Auto-Run on Xiaomi: What it is and how to set up the system

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face situations where important notifications from messengers arrive late or not at all, often because of the aggressive MIUI or HyperOS energy saving system, which forcibly closes the background processes, and this is where the “autostart” option comes to the scene, which many users ignore or do not fully understand its meaning.

In fact, auto-run is about letting the system download the app with the smartphone turned on and, more importantly, restarting its processes after a forced shutdown. Without activating this instant messenger option, you won't be able to receive real-time messages if the app is folded, and how to manage this tool properly to find a balance between autonomy and functionality of the device.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is enough to run a program once, but in the Xiaomi ecosystem this is not enough for stable background work, and you need a comprehensive understanding of how the operating system allocates memory and processor resources between active tasks.

The essence of the autostart function in the shell of MIUI and HyperOS

Unlike pure Android, where processes are managed somewhat differently, Xiaomi's shells have deep optimization settings. Autostart in this context is not just about starting a program when you turn on your phone. It's about allowing you to self-repair. When you fold an application or a system decides to clear RAM, MIUI services can complete the process to save charge. If autostart is allowed, the system will automatically restart the fallen process.

You have to distinguish between Autostart and Allow Background Work, the first is responsible for starting and restarting services, the second is responsible for being able to perform actions when the screen is off, but without autostart enabled, setting up background work often becomes useless, since the process simply will not be recreated after the system has "killed."

⚠️ Warning: Unsystematic autorun for all applications in a row will lead to a significant reduction in battery life.

System applications such as a phone book or messages usually have this option turned on by default and hidden from the user. The main battleground revolves around third-party software: navigators, activity trackers, smart home and corporate email clients.

Where to find autorun settings on different firmware versions

The location of the autorun control menu can vary depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS, as well as on the firmware region (Global, China, EEA). Most often the path is as follows: you need to open the standard Security application (green zipper icon), then go to the "Allows" section and select "AutoStart".

An alternative path through system settings is often more reliable, especially on newer versions of software. You need to go to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autorun. This shows the full list of all the programs installed with switches.

On some HyperOS devices, the logic may have changed, and management moved to advanced battery settings, so you should check the Settings → Battery → Application Energy Saving path, and you can choose a strategy for each application: “No Limits”, “Save Charge” or “Limit Background Activity”.

If you can't find these items, search inside the settings menu, type the word "autostart" or "autostart" into the search box, and the system will redirect you to the desired section, which is especially true if you have advanced settings enabled.

Step-by-step instruction for activating auto-start

To ensure that the application you need is running smoothly, it's not enough to just click the switchboard in the autorun menu. It requires a comprehensive setup. The following algorithm will help you avoid typical errors.

First, open the autorun menu through the Security app or settings. Find a program you want to use, like Telegram or Viber, and activate the switch. Then the system can issue a warning that it will affect battery consumption — confirm the action.

Then you need to fix the application in memory. Open the list of running applications (swipe from the bottom up and hold or menu button). Find the window of the desired program and click on the lock icon. This will prevent it from being cleaned when using the "Clear All" function.

The final step is to check the notification settings. Make sure that in the Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management for this application, all types of alerts are allowed, including display on the lock screen.

⚠️ Note: New versions of Android and MIUI After installing the system updates, permission settings may be reset. Periodically check the status of autorun after major software updates.

Autostart Impact on Performance and Battery

Turning on auto-start inevitably affects the resources of the device. Each application that receives permission to start loads its services, which consume RAM and CPU time. On older models of smartphones with 3-4 GB of RAM, this can lead to felt slowdowns of the interface.

In terms of power consumption, background processes prevent the processor from going to deep sleep. If you run a dozen “heavy” applications with auto-run, battery life can be reduced by 15-20% per day. However, for instant messengers, this cost is minimal and is compensated by the convenience of instant messaging.

Xiaomi's system tries to balance these processes, and if a phone detects that an application with auto-run enabled has not been used for a long time, it can again restrict its background activity, despite the user's settings, part of an artificial intelligence optimization algorithm.

It is important to understand the difference between active use and background waiting. An application can hang in memory, but does not consume CPU resources until a new event (new message, call) arrives. Problems begin when the application is written incorrectly and creates "wakelocks" without letting the phone fall asleep.

Table settings of popular applications

Not all apps require the same approach. Below is a table of recommendations for setting up autoruns for different software categories so you can optimize your smartphone.

Using this table as a guide, you can significantly clear the boot list. Leave only what really requires a constant presence in RAM.

Solving problems with a non-working auto-start

There are times when you've turned on all the settings, but the app still crashes or doesn't send notifications. Often the problem is version conflict or cache. Try clearing the app's cache through the Settings menu. → Annexes → All applications → [Select an application] → Clean up → Clear the cache.

Another common reason is Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode, which can block network activity, check if the app is added to the power saving exceptions, and make sure the app has permission to access the network (Wi-Fi and mobile data).

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If nothing works, try removing the Security or Google Play Services updates from the app menu and then updating them again through the GetApps or Play Market store.

In rare cases, network resets help. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. This will not delete your personal data, but will return network settings to factory values, which often solves problems with connecting background services.

⚠️ Note: When resetting network settings, you will have to re-enter passwords from Wi-Fi networks and reintroduce Bluetooth devices.

Additional Tips for Optimizing MIUI

For advanced users, there is a possibility of fine-tuning through the engineering menu or ADB, but this requires caution. Standard methods can achieve excellent results if you approach the issue selectively. Remember that RAM in Android is designed to be filled, but junk processes are better removed.

Check the Battery section in your settings regularly, and the system tells you which applications use the most power in the background, and if you see a program there that you're not actively using, you can turn it off.

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The main secret of Xiaomi’s stability is not to try to optimize everything at once, but to configure 5-10 really important applications, leaving the rest to work in standard system mode.

By following these guidelines, you’ll turn your smartphone into a smart tool that works exactly the way you want it to work, not the way algorithmic energy saving decided.

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