Annex MIUI Biometric in Xiaomi: purpose, functions and hidden features

If you are the owner of a Xiaomi smartphone, then you probably noticed a mysterious item in the list of installed applications MIUI Biometric: Unlike Google Play Services or Mi Account, the name doesn't tell a lot about ordinary users, but it's the software that's responsible for one of the key functions of modern phones, biometric authentication.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what lies behind the term “biometry” in the context of the term “biometry”. MIUI, How the app interacts with your Redmi sensors, POCO It's also going to be a big problem for Xiaomi, and why it can be deleted, and you're going to learn what data the system collects, whether it can be turned off without losing functionality, and what to do if the biometrics suddenly stop working. We will pay special attention to privacy issues, because fingerprints and facial scans are among the most sensitive personal data.

Spoiler: It’s not just another unnecessary app from Xiaomi". MIUI Biometric integrated into the core MIUI at the firmware level and directly related to the work of the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) — Attempting to manipulate it without understanding the mechanisms can lead to device locks or malfunctions in Mi Pay, banking applications and even Google Wallet.

What is it? MIUI Biometric and why you need it

Annex MIUI Biometric (full name of the package — com.xiaomi.biometric) is a system component responsible for processing biometric data on Xiaomi devices:

• 📱 Hardware sensors (fingerprint scanner, face recognition camera, IR sensors)
• 🔐 Android Security Subsystem (Keystore, Gatekeeper, TEE)
• 📲 Applications requesting biometric authentication (banks, instant messengers, payment systems)

Without this component, your smartphone would not be able to:

• 🔓 Unlocking by fingerprint or face
• 💳 Confirm payments via Mi Pay or Google Pay with biometrics
• 🔒 Store passwords in Mi Browser or Google Password Manager with biometrics binding
• 📱 Run secure folders (Second Space, App Lock) without entering PIN-code

It is important to understand that MIUI Biometric is not just a wrapper for standard Android features, Xiaomi has introduced additional mechanisms, such as:

• 🔄 Adaptive recognition: The system learns to recognize fingerprints even when wet or dirty fingers (relevant for models with ultrasonic scanners, like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra)
• 👁️ 3D-Face scanning: flagships (such as Xiaomi 14 Pro) use an infrared camera to create a deep face map, which is harder to fool with a photo
• 🔋 Energy saving: the biometric module is activated only when needed, not in the background

How biometrics work in Xiaomi smartphones: technical details

To understand the role MIUI Biometric, you need to understand the biometrics chain, and when you put your finger on the scanner, or look at the screen to unlock it, the next thing you do is you do it:

1. Data collection: the sensor reads unique characteristics (for the print - a drawing of papillary lines, for the face - key points and depth)
2. Transformation: raw data is converted into a biometric template (not an image, but a mathematical representation)
3. Comparison: the template is compared with the stored in TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) reference data
4. Authentication: When matched, the system sends a confirmation to the requesting application or unlocks the device

Key feature MIUI — storing biometric patterns in an isolated environment TEE, It's physically separate from the main OS:

• ✅ Even if your smartphone is infected with a virus, an attacker will not be able to steal your fingerprints.
• ✅ Data is not transferred to the cloud (unlike some vendors, such as Apple syncs Face). ID via iCloud)
• ❌ When resetting to factory settings, all biometric data is irretrievably deleted

Interesting fact: in Xiaomi models with Qualcomm Snapdragon (for example, in the case of the Snapdragon, POCO F5 Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) Biometrics processing is handled by a specialized coprocessor SPU (Secure Processing Unit embedded in the chipset, which speeds up authentication and further protects data.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with bootloader unlocked or custom firmware, biometric protection may be compromised. TEE Vulnerabilities in Unofficial Software.

Can I remove or disable MIUI Biometric?

The short answer is: technically possible, but highly discouraged. com.xiaomi.biometric is a system service, and its removal will result in:

• 🚫 Inability to add new fingerprints or faces
• 🔒 Automatic Deactivation of App Lock, Second Space and Other Security Features
• 💳 Errors when paying through Mi Pay, Google Pay and banking apps
• 📱 Continuous notifications of system process failure

If you do want to get rid of it (for example, because of suspicion of spying), there are several ways:

Disable biometric unlocking in Settings → Passwords and security

Remove all saved prints and faces

Use it. ADB-Deactivation command (requires PC)

Disable Autostart through Settings → Annexes → Autostart control-->

For experienced users, there is a method of disabling through ADB (Android Debug Bridge:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enable debugging USB developer-setting
2. Open the command line and type in: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.biometric
3. Reset the device

But remember, this won't remove the app completely, it will only prevent the current user from running it. MIUI settings may reset.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or Redmi K60) Disabling biometrics can lead to malfunctions in the work IR Blaster (infrared port) or NFC. This is because these modules are also used. TEE data protection.

Problems with MIUI Biometric: Why the fingerprint or face scanner doesn't work

If biometric authentication suddenly stopped working, the reasons could be both software and hardware, and here are the most common scenarios and ways to address them:

If the problem is programmatic, try the following steps:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management, find MIUI Biometric and click Clear Cache.
2. Delete all stored biometric data and add it again.
3. Check for MIUI updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
4. If nothing helps, reset your security settings: Settings → Passwords and security → Resetting security settings

In the models with AMOLED-screens and built-in optical scanners (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO X5 Pro) A common problem is that the screen flickers when scanning the fingerprint. This is due to the backlighting of the sensor:

• Turn off Adaptive Brightness in the Display Settings
• Reduce the screen lock time to 15-30 seconds
• Update the screen firmware through Mi Service Center (official service required)

💡

If the fingerprint scanner stopped working after the phone fell, do not try to disassemble it yourself - in 90% of cases, the problem is a plume break that requires soldering.

Security and privacy: What Xiaomi knows about your fingerprints

One of the most common questions users ask is: does Xiaomi transfer biometric data to its servers? the official position of the company is no, all templates are stored locally in the Internet. TEE They don't leave the device, but there are a few nuances:

• 📊 Anonymous statistics: MIUI It can send data about biometrics usage (for example, how many times a day you unlock your phone with a fingerprint), but not the templates themselves.
• 🔄 Distribution sync: Unlike Apple or Samsung, Xiaomi doesn’t offer synchronization of biometric data between smartphones
• 🔓 Third-party access: Applications may request access to biometrics, but only through API Android (for example, to confirm payments)

To check which applications have access to biometric data:

1. Go to Settings. → Passwords and security → Permit management
2. Select Biometric Data
3. View the list of applications and disable access for unnecessary ones

Important: Even if an application has access to biometrics, it cannot get the fingerprints or facial scans themselves; it only receives confirmation from the system that the authentication is successful (yes/no).

For additional protection, we recommend:

• 🔒 Use it. PIN-Code or password as a backup method of unlocking
• 📱 Update regularly MIUI, New versions of the module close vulnerabilities in the biometric module
• 🛡️ Disable Recognition Improvement in fingerprint settings if you want maximum privacy (this will disable adaptive system learning)

Hidden functions MIUI Biometric: What the app can do besides unlock

Many users believe that MIUI Biometric is just for unlocking the screen, and it's actually integrated into a lot of functions. MIUI, which you might not know:

• 📁 Secure folders: Access to Second Space or hidden albums in the Gallery can be tied to biometrics
• 💬 Private chats: in Mi Messages or WhatsApp, you can hide dialogue behind a biometric lock
• 🎮 Game mode: Game Turbo can tie game launch to a fingerprint for quick access
• 📄 Documents signed: Mi DocViewer supports biometric confirmation of electronic signature
• 🔊 Voice authentication: in some regions (e.g. India) MIUI Supports voice recognition through the same biometric module

An interesting feature is biometric gestures, for example, on the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 you can configure:

• Double-touch fingerprint scanner to start the camera
• Fingerholding to activate Google Assistant
• Swipe scanner to switch between applications

To customize these functions:

1. Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Gestures
2. Select fingerprint scanner gestures
3. Assign actions for different types of touches

Another little-known possibility is biometric authentication. VPN. If you are using Mi VPN or third-party services (e.g. NordVPN), you can link the connection to your fingerprint to avoid entering a password every time.

MIUI Biometric on different Xiaomi models: features and limitations

The functionality of the biometric module depends on the hardware platform of the device.

On budget models (e.g. Redmi) 10A or POCO M5) The biometric module is often simplified:

• 🚫 No multi-user biometrics support (you can't save multiple people's fingerprints)
• 🔄 Slow recognition due to lack of SPU
• 📱 Limited number of saved prints (usually no more than 5)

On flagships (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra) implemented advanced features:

• 👆 Recognition from the venous pattern of the palm (experimental function in some regions)
• 🔍 Iris scanner (planned in future models)
• 🔄 Adaptive biometrics: the system learns to recognize fingerprints even when skin lesions (cuts, calluses) are damaged)

If you are planning to buy a new Xiaomi smartphone and biometrics are important to you, pay attention to:

• 📌 Type of scanner: ultrasonics are more reliable than optical ones, but more expensive
• 📌 The presence of an IR camera for 3D-face-recognition
• 📌 Support TEE 2.0 (relevant to banking applications)

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about MIUI Biometric