What to disable in the new Xiaomi Redmi immediately after purchase: 12 unnecessary features

You just unpacked the new Xiaomi Redmi, a bright screen, a powerful processor, a camera with a bunch of megapixels, but after a day you notice that the battery is going down too fast, the system is slowing down, and the menu is constantly popping up intrusive notifications. MIUI, They're working in the background, eating up the resources of the smartphone, and many of them are duplicates of the capabilities of Android, or are useless to most users.

This article is not a call to “turn everything off,” but a practical guide to optimizing Redmi for real-world tasks, and we’ll look at what services can be safely deactivated without the risk of breaking the system, how to do it through settings (no root rights!), and what each step will bring: increase in autonomy, speed or just cleanliness of the interface. MIUI 14/15 on the Redmi Note models 12/13, Redmi 12/13, POCO X5/6 and other modern devices of the brand.

We warn you right away: some features (such as Mi Cloud or Smart Lock) are useful in certain scenarios, so before you turn them off, evaluate whether you need them personally, and if in doubt, check the impact of each setting on autonomy through Settings. → Battery → Battery utilization.

1. Advertising and Analytics: How to Remove Intrusive Banners in MIUI

Xiaomi is known for embedding ads even into system applications, from Browser to File Manager. The good news is that most banners can be turned off without third-party software. The bad news is that some ad mechanisms are hidden deep in the settings.

Start with the primary source of advertising, personalized recommendations. Go to Settings. → Google → Advertisements and deactivate Personalized Ads. Then go back to the main settings and follow the steps:

• 📱 Turn off advertising in system applications: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to activate Advanced Settings. Then go to Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities → Advertising and deactivate all switches.
• 🔍 Remove banners in Weather and Themes: In each of these apps, open the settings (three dots in the upper right corner) and find Advertising Preferences or Personalized Recommendations.
• 🌐 Replace the standard browser: Mi Browser shows ads even on the homepage. Install Chrome or Firefox from Google Play and make it the default browser in Settings → Annexes → By default.

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI Advertising settings may be reset, check them after each major update, and if banners return, repeat the steps or use alternative methods from the following pages: FAQ.

Redmi models for the European region (EEA) There is no default advertising in system applications – this is a requirement GDPR. If you see banners, you have a global or Chinese firmware.

2. background processes: what interferes with the work and how to limit them

MIUI It aggressively caches apps in memory, which even after they close, they continue to use up their battery, like Facebook or TikTok, which can wake up every 10 minutes to update content.

First, check which applications load the system the most:

1. Open Settings → Battery → Battery Use.
2. Slip on the chart and select CPU Use.
3. See which processes take up more than 5% of the charge in the background.

Now limit them:

• 🔋 Turn off autostart: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Autorun. Deactivate unnecessary apps (especially social media and instant messengers).
• 📱 Limit background activity: In the same Application Management menu, select the app → Battery limitations → Limit background activity.
• ⚡ Activate the energy saving mode: Settings → Battery → Battery mode → Choose Balanced or Energy Saving (but not Performance if you want to save charge).

💡

If after limiting background activity, notifications from messengers stopped coming, add them to the exceptions: → Notifications → Priority notifications.

3. Geolocation and Permits: Who Is Watching You Needlessly

By default. MIUI It allows most applications to use geolocation, microphone and camera in the background, and it's not just a matter of privacy, it's also an extra battery charge. For example, Google Maps can update your location every few minutes, even if you're not navigating.

Go through this checklist to disable unnecessary access:

Detailed instructions:

1. Geolocation: Settings → Confidentiality → Permits → Geodata. Disable access for all applications except maps and navigators. For Google Play Services, select Only during use.
2. Microphone and camera: In the same Permissions menu, check which apps have access to the microphone/camera. For example, TikTok or Likee can record sound in the background.
3. Auto-boot: On WhatsApp or Telegram, turn off auto-uploading of media files in mobile data: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (such as Mi Cloud or Find Device) require geolocation to work.

If you want to go further, install AppOps (requires) ADB) — It's a tool for deep resolution management, including hidden system calls, but be careful: incorrect settings can break some functions.

4. Visual Effects and Animations: How to Speed Up the Interface

MIUI It's famous for its beautiful but resource-intensive animations, smooth transitions, paralax effects on the desktop, unlock animations, all of which look impressive, but slow down weak and medium-sized smartphones like Redmi. 10A note 11). Disabling the excess effects can give an increase in smoothness on the 20-30%.

Here's what you can optimize:

• 🎨 Turn off window animation: Activate Developer Mode (shap 7 times on Version) MIUI About the phone, then go to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and install:
• 🖥️ Simplify the desktop: Long press on the home screen → Desktop settings → Turn off the paralax effect and animation when changing wallpaper.
• 🔄 Remove Download Animation: In the same developer settings, deactivate Download Animation.

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and other flagships of the series cope with animations without brakes, but on budget models (for example, Redmi). A2) You can see the difference with the naked eye. Try turning off the effects and compare the speed of opening apps before and after.

5 System applications: what can be removed without root

MIUI It comes with a dozen preinstalled applications that can't be removed by standard means, but can be disabled or hidden so they don't interfere or update».

List of safe applications to disable:

To hide applications from the desktop, long click on the icon → Remove or drag into the folder Hidden applications (created by a long tap in the free space of the screen).

⚠️ Attention: Do not turn off the system UI, Mi Share or Security – This will cause interface or security failures.

💡

Applications that are disabled are not completely deleted, they just stop working and don't show up on the menu. They can be returned at any time through Settings. → Annexes → Disconnected.

6.Smart features: what eats the battery under the guise of "utility"

MIUI It's full of smart chips: Smart lock, lift to unlock, double tap to wake up, many of which are switched on by default, but in practice they're used by units, and they're constantly scanning sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer) that consume a charge.

Check and disable unnecessary:

• 🔐 Smart locking: Settings → Lock screen → Smart lock. Turn off all points except fingerprint lock./PIN.
• 🤳 Screen gestures: Settings → Additionally. → Deactivate Unlock Raising and Double Touch (if not used).
• 📡 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the background: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Connect to the networks automatically (turn off). The same for Bluetooth.
• 🔋 Adaptive brightness: Often not working correctly, it is better to use manual settings: → Display. → Adaptive brightness.

It is especially important to disable these functions on budget models (Redmi). 12C, Redmi A3), where every percentage of the battery counts. K60) less impact, but still noticeable with active use.

7 Updates and Diagnostics: How to Stop Background Checks

MIUI It constantly checks system, security and application updates, even if you didn't ask for them, and these checks are done in the background, consuming traffic and charge, and automatic updates can install a new version. MIUI with bugs (as was the case with the MIUI 14.0.3 for Redmi Note 11, which ate the battery).

To take control of your own hands:

1. Turn off auto-update MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings → Deactivate Automatic Boot and Update Notices.
2. Ban background app updates: Google Play → Settings → Auto-update of applications → Choose Not to Update Automatically.
3. Turn off the diagnosis: Settings → The phone. → Reviews and diagnostics → Deactivate all switches.

If you want to update manually, follow the announcements on the official Xiaomi website or forums (for example, 4PDA). Check user reviews before installing a new version – sometimes it’s best to wait a couple of weeks for critical bugs to fix.

8 Security and Cloud: What can be turned off without risk

Xiaomi is pushing its cloud services like Mi Cloud, Find Device, Sync. They are useful if you’re using the Xiaomi ecosystem (like synchronizing data between your phone and Mi Band), but if you only have a smartphone, these features only consume traffic and battery.

What can be safely disabled:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Turn off sync for all items except Contact (if you need them).
• 📍 Find Device: Useful only if you lose your phone often. otherwise, turn off the Settings → Google → Security → Find My Device (and in the Mi Cloud).
• 🔄 Autosynchronization: Settings → Accounts. → Autosynchronization of data → Disable for unnecessary accounts (e.g., Xiaomi or Google if you don’t use their services).

⚠️ Warning: If you turn off Find Device, you won't be able to find the phone through i.mi.com in case of theft!

For additional security, install AppLock (built-in) MIUI) for critical applications (banks, instant messengers): Settings → Annexes → AppLock, but don't use it. PIN or pattern lock is easier than in a screen lock!

💡

If you use Google Photos for backup, turn off sync in Mi Cloud to avoid data duplication.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Redmi optimization