The problem of intrusive advertising and fraudulent messages is familiar to every smartphone owner. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices face this especially often because of the popularity of the brand among advertising agencies. Fortunately, the shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS includes powerful built-in protection tools that do not require the installation of additional software.
Blocking messages not only helps to preserve the nervous system, but also protects personal data from phishing attacks. Many users ignore spam until it is too late, but preventive measures are much more effective. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to filter incoming systems.
There are several layers of protection, from simply locking a specific number to using smart keyword filters. The system blocker works at a low level, intercepting messages before they appear in a standard application, which ensures that you do not even see notifications of the arrival of garbage.
Use of the built-in Security application
The main tool for managing calls and messages in Xiaomi smartphones is the system application Security. It has a green icon with a shield and is pre-installed on all devices of the manufacturer, and this is where all the necessary settings for combating spam are concentrated.
To get started, you need to open the app and find the Antispam section, which in some versions of the firmware can be called Lock or have a ban icon, and inside this menu, you can hide all the necessary switches and exception lists.
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Regularly update the databases of spam numbers in the Security application to ensure that filters work as effectively as possible against new schemes of fraudsters.
The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same: you can manually blacklist numbers or activate automatic filtering, and the system will analyze the content and the sender itself, making a decision to block.
- 📱 Open the Security app on the home screen.
- 🛡️ Go to the Antispam section in the bottom menu or through three dots in the corner.
- ⚙️ Click on the gear settings for a fine rule configuration.
- ✅ Activate the filter switch SMS shield.
It's important to understand that turning on filtering doesn't permanently delete messages, but it moves to a folder where you can recover important information if you need it, and it protects you from accidentally losing confirmation codes or notifications from banks.
Set up a blacklist and filtering rules
The anti-spam settings menu offers advanced functionality to create personalized rules, so you can block not only specific contacts, but also entire groups of numbers, such as hidden or unknown numbers, and this is especially true for combating automated mailings.
One of the most useful features is keyword filtering, and if you're plagued with messages with certain words, like "credit," "winning," or "promotion," add them to the list of prohibited words, and any message containing those words will be automatically hidden.
☑️ Setting up a smart filter
There's also a lock option for subscribers who aren't saved in contacts, and be careful with this setting if you expect important calls from couriers or delivery services that can call from different numbers, and better use more flexible settings.
⚠️ Note: When adding keywords, the system blocks messages containing these phrases in any context. Do not block words that are too general to avoid missing important notifications from the services.
To add a specific number to the blacklist, go to the appropriate menu and select Add a number. You can enter the number manually or select from the history of calls and messages. After adding, all communications with this contact will be terminated.
Blocking messages from unknown numbers
The hidden number lock feature deserves special attention. Fraudsters often use technology to mask the caller ID to bypass standard blacklists. MIUI settings have a special switch for such cases.
Find the option to Block Hidden Numbers or Block Unknown Numbers, and activating this option ensures that no message without a certain sender number will get into your inbox, a radical but effective measure.
It is worth noting that on different versions of Android and shells, the name of the feature can vary. In HyperOS, this functionality is integrated into the general fraud protection system of Google and Avast (or another partner depending on the region).
If you use your smartphone for work and are waiting for important calls from customers who may be hiding a number, it’s best not to turn on this feature, in which case rely on a manual blacklist and analysis of the contents of messages.
Managing a list of blocked contacts
From time to time, you need to check who is on your blacklist or delete a mistakenly added contact from there, and the lock list is managed through the same Security app.
The Blacklist section displays the complete history of all blocked events, so you can see the lock time, the sender number, and in some cases, the contents of the message, and this allows you to monitor the filter in real time.
| Action. | The way is on the menu | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Add a number. | Anti-spam → Blacklist → Add | Number is locked permanently |
| Remove from the list | Long press on the number → Delete | Lockdown lifted |
| Clear everything. | Menu (three dots) → Clear the blacklist | All locks removed. |
| Viewing the magazine | Antispam → Blocking Journal | Viewing rejected SMS |
To remove the contact, just click on it and select the appropriate option. If you want to clear the entire list at once, use the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of the screen. Be careful, as it will be difficult to restore the list after a complete manual cleaning.
Third-party applications for spam protection
Xiaomi's built-in tools are quite efficient, but sometimes a more powerful tool is needed. Third-party apps like Truecaller, Getcontact or Google's SMS Organizer use cloud databases to identify spam.
The main advantage of these solutions is the collective intelligence of users, so if many people flag a number as spam, it automatically enters the database and is blocked from all users of the application, which allows you to fight new numbers of scammers almost instantly.
Why should you be careful with third-party apps?
However, using third-party software requires broad permissions, the application must be able to read all your SMS and manage calls, and privacy can be compromised, as the data is processed on third-party servers.
If you choose to use an external application, set it up to work in tandem with the system blocker, or give it full filtering functions, disabling the built-in ones to avoid conflicts.Duplicating functions can lead to miss messages or double notifications.
What to do if messages keep coming
Sometimes, even after you set up a lock, spam continues to arrive, which may be because scammers use short service numbers or change sender IDs (Alpha-name), in which case the standard lock on the number does not work.
The solution is to filter through the text of the message. As mentioned earlier, blacklist the keywords that occur in the intrusive ads. SIM-card if the spam is targeted to your current number.
⚠️ Warning: Never follow links in suspicious SMS or call back to short numbers, even out of curiosity.This can lead to a charge-off or a virus infection of your phone.
As a last resort, contact your mobile operator. Most major providers (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2) have paid or free online spam protection services, blocking garbage before it even reaches your device.
Also check if your phone has malicious apps that can generate fake notifications that mimic SMS. Do a full system check through the built-in antivirus in the Security app.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will the sender see that I have blocked his number?
Where are blocked messages stored on Xiaomi?
Can I block SMS from the bank or government?
Are lock settings reset when changing phone?
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The comprehensive use of system filter, keywords and caution when clicking on links is the best protection against mobile spam on Xiaomi.