How to enable application blocking on Xiaomi

The smartphone stores a huge amount of confidential information, from instant messaging to banking apps and personal photos. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face the need to restrict access to certain features of the phone, especially if the gadget is used by children or it can fall into the hands of strangers. Standard MIUI tools and the new HyperOS shell provide powerful tools for data protection that do not require the installation of third-party software.

In this article, we will take a closer look at how you set your restrictions, how you can work with different versions of firmware, and answer frequent questions, and how you can make sure that no app opens without your knowledge, even if your phone is unlocked, especially when it comes to protecting financial information and privacy when your device is often in plain sight.

The process of activating protection is intuitive, but it has its own hidden settings that increase security. We will look not only at the basic password set, but also at the use of biometrics, as well as the Hidden Applications feature, which allows you to completely remove program icons from the desktop.

Basic lock settings through the security menu

The first step to protecting your data is to activate App Protection, a fundamental layer of security that requires authorization every time you run your chosen programs. Unlike simple screen locking, this method allows you to delimit access: someone can use a phone to make calls, but they can't log into your gallery or messenger.

To get started, you need to go to the Security system app, which is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand, and inside it you need to find the Application Protection section (sometimes called App Lock). The first time you sign in, the system will prompt you to create a special password, different from the unlock password of the screen, although you can use the same set of characters for convenience.

Once you set your password, you'll be asked to select the restricted applications, you can tick any programs on the installed list, and it's important to note that the MIUI encryption algorithm stores those settings securely, and it's almost impossible to get around them without password or biometrics.

The system allows you to choose how often to request a password: at each start, after 1 minute or after 10 minutes of downtime, the flexibility of these settings allows you to find a balance between usability and high level of data protection.

Using biometrics for quick access

Entering a password or a graphical key every time you open an app can be tedious. Fortunately, modern Xiaomi smartphones support the use of biometric data to verify identity, both for the fingerprint scanner and facial recognition system.

To activate this feature, you need to go to the "Application Protection" settings and find "Use your fingerprint" or "Use face unlock." Once you turn on this option, the system will automatically read your biometrics when you try to open a blocked application.

Using biometrics makes access much faster, making protection unobtrusive, but it's worth remembering that biometrics are stored in a secure TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) module of the processor and not transmitted to the company's servers, which ensures that your fingerprints remain exclusively on the device.

There is an important nuance: after a smartphone reboot or if more than 24 hours have passed since the last unlock, the system will still require you to enter a primary password or pattern lock, a standard security measure designed to protect data in the event of loss of consciousness of the owner or other emergencies.

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Set up face unlock only for selected applications so as not to reduce the overall speed of the smartphone when using other functions frequently.

Hiding applications in MIUI and HyperOS

Blocking apps is good, but sometimes it’s necessary to completely hide their presence on the device. Xiaomi’s Hidden Apps feature allows you to remove icons of selected programs from the desktop and from the menu of all applications. They stop showing up in the list of recent tasks and become available only through a special gesture.

To activate this feature, you need to open the phone’s Settings, go to the Apps section, and find Hide Apps. In some firmware versions, this path may differ: Settings → Application Protection → Hidden Apps. Once you turn on the feature, you will be prompted to create a unique gesture.

The gesture to display hidden applications is usually done in the Phone app or on the desktop, you swipe two fingers to the sides (the other way around) or swipe at a specific location on the screen, and this action opens a special folder where all the hidden programs are located, and without knowing this gesture, you can't find them.

It’s worth noting that hiding apps doesn’t mean they’re completely isolated; notifications from them can keep coming, and the voice assistant can respond to commands associated with them, so it’s recommended to combine cover-up with the password protections discussed above for maximum privacy.

Guest mode and second spaces

If you need to transfer your phone to another person, but you don't want them to see your personal data, locking individual apps may not be enough, and this is where Second Space or Guest Mode comes in, creating a completely isolated environment inside a smartphone.

The second space is actually the second user profile, with its own set of apps, contacts, photos and settings. Switching between the main and second space is instantaneous, often just by fingerprint or through a special widget. To an outsider, the phone will look like a new device that has just been purchased.

Guest mode is a more temporary solution, allowing you to run a clean version of the interface, where the guest can use basic functions, but does not have access to your files and acc.

Once the session is over, the guest mode can be easily deactivated and all activities performed in it will be deleted.

Using the second space requires additional memory resources, as some applications can be installed in both profiles, but the level of privacy it provides is not comparable to simple security methods, which is ideal for situations when children or colleagues use the phone.

Solving access problems and resetting password

Despite the convenience of biometrics and remembering passwords, there are times when access to blocked applications is lost, which can be due to a forgotten password, a system malfunction or a change in fingerprints, and it is important to know the algorithm for how to proceed in such cases, so that you do not lose access to important data forever.

If you forget your Application Protection password, the system will suggest you use the security question you had to set up when you first set up, which will allow you to reset your password and set a new one, which is why the security question and answer is critical to restoring access, and should be remembered or recorded in a safe place.

If the control issue is also forgotten, the only option is to link to the Mi Account. If the account is tied, you can initiate a password reset through Xiaomi servers. However, if the phone is not connected to the Internet or the account was not tied in advance, it may not be possible to restore access to specific blocked applications without losing data inside them.

⚠️ Warning: Trying to get a password by brute-force will temporarily block the security function, and after several incorrect attempts, the system will require you to wait a certain time or enter a captcha.

There is also the possibility of resetting protection settings through the data cleanup of the system application "Security", but this action will remove protection from all applications at once and require re-configuring, this is an extreme measure that should be resorted to only in a desperate situation.

Additional security measures and advice

Blocking apps is just one element of a comprehensive smartphone protection system, and it is recommended to combine different methods to maximize efficiency, such as using a VPN on public Wi-Fi networks, regularly updating security systems, and installing applications only from trusted sources.

HyperOS shell and modern versions of MIUI regularly receive updates that can change menu layout or add new security features, and it is recommended to periodically check the About Phone section and install available updates to enjoy the latest security patches.

Also worth paying attention to the permissions that apps issue, even if an application is password-locked, it can have access to a microphone, camera, or geolocation in the background, and regularly auditing access rights in privacy settings will help prevent data leakage.

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The combination of password protection, biometrics and icon hiding creates a multi-level defense system, which will be extremely difficult for an attacker to overcome.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)