Constant calls from spammers, scammers and intrusive advertising agencies have become a real scourge of the modern digital world. Xiaomi and Redmi Note smartphone owners face this problem especially often, as their popular devices are in the focus of telemarketers. Fortunately, the Android operating system, combined with the shell of MIUI or HyperOS, provides powerful built-in tools for filtering incoming traffic that effectively cut off unwanted calls.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to block calls from numbers that hide their ID or ID. You will learn how to set up a standard antispam, what codes to use to activate the service from the operator, and why third-party solutions are sometimes more effective. Importantly, completely blocking all “hidden” numbers can lead to the skipping of important calls from doctors or couriers using corporate PBX with the function of hiding the number. Correctly adjusting the balance between silence and availability is a key task that we will solve now.
Using a built-in spam filter in MIUI and HyperOS
The first thing Xiaomi needs to do is activate the built-in security guard, which is already integrated into the system. Unlike many other manufacturers, Xiaomi does not hide these features deep in the menu, but brings them to the surface for quick access. The basic level of protection is enabled through the standard Phone application, which is responsible for dialing and calling history.
To start, open the Phone app and click on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to call the drop-down menu. From the list, select Antispam (or Lock), and then the system will prompt you to activate the feature if it was turned off earlier. Here you will find the Spam filter switch, which you need to move to the active position. Once turned on, the system will begin to analyze incoming calls and check them with the cloud database of known scammers.
Special attention should be paid to filtering unknown numbers. In the menu "Antispam" go to the settings section (cogs) and find the option "Block unknown numbers." Importantly, on different versions of the firmware, this feature can be called differently, for example, "Block hidden numbers" or "Disable calls without a determinant." Activation of this parameter forcibly resets calls where Caller ID is not transmitted or disguised.
- 📱 Open the Phone app and click on the three-dot menu.
- 🛡️ Select the Antispam section and activate the main protection switch.
- ⚙️ In the filter settings, enable the option to block hidden identifiers.
- 📂 Check your lock log regularly to avoid missing an important call.
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Periodically update the spam databases in the Antispam settings by pressing the Update button, which allows the system to know about new scams.
Setting up the blacklist and locking rules
If a standard filter isn't enough, you can create more flexible rules using the blacklist functionality. In the Redmi and Poco ecosystem, the blacklist works not just as a list of prohibited contacts, but as a smart filter that supports masks and regular expressions, and this allows you to block entire series of numbers, such as all calls starting with a specific city code or prefix.
To add a rule, go to the call settings and find the "Black List" section. Press the add button (usually a plus) and select the lock type. To combat unknown numbers, the mask lock rule is often used. You can enter an asterisk or a special character that will mean "any number", but in the context of hidden numbers, it is better to use the specific operator settings or the "Unknown" mode if it is available in your version of MIUI.
It's also worth considering turning on Contact Only mode, which is a radical but highly effective method, and when activated, the phone will only ring when the caller's number is in your phone book, and all other calls, including those marked as Unknown Number or Private Number, will automatically deflect without sound or vibration.
☑️ Checking the blacklist settings
Remember that hard filters can have side effects, such as getting calls from health clinics, banks or delivery services from secure lines where the default number is hidden. So before you turn on a blanket lock, weigh the risks. In some cases, it's wiser to whitelist specific organizations if their numbers are known and block the rest of the unknowns.
Blocking through operator codes and network services
Users often forget that spam control tools are provided not only by smartphone manufacturers, but also by mobile operators themselves. Major market players (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2) have special services that block calls at the network level, even before the signal reaches your Redmi Note.
To activate such services, it is usually sufficient to enter USSD-For example, some operators have an Antispam service or a Blacklist service that allows you to configure the filtering of anonymous calls. such services are often paid or have a trial period, after which they begin to charge subscription fees.
| Operator. | Name of service | Cost | Activation command |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTS | Number ID + Antispam | Paid (tariffs vary) | Through the MTS appendix |
| Beeline | Definition + Locking | There are free options | *110*09# |
| Megaphone | Antispam | Paid/Trial period | Through the app |
| Tele2 | Blacklist | Paid. | *155*00# |
Network settings have one critical advantage: they work even when the phone is off or out of Wi-Fi coverage, because filtering is done on the server side. USSD-codes can be confusing because codes change frequently or depend on the region, and it is recommended to use official applications of operators to manage these functions, since the interface there is more clear and relevant.
What if the code doesn't work?
Third-party applications for advanced filtering
When Android and the operator’s capabilities are not enough, specialized applications from Google Play come to the rescue. The leaders in this niche are Truecaller, Yandex.Definition and Kaspersky Who Calls. These programs use crowdsourcing (people’s database): if at least a few users have marked a number as spam, it is automatically blocked from all other customers of the application.
Installing such software requires broad permissions; an application needs access to contacts, a call log, and even SMS to work effectively; these raise privacy concerns, as your data can also be shared anonymously; however, the effectiveness of such solutions in dealing with unknown and hidden numbers often exceeds that of standard tools.
To set up a hidden number lock in a third-party application, you usually need to go to its settings and find the "Block" section, and you need to activate the "Block Hidden Numbers" or "Block Hidden Callers" option, and then the application will intercept the management of incoming calls and act as a filter gateway.
- 📥 Download a reliable application to determine the number from the official store.
- 🔐 Provide the necessary permits to work in the background.
- 🔍 Enable the option to block anonymous calls in the application settings.
- 🧹 Periodically clean the application cache for the correct operation of the database.
Do Not Disturb as a Temporary Solution
If you need silence right now and don’t want to dig into the complex blacklist settings, use Do Not Disturb. On Xiaomi smartphones, this mode has flexible settings that allow you to skip calls only from selected contacts while everyone else, including unknown ones, is blocked.
You can activate it through the Quick Access Panel (curtain) or in the audio settings. To set exceptions, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Don't Disturb → People. You can only allow calls from your favorites or all contacts, keeping the lock for unknown numbers, ideal for weekends or important meetings.
Remember that this mode also jams notifications from messengers and social networks, unless you set exceptions for them.So use it with caution to avoid missing a really important message from colleagues or relatives.
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Do Not Disturb is a temporary solution for specific situations, not a replacement for a full blacklist setup for constant spam protection.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the many tools, users sometimes face situations where the lock is not working properly.One common problem is that the phone continues to vibrate or make a sound when a hidden number is called, even if it is added to a blacklist.This is often because the system caller does not take precedence over some system processes or permissions.
In such cases, check the permissions of the Phone application. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Phone → Permissions. Make sure the application is allowed to run in the background and access contacts. Sometimes cleaning the phone application data (not contacts, but application settings) helps, which will reset it to factory filtering parameters.
⚠️ Warning: If contacts are lost after resetting the settings, don't panic. sync your Google account or restore your backup, as cleaning the app data may have affected the local phonebook cache.
Another problem is that calls are made when the Internet is turned on over a mobile network but blocked on Wi-Fi, or vice versa.This may indicate a conflict between the operator's network settings and local MIUI settings. Try disabling the operator's number detector service if you use a third-party application, as they may conflict when trying to process the same incoming call.