How to permanently ban unfamiliar numbers on Xiaomi: from blacklist to blacklist AI-filtering

Spam calls and intrusive salespeople have become a scourge of modern smartphones — according to Kaspersky, in 2023, one in three Xiaomi users faced fraudulent calls weekly. Fortunately, MIUI offers several built-in tools to block unwanted contacts, and with the release of MIUI 15, new features based on artificial intelligence have appeared. But how among this variety to choose the most effective method? And why the standard “blacklist” often does not cope with the dynamically changing numbers of scammers?

In this guide, we'll take a look at 5 And you'll learn from the basics of settings to the advanced third-party solutions. AI-Filtering calls on new Xiaomi models 14/Redmi Note 13, Why does the standard blocker in Google Phone work better than the native one, and how to get around the limitations of carriers. MIUI 12) We have prepared separate instructions taking into account the features of the firmware.

1. Standard blacklist in MIUI: limitations and hidden features

The most obvious way is to blacklist a number through the standard Phone app, but few people know that MIUI 13+ has hidden options that are not visible on the first screen, such as the ability to block not only individual numbers, but entire prefixes (for example, all numbers with the +375 code to block Belarusian spam).

To activate the advanced settings:

• 📱 Open the phone application and go to ⋮ → Settings → Number locking
• 🔍 Turn on the switch to Lock unknown numbers (only works for contacts not saved in the phone book)
• 📝 To add a prefix, click Add a number, enter a mask (for example, +7999***) and keep
• 🔄 Do not forget to update the list: the prefix lock does not apply to numbers with a changed Caller ID

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If after blocking calls continue to arrive, check the settings SIM-card: some operators (e.g. MTS or Beeline) redefine the system lock with their services.

An important nuance: the standard blacklist in MIUI does not block SMS from blocked numbers - you need to separately activate the filtering of messages in Settings → Messages → Spam filter. Also, the system does not not notify you of missed calls from blocked contacts, which can be critical if you are waiting for an important call from an unfamiliar number.

2. AI-call-filtering MIUI 14/15: How it works and why it doesn’t always work

Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi has integrated an AI system into firmware to analyze incoming calls. The algorithm compares a number to a database of known spammers (updated weekly via the Mi Cloud cloud) and evaluates subscriber behavior: call frequency, call duration, geolocation. If the system determines a call as “suspicious”, it is automatically sent to Spam or blocked.

To turn on AI-filtering:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Phone → Advanced settings
2. Activate the Spam Call Filtering Switch
3. Select the level of aggression: Balanced (recommended) or Hard (can block legitimate calls)
4. Turn on the option to show notifications about blocked calls to see statistics

However, this system has three critical shortcomings:

1. Cloud dependency: If there is no Internet connection, filtering works only on a local base (it becomes obsolete after 2-3 weeks).
2. False positives: The algorithm can block calls from courier services or banks (especially if you have previously flagged them as spam).
3. Regionally constrained: spammer database optimized for China, India and Europe, with efficiency falling by 30-40% for Russia and the CIS.

3. Google Phone as an alternative to standard calling

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi can install the Google Phone app (available from the Play Market), which offers more flexible lock settings. Unlike the standard MIUI call, Google Phone:

• 🔄 Syncs blacklist with Google account (works on all devices)
• 📊 Offers detailed statistics on spam calls broken down by category (fraudsters, telemarketing, robots)
• 🛡️ Has a built-in database of spammers from Google, which is updated more often than in the Internet. MIUI
• 🔊 Allows you to configure notifications about blocked calls with an audible signal

To switch to Google Phone:

1. Install the app from the Play Market and open it.
2. Press. ⋮ → Settings → Challenges → Spam and blocking.
3. Enable Spam Filter options and Show Spam Notifications.
4. Go back to your phone’s basic settings and select Google Phone as the default app for calls (Settings → Apps → Default → Phone).

Add frequently spammy numbers to the blacklist|Enable filtering of unknown numbers|Activate notifications of blocked calls|Update the spammer database manually (in settings)|Check sync with your Google account-->

Warning: On some Xiaomi models (e.g., POCO X5), Google Phone may conflict with MIUI system services, causing delays in incoming calls. If you notice lags, go back to the standard call and use alternative locking methods.

4 Third-party apps: Truecaller vs Should I Answer?

When the built-in tools fail, specialized applications come to the rescue, and two market leaders, Truecaller and Should I Answer?, use crowdsourcing to identify spammers, but each has its own pros and cons:

For installation:

1. Download the app from the Play Market (avoid APKs from third-party sources – they may contain viruses).
2. Register (Truecaller requires a phone number for verification).
3. In the application settings, activate: 🛡️ Blocking spam 🔔 Notifications of Missed Spam Calls 🌍 Global filtration (for Truecaller)

Google Phone

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Truecaller is more effective for blocking international spam (for example, calls from Africa or Asia), and Should I Answer? is better for dealing with local scams (bank robots, collectors).

⚠️ Warning: Both apps request access to contacts and call log. Truecaller is known for data leak scandals - if privacy is critical, use Should I Answer? or set permission restrictions in Settings → Annexes → Permits.

5. Operator-level locking: pros and pitfalls

All major operators (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2) offer spam-filtering services, such as MTS, which is Spam Protection, Beeline, which is Antispam, and the advantages of this approach are:

• 📡 Filtering works before the call reaches the phone (saves battery life).
• 🔄 The spammer database is updated by the operator in real time.
• 💰 Often free or for a nominal fee (1-3 ₽/day-day).

To connect:

• 📱 Send. USSD-team: MTS: *111*789# Beeline: *110*789# MegaFon: *105*480# Television2: *225*1#
• 🌐 Or activate in the personal account on the operator's website (section "Services" → Security").

However, there are serious limitations:

⚠️ Warning: operators only block numbers registered in their database, scammers often use "clean" SIM cards or substitute Caller ID (In such cases, the service is useless, and some operators (e.g. Tele2) may block legitimate calls from taxi or delivery services.

6. Hidden settings for advanced users

If standard methods don't work, you can use hidden MIUI features or engineering menus, which require caution but give you maximum control over incoming calls.

Method 1: Blocking through the Engineering Menu (for experienced ones only)

This method allows you to block calls at the modem level, but it does not work on all models.

1. Open the Phone app and type ##4636##.
2. Go to Phone Information → Settings → Incoming calls.
3. Enable Reject incoming calls and add numbers or prefixes.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect settings in the engineering menu may cause network loss.Before changes, back up via Settings → The phone. → Backup.

Method 2: Using ADB for deep locking

For users with an unlocked bootloader and root rights, a blocking method is available via ADB:

adb shell settings put global block_unknown_callers 1


adb shell settings put global block_spam_callers 1

These commands activate hidden flags in MIUI that block:

• 📞 All calls from unknown numbers (even if they are not blacklisted).
• 🤖 Robots-auto-callers (by analyzing call patterns).

FAQ: Frequent questions about locking numbers on Xiaomi