biometric unlocking may not work if the phone was rebooted less than 72 hours ago or if more than 24 hours have passed since the last password unlock.

Also available in modern versions of MIUI is face unlock, less secure than a print, but more convenient in some situations, and you can activate it in the same protection settings menu, if this option is available for your version of the software.

Function Hide applications

There's a feature in the MIUI shell that doesn't just put a password, but completely hides the app icon from the desktop, and you can only find it through a special login in the Gallery or through a search, which is the second layer of protection after you set the password.

To activate the concealment, go to the Gallery app. Spread your fingers from the center of the screen upwards (the pinch gesture backwards). A password window will appear. Enter the same code you created to protect the applications.

Once you've successfully entered it, you'll be taken to a hidden folder. Press + or Add to select hider apps. Once you add them, the icons will disappear from the desktop and from the menu of all apps.

• 🔍 To enter the hidden section, spread your fingers up in the Gallery.
• 🔒 A password or fingerprint will be required to access.
• 📱 Hidden app icons are not visible in normal mode.

This feature is useful if you want certain programs to avoid corny eyes at all or not be visible when showing the screen to other people.

Managing Notifications and Privacy

An important security aspect of Redmi 9T is the control of notifications. Even if the application is password protected, the text of the incoming message can be seen on the lock screen. To avoid leakage, you need to properly configure the display of notifications.

The Application Protection menu has a Hide Content switch, and when you activate it, instead of text, you will see a New Message or a Secure Notification notification, and you will need to unlock the device to view the content.

You can also customize the individual rules for each application. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Select the desired application (such as WhatsApp) and turn off the display on the lock screen, leaving only sound or vibration.

Remember that some apps have their own privacy settings, for example, Telegram allows you to install an additional access code inside the app itself, which will be requested regardless of Xiaomi’s system protection.

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The combination of MIUI system protection and internal application privacy settings creates a double barrier for outsiders.

Restoration of access and resetting of password

It's not uncommon for users to forget their password to protect their apps, and unlike the screen password, there's no standard "Forgot Password" button that sends a text message unless you set up an account in advance, and the main way to restore it is through a Google or Mi Account account.

If you have linked your account to the security setting, after several incorrect attempts of entering, the link Forgot the password will appear on the screen. By clicking on it, you can reset the code over the Internet.

If your account is unlinked and your password is lost, the only option is a full Hard Reset, which will delete all data, including photos and contacts, so this method should only be used as a last resort.

⚠️ Warning: Wipe Data will remove all information from internal memory. Regularly back up important data to your computer or cloud.

To avoid such situations, use password managers to store complex combinations or choose graphic keys that are easier to remember visually but difficult to pick up.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)