Many Xiaomi smartphone users face intrusive calls from advertising agencies, scammers, or just unwanted interlocutors. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and HyperOS offer powerful built-in tools to filter incoming calls that are often more effective than third-party applications. However, finding a place where this list is stored can be difficult due to the localization and firmware versions.
In this article, we will take a closer look at where the blacklist is located, how to set it up correctly, and what nuances exist for different versions of the software, and you will learn not only to add contacts manually, but also to use smart filters that automatically screen out spam, saving you time and nerves.
Understanding how system locking works will allow you to have full control over who can reach you, and we’ll look at both standard methods through the settings menu and faster ways through the Security app, which is preinstalled on every device in the brand.
Use of the Security App
The fastest and most reliable way to get into lock settings is to use the system application Security. It has a green icon with a shield and is the central node for managing permissions and filters in MIUI. This is where the main tools for protecting against unwanted interference are concentrated.
Once you run the app, you need to scroll down or find the section associated with locking. The interface may vary slightly depending on the regional version of the firmware (Global, Russia, China), but the logic remains the same. You need an item that is often hidden in the optional menu or labeled as "Antispam".
And inside this section, you can see the magic of filtering, and you can see the statistics of blocked calls and SMS, and you can also go to direct editing of lists, which is a key element of protecting your privacy.
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The Security app is updated independently of the system through the GetApps store, so check its relevance if you can’t find the right items.
To access advanced settings, you often need to tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen or the gear icon. Don't ignore these interface elements, as that's where the switches are to activate blacklists for different types of communication.
- 🛡️ Launch the Security app from the main screen.
- 📞 Find and click on the “Antispam” or “Block” section».
- ⚙️ Go to the settings via the menu (three dots or gears).
- 📝 Select the "Black List" option to manage numbers.
Settings through a standard phone
An alternative but equally effective way to manage locks is through the standard Phone app, which is convenient because it allows you to add numbers to a blacklist immediately during or immediately after a call without going to the deep settings menus.
If you want to see a list of blocked subscribers that you have already created, you need to open a call log. In the upper right corner, you usually find a menu where you can select Settings or Lock. In newer versions of HyperOS, this functionality is integrated even deeper into the context menu of each contact.
It is important to note that settings made through the Phone app sync with the system security module, which means that changes apply instantly and are global for all incoming calls, no matter how you make them.
Why can't the numbers be blocked?
You can also quickly check the status of a particular subscriber through the dialing interface, just find it in the history, click on the information icon (the letter "i" in the circle), and scroll down to "Block" and this action will automatically enter the contact into the corresponding database of the system.
Where is the list in different versions of MIUI
Menu layouts can vary depending on the shell version. Owners of devices with MIUI 12 and MIUI 13 often see a more classic menu structure, while MIUI 14 and HyperOS offer an updated design and a modified logic for grouping items.
In older versions of firmware, the path often looked like Settings → Antivirus → Settings → Blacklist. In current builds, developers are looking to simplify navigation by moving lock management closer to the user, for example, in a quick call menu.
If you can’t find the right item on the standard path, search inside the Security app itself. Type in keywords like “list” or “block” often helps you jump to the right section instantly, bypassing manual wandering through the menu.
It is worth considering that on Chinese versions of firmware (CN), the interface can be entirely in Chinese, even if you choose English, in such cases, you have to focus on icons: a shield that prohibits a sign or a list with a minus.
How to Add a Number to a Blacklist
The process of adding a number to the ignore list is extremely simple and takes only a few seconds, and you can do it in a number of ways, choosing the most convenient for the current situation, and the system allows you to enter both individual numbers and entire groups of contacts.
The most obvious method is manual entry, and the blacklist menu usually has an "Add" button (often marked with a plus) that you can click on, you can enter the number manually or select it from the phone book, which is convenient for blocking specific intrusive subscribers.
A more advanced way is to use templates, where you can lock all numbers that start with a specific code, or hide calls from unknown numbers (those that are not saved in contacts), which is the perfect solution for protecting against robotic calls.
☑️ Algorithm for adding a number
You can also import a list from a file or copy numbers from a call history, so if you get a spam call, don't drop it right away, go to the log, click on the number and select the lock option, and that will add the subscriber to the database instantly.
Filter and exclusion settings
Lock management is not just about creating a list of “enemies,” but also fine-tuning the rules of the pass. Xiaomi’s system allows you to create complex scenarios, such as allowing calls only at certain times of the day or only from contacts from a particular group.
The Do Not Disturb feature is different from the blacklist in that it can completely jam the phone, but it often has exceptions for repeat calls (if a person calls a second time within 3 minutes, the call will pass), an important security feature in case of emergencies.
You can also adjust your response to blocked calls, the phone can simply drop a call, send a busy call, or even be silent without showing a missed notification, and customize behaviors to make smartphone use more comfortable.
| Type of filter | Description of action | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Locking by number | Prohibiting calls from a specific subscriber | Blacklist |
| Block of unknowns | Rejection of all numbers not from contacts | Anti-spam settings |
| Keyword filtering | Blocking SMS with certain text | Settings SMS-filter |
| Quiet regime | Turning off the sound when calling without resetting | Do Not Disturb mode |
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The correct filter setting allows you to screen out up to 95% of advertising junk without the risk of missing an important call from a real person.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the added numbers continue to call, or, conversely, important subscribers are blocked, most often the problem lies in the desynchronization of databases or conflict settings.
The first thing to do when a crash happens is to check for updates to the Security app and the Phone system module, and developers regularly release patches that fix bugs in spam detection algorithms, and cleaning the cache of these apps through the memory management menu also helps.
If the problem persists, try removing the problem number from the blacklist and adding it again, and sometimes there is a software “glitch” in which the record in the database is marked as inactive, although it is visually displayed correctly.
⚠️ Note: If you use third-party apps to make calls (e.g. Google Dialer instead of Google Dialer) MIUI Dialer, lock settings may not synchronize, in which case you need to manage the list through the settings of the caller application itself.
Another reason to ignore the blacklist could be the activated Whitelist mode or the priority of contacts, and make sure that the number you want to block is not stored in your contacts with the Favorites mark or is not part of the exclusive group.