Antispam on Xiaomi: how to turn on and configure protection against intrusive calls and SMS

Spam calls and SMS- messages have become a real scourge of modern smartphones — according to Kaspersky for 2023, every second Xiaomi user in Russia encounters fraudulent messages at least once a week. Fortunately, firmware MIUI offers built-in tools to combat this scourge, but many owners do not even know they exist. In this article, we will analyze all the available ways to activate anti-spam — from basic settings to hidden features that work even on the budget Redmi Note and POCO.

It is important to understand that the protection system on Xiaomi consists of several layers: it is a built-in filter MIUI, cloud databases Mi Cloud, and integration with services of telecom operators. We will show how to use each of them, and also tell about the nuances of anti-spam on different versions of firmware - from MIUI 12 to fresh MIUI 14 based on Android 13/14.

1. Basic antispam setting in MIUI standard

Let’s start with the obvious, built-in functionality that is available out of the box on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, which works regardless of the firmware version and device model, but has limitations: it filters only known spam numbers from the Mi Cloud database.

To activate the basic protection:

1. Open the Phone app (the tube icon on the home screen).
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Blocking and Anti-Spam (some versions may call Spam Protection).
4. Activate the switch to Enable anti-spam.
5. Enable the option to filter spam messages for SMS.

Once activated, the system will automatically tag suspicious calls and messages with the label Spam or Fraud, but this method does not block spam completely - it only signals a potential threat.

💡

If you stop receiving important notifications (such as from a bank) after turning on anti-spam, add these numbers to the White List in the same settings section.

2. Advanced settings: how to block spam completely

Basic anti-spam is often not enough, especially if you are bombarded with calls from fake numbers (called spoofing), in which case manual locking settings will help:

• 📱 Keyword Blocking: You can add trigger words (e.g., “you won,” “credit,” “tax”) to your anti-spam settings. All SMS with these phrases will automatically be sent to spam.
• 🔢 Block numbers with the same last digits: useful against spam waves from numbers of the form +79XX1234567, +79XX1234568, etc.
• 🌍 International number locking: it is important if you are being bombarded with calls from abroad (often using codes +375, +380, +994).
• 📊 Spam statistics: In the same section, you can see how many calls and SMS were blocked in a week/month.

To activate these functions:

1. In the Blocking and Antispam section, select the filter settings.
2. Activate the option to block spam calls (not just tag!).
3. In the submenu of the Locking Rules, configure the necessary filters.
4. Don’t forget to save the changes with the Ready button.

Important: on devices with global firmware (for example, Redmi Note 12 Global), some advanced anti-spam features may not be available, in which case installing regional firmware or using third-party applications will help.

3.Mi Cloud Cloud Protection: How It Works and How to Enable It

One of the key benefits of Xiaomi’s ecosystem is integration with Mi Cloud, which collects spam activity data from all devices and trains filtering algorithms, but by default, this feature can be disabled due to privacy restrictions.

To activate cloud protection:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi account.
2. Make sure you are logged in to your Mi Account.
3. Go back to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
4. Find the Phone app and open its settings.
5. Enable Cloud Spam Synchronization (can be called Antispam Data Synchronization).

Once activated, your device will receive updated spam databases in real time, which reduces the number of spam calls missed by 40-60% compared to local filtering, according to Xiaomi.

4.Integration with telecom operators: how to connect

Many Russian operators (Beeline, MegaFon, MTS, Tele2) offer their own spam protection services that can be integrated with Xiaomi’s built-in anti-spam. This is especially useful for filtering SMS- newsletters, which often come from short numbers (e.g., 1234, 5678).

To connect operator protection:

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Go to Settings → Spam Protection.
3. Select the operator's service item.
4. Follow the activation instructions (usually you need to send SMS to a short number or confirm the connection via USSD- request).

Once connected, spam SMS will automatically be sorted into a separate Spam folder in the Messages app.The service is usually free, but some operators may charge a nominal fee (for example, 3-5 rubles per month).

⚠️ Warning: If you use a virtual operator (e.g. Tinkoff Mobile or Yota), spam protection may not be available, in which case we recommend using third-party applications like Truecaller or Hiya.

5. Hidden antispam functions: what MIUI can do, but does not advertise

MIUI firmware contains a few hidden anti-spam capabilities that few people know about, which don’t have separate items on the menu, but can be activated through Developer Mode or special commands.

Here are the most useful ones:

• 🔍 Geolocation Filtering: blocks calls from numbers registered in other countries (configured via ##4636# → Phone Information → Network Settings).
• 📞 Quiet mode for unknowns: all calls from unsaved numbers are automatically reset after one beep (turns on via Settings → Sound → Quiet mode for unknowns).
• 📤 Auto-delete spam SMS: Messages marked as spam are deleted after 30 days (configured in Settings → Storage → Auto-clean).
• 🔄 Verification callback: When an incoming call is made from an unknown number, the system can automatically call back to check if it is a live subscriber or robot (experimental function, enabled via Settings → Additional → Lab).

To activate some of these functions, you will need to enable Developer Mode:

Settings → About the phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times)


Settings → Additional → For developers → Include

⚠️ Warning: Call back to check may result in additional costs if you don't have unlimited minutes.

Developer mode activated

Geolocation filtration enabled

A quiet mode for unknowns is set up

Checked the work of auto-removal SMS

Testing of callback (optional)-->

6. Third-party applications: when embedded tools are insufficient

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools can’t handle spam (e.g., skipping calls from fake bank numbers), it’s worth considering third-party solutions. Here are the top-3 apps that integrate well with MIUI:

To avoid conflicts with Xiaomi’s built-in anti-spam, before installing a third-party app:

1. Turn off standard antispam in your phone settings.
2. Give all the necessary permissions to the new application (access to calls, SMS, contacts).
3. Set the priority of handling calls in Settings → Applications → By default.

Truecaller can be integrated directly into the standard Phone app:

1. Install Truecaller from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone.
3. Select the Caller Definition.
4. Please specify Truecaller as the source of the data.

💡

Third-party apps are more efficient than built-in anti-spam, but they can consume extra battery and transmit your contacts to their servers. Always read the privacy policy before installing.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after setting up anti-spam correctly, Xiaomi can malfunction, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Antispam doesn't block calls: Check if Block Spam Calls (not just tag) is enabled. Update the spam number database manually: Settings → Block and Antispam → Update the database. Reboot the phone - sometimes the antispam service "hangs."
• 📵 Important SMS Misses: Add bank/service numbers to the Whitelist; turn off short-number keyword filtering (e.g. 900, 1111); check if antispam is in conflict with apps like Sberbank Online or Tinkoff.
• ⚠️ A notification came up saying, "Anti-spam service stopped": Clear the cache of the Phone: Settings → Apps → App management → Phone → Clear the cache. Check if permissions for the Phone application are disabled in Settings → Privacy. If the problem persists, reset the Phone application to factory settings.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your network settings:

→ SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network reset

⚠️ Warning: On custom firmware devices (e.g., Xiaomi.eu or PixelExperience), built-in antispam may not work due to lack of Mi Cloud services, leaving only the option with third-party apps.

8 Antispam after reset or update: what to do

After resetting to factory settings or updating the firmware, all anti-spam settings are reset, to quickly restore protection:

1. Log in to your Mi Account – this will restore cloud anti-spam settings.
2. Check out the Phone app version and Messages in Google Play – after the MIUI update, they may require a manual update.
3. Import a backup of your anti-spam settings (if you created one): Settings → Block and anti-spam → Restore settings.
4. Reconnect the operator’s spam protection service (if you have used it).

If after upgrading to a new version of MIUI (for example, from 13 to 14) the anti-spam stopped working:

• 🔧 Check if permissions for Phone and Messages apps are lost.
• 📥 Install the latest updates for system applications via Google Play.
• 🔄 Reset the phone application settings (without deleting data).

On some devices (such as Xiaomi 13T or Redmi Note 12 Pro+) after major updates, you may need to re-register to Mi Cloud to restore cloud antispam.

Settings → Xiaomi Account → Sign in again →

💡

Before updating your firmware, back up your blocked number list: Settings → Blocking and Anti-Spam → Exporting the list. This will save you time to reconfigure.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions