If you've ever looked into the security settings of your Xiaomi smartphone, you've probably come across the mysterious "Activity Control" item. What's behind this feature? Why is it on by default on most of the brand's devices? And most importantly, how does it affect how your gadget works?
At first glance, the name sounds like a tool to monitor user activity, but it's actually more interesting: it's a system mechanism that regulates applications in the background, optimizes battery consumption and even protects against potentially dangerous actions, but not all users understand how to use it correctly — and some even turn it off without realizing the consequences.
In this article, we will understand what is the activity control on Xiaomi, how it works on different versions. MIUI, And we'll give you practical recommendations for setting up, and we'll also answer the most popular question: should you turn it off?
What is “Activity Control” on Xiaomi?
Activity Control (or “Activity Control” in international firmware) is part of the security ecosystem. MIUI, which appeared in versions MIUI 10 and since then, it's been actively developing, and its primary mission is to monitor and limit the background activity of applications so that:
- 🔋 Extend battery life by blocking unnecessary processes
- 🛡️ Protect your device from malware that can secretly send data
- ⚡ Optimize performance by preventing RAM overload
It's basically a system-level hybrid of Task Manager and Firewall, and unlike the standard "Recent Applications" menu, it's not just open programs that are actively using resources in the background -- even if you haven't run them.
Interesting fact: on devices with MIUI 14 and newer activity control is integrated with permissions, allowing more flexibility to control application access to the microphone, camera or geolocation. For example, if the messenger suddenly started using the camera without your knowledge, you will see this in the activity logs.
Where to find and how to open "Activity Control"?
Depending on the version MIUI And the way to set up a smartphone model might be a little different. Here are the actual ways to do it for 2026:
- Method 1 (MIUI 14/15 and newer: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Activity monitoring.
- Method 2 (older versions) MIUI): Open the Settings. → Additionally. → Confidentiality → Activity monitoring.
- Method 3 (via notification bar): Swipe down the screen to open the notification bar, then click on the icon ⚙️ ("Settings") → "Activity monitoring".
On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro can be called Activity Monitor or Active Processes. If you don't find it, search the settings (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).
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On smartphones with HyperOS (the new shell of Xiaomi), activity control is moved to the Security section and works more aggressively, automatically blocking suspicious background processes.
How activity control works: a detailed analysis
To understand why this function is so important, let’s look at its work using a typical scenario:
So let's say you installed a new fitness app, and it requests geolocation access, but you don't give permission, but after a while, you notice that the battery is going down faster than usual, and you go into Activity Control, and you see that this is an application.
- 📍 Secretly trying to get location data through Google Play Services
- 🔄 Started background processes every 15 minutes
- 📤 Sends data to a remote server (as seen in logs of network activity)
System system MIUI You can automatically limit these activities, but you can manually:
- ✅ Allow activity (if you trust the app)
- ❌ Block completely
- ⚠️ Restrict (for example, allow work only when the application is open)
Important: Activity control does not replace antivirus, but complements it by tracking suspicious behavior even in legitimate programs, for example, if the messenger suddenly began to scan your contacts for no reason, the system will notify you.
What if the app doesn’t work after blocking?
Differences from "Autostart" and "Battery Optimization"
Many people confuse “activity control” with other functions. MIUI, So, we're going to look at the key differences, like "autostart" or "battery optimization:
| Function | Appointment | Level of control | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity monitoring | Monitoring and limitation of background processes | High (works at system level) | Medium (blocks unnecessary processes) |
| Auto-start | Managing Automatic Application Launch When Turning on Your Phone | Medium (depending on permits) | Low (affects only the start-up processes) |
| Optimizing the battery | Limiting background activity to save charge | Low (general settings) | High (aggressively closing applications) |
| Application authorizations | Control of access to camera, microphone, contacts, etc. | High (but does not track background activity) | No direct influence. |
The critical difference is that "activity control" is the only function in the MIUI, It shows real-time resource usage of applications, rather than just managing permissions.
For example, if you turn off auto-start for Facebook, it won't start when you turn on the phone, but if it's already working, it can continue to consume the battery in the background. Activity Control is the one that monitors these cases and allows you to force the process to stop.
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If you want maximum autonomy, use Activity Control along with Battery Optimization, but remember that settings that are too aggressive can disrupt some applications (such as messengers or fitness trackers).
How to set up “Activity Control” for maximum security
By default, the system determines which processes to block, but you can fine-tune it to your needs.
1. Open Settings. → Activity monitoring
2. Enable the option "Show notifications of suspicious activity"
3.In the "Exceptions" section, add trusted applications (banking, instant messengers)
4. Activate "Prohibiting System Settings Changes" to protect against viruses
5. Check the logs of activity for the last 24 hours (Journal button")-->
Let’s now take a closer look at each item:
1. Notifications of suspicious activity
This option will allow you to receive alerts if the application tries to:
- 🔓 Get root access
- 📱 Install other software without your knowledge
- 🔄 Change system settings (for example, disable antivirus)
2. Exceptions for Trusted Applications
Add banking apps, messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) and fitness trackers, or they may stop sending notifications or synchronizing data.
3. Prohibition of changing system settings
This feature blocks applications from attempting:
- 🔧 Change the security settings
- 📵 Disconnecting the mobile network or Wi-Fi
- 🔋 Changes in dietary regimes
4. Activity log.
Here you will see the full history of all the applications over the past day.
- 🚨 Applications with high battery consumption
- 🌍 Programs that often access the Internet
- 📱 Processes that are started without your knowledge
⚠️ Note: If you see an unknown app with a Chinese name in the activity log (e.g. com.duokan.phone.ireader or com.miui.analytics), these may be Xiaomi system services.
Should I turn off Activity Control?
This question is often asked by users who want to “accelerate” their Xiaomi or get rid of “extra” features.
✅ You can turn it off if you want:
- 🔧 You are an experienced user and independently control background processes through ADB Tasker
- 📱 You have a third-party antivirus (such as Kaspersky or Bitdefender) that duplicates the functionality.
- 🔋 You’re willing to sacrifice security for minimal productivity gains (usually, it’s a good idea to do so). 1-3%)
❌ You don't have to turn it off if:
- 🛡️ You need protection from spyware and viruses
- 🔋 You want to maximize battery life.
- 📱 You have many applications installed from unverified sources.
If you decide to turn it off, do it right:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
- Find “Security” (or “Security”) in the list of system applications
- Open "Activity Control" and press "Disable"
- Confirm the action (a password may be required)
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or POCO F5) Disabling activity control completely causes the security settings to automatically reset after rebooting, and this is done to protect users from accidental actions.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even this useful feature sometimes raises questions. Let's look at the most common situations:
1. Applications do not work after blocking in "Activity Control"
If you blocked the activity of the messenger or social network, and it stopped sending notifications:
- 🔄 Return the app to the list of allowed
- 📵 Check the notification settings in the app itself
- 🔋 Add it to battery optimization exceptions
2. Permanent notification of “suspicious activity”
If the system too often warns about the actions of legitimate applications (for example, Google Play Store):
- 🛠️ Add an appendix to the exceptions
- 🔕 Turn off notifications for a specific application in activity control settings
- 🔄 Update the application to the latest version
Fast battery discharge despite on-set control
If the phone is still quickly setting down, although activity control is enabled:
- 🔋 Check the activity log for "gluttonous" processes
- 📱 Install a battery monitoring app (e.g. AccuBattery)
- 🔄 Reset the battery optimization settings to factory
4. The section "Activity Control" does not open
If the item is not in the settings:
- 🔄 Update the firmware to the latest version
- 📱 Check if the com.miui.securitycenter system process is disabled (via the service) ADB)
- 🛠️ Do a reset (but it will delete all data!)