Modern smartphones, especially popular models from Xiaomi and Redmi, provide powerful tools to filter incoming calls. Intrusive calls from advertising agencies, scammers or simply unwanted interlocutors are a problem for millions of users. Fortunately, the built-in shell of MIUI (and its new version of HyperOS) offers advanced protection mechanisms that do not require the installation of third-party software.
Blacklisting is a basic but critical skill for digital comfort. Unlike standard solutions on pure Android, Xiaomi’s system allows you to flexibly adjust locking rules by creating exceptions or completely blocking access to certain subscribers. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail, from fast locking through a log to setting up deep system filters.
It’s worth noting that the menu interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and the regional specifics of the device. However, the logic of the anti-spam system remains the same for the entire brand ecosystem. We will look at universal algorithms of actions that will help you lock the number on any current Redmi Note, Xiaomi Mi or Poco smartphone.
Quick lock through call log and contacts
The quickest way to stop calls from a particular number is to use the built-in feature right from your call history, which is ideal when you need an urgent locker without going into the complex menu settings.
To perform the operation, open the standard Phone app (green handset) and go to the Journal tab. Find the number you want in or out of the list of incoming calls. Press it and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds before the context menu appears.
- 📞 Select “Block” or “Add to the blacklist».
- 🚫 Confirm the action in the pop-up window if the system requests confirmation.
- 📁 Alternatively, you can click on the “i” icon next to the number and select the lock there.
⚠️ Warning: Once blocked, the subscriber will hear a busy or short beep, depending on your carrier’s settings, but no call notifications will appear on your screen.
If the number is saved in your phone book, the algorithm is even simpler: Open the Contacts app, find the person you want, and click on her name. In the menu that opens, find the "Block" option (often indicated by the crossed-out circle icon), and MIUI will instantly add this contact to the ignored list.
☑️ Checking lockdown
Set up a blacklist through the Security app
The central control of bans in Xiaomi smartphones is the system application “Security” (green shield with lightning), which is where all the advanced filtering settings are concentrated, allowing you to manage not only specific numbers, but also entire categories of calls.
Launch the Security app and find the Antispam (or Lock) section. Here you will see the statistics of blocked calls and SMS. To add a number manually click on the gear icon (settings) in the upper right corner or look for the Blacklist button.
In the menu that opens, click the Add button (usually a plus in a circle) and you will be offered several options for adding:
- 📖 From Contacts: Selecting an already saved record.
- 🔢 Enter number: manually entering numbers from the keyboard.
- 📋 From History: Choices from Recent Calls or Messages.
The Block Pattern feature is particularly noteworthy, which allows you to blacklist not only full numbers, but also numbers that start with a particular combination of numbers, for example, you can block all numbers starting with +7999 if they are a massive spam attack.
What does the blocked subscriber see?
Using codes for a hidden lock menu
There is a special engineering code in the MIUI shell that allows you to instantly jump to the advanced blacklist settings, bypassing long menu searches. It is a “secret” path that not everyone knows about, but it is extremely effective.
Open the Phone app and enter the following character combination:
##4636##However, for direct blacklisting, it is more relevant to go through call settings. Some firmware versions have direct code entry to open the lock menu, but it is more reliable to use the path through the settings of the Phone application itself. Press three dots in the corner of the screen, select Settings -> Lock inbox.
You can activate the Blacklist switch here, if it's off, the added numbers won't be blocked, they'll only be tagged, and there's also a "Blocking Behavior" option on this menu, where you can choose whether to send a busy or just drop a call.
| Function | Description | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Manual lockdown | Addition of a specific number | Call log / Contacts |
| Antispam | Automatic filter of advertising databases | Security Annex |
| Quiet regime | Calls without sound from everyone except a select few | Settings -> Sound and vibration |
| Blocking hidden | Call screening without number determination | Phone settings -> Locking |
Automatic filtering and smart antispam
Modern Xiaomi and Redmi are equipped with intelligent systems that can automatically detect and block spam, a feature that relies on cloud databases that are constantly updated.
To activate the protection, go to Security -> Antispam. Click on the settings icon (cogs). Make sure the "Block Spam" and "Update Database" switches are on. The system will check incoming numbers against known telemarketing and fraud databases.
Smart antispam is especially useful when you are being called from different numbers in the same organization, databases tagging numbers like Ads or Delivery, and the phone automatically resets the call even if the number isn't on your personal blacklist.
It is important to check the anti-spam logs periodically, sometimes important calls from couriers or delivery services can be blocked if their numbers are mistakenly marked in the general database as spam, in which case the number should be added to the White List.
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Regularly update the anti-spam databases in the Security app to ensure that protection remains effective against new scammer schemes.
Blocking of hidden and unknown numbers
A separate category is called when a subscriber has hidden his or her number (defined as an “Unknown Number” or “Hidden Number”), which is not possible to blacklist by standard methods, since the system does not have a digital ID to lock.
To solve this problem, Xiaomi phone settings have a special option: Go to Settings (cog in the phone menu) -> Lock inbox (or Lock numbers) and find the "Block Unknown Numbers" or "Block Hidden Numbers" switch and activate it.
Activating this feature will cause any call that does not have an explicit identification number to be automatically reset.Beware: this could cut off calls from employees of some government agencies or doctors using corporate communications with a hidden number.
The alternative is to use Do Not Disturb mode, which allows calls only from contacts in your phone book, and everyone else, including hidden and new numbers, will be locked for the duration of the regime.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling the lock on all unknown numbers may result in missing important calls from emergency services or callbacks from telecom operators.
Managing a whitelist and eliminating important contacts
In parallel with the blacklist, the MIUI system has a Whitelist concept, and contacts made there will never be blocked, even if aggressive filters or Do Not Disturb mode are enabled.
To add contact to exceptions, open the Security app -> Antispam -> Settings (cogs) -> Whitelist. Click Add and select contacts that must be made at all times, and this is relevant for family, work or emergency services.
Using a whitelist is particularly effective when combined with Do Not Disturb mode, so you can set your phone to ignore everyone except those on the whitelist at night, and select "Calls" -> "Contacts Only" or "Only contacts from the whitelist" in the "Do Not Disturb" settings.
- 🛡️ White list takes precedence over black list: if the number is on both lists, it will be unlocked.
- 📞 To add to the white list, you do not need to delete the number from the black list – the system will process the priorities itself.
- 🔒 This is the best way to connect with loved ones while you’re taking a break from the rest of the world.
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The whitelist is a guaranteed communication tool that works even when the most stringent lock filters are turned on.