How to set up the background mode on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which run on MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, are known for aggressively optimizing RAM, which means that the system seeks to extend battery life by forcibly shutting down apps you don’t use right now. For many users, this behavior becomes a real headache, especially when important notifications from messengers come with a delay or do not come at all.

In fact, the background mode on the company’s devices works differently than on “pure” Android, where a complex system of restrictions comes into play, which by default blocks the background activity of most programs, so that your navigator does not turn off during the trip, and the music does not die down when you lock the screen, you need to manually adjust the power settings for each particular application.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to set up the background mode correctly to maintain a balance between performance and stable operation of the services you need. We will look at both standard methods through the settings menu and more advanced options for power users.

Why Xiaomi is closing apps in the background

The main reason is the company’s philosophy, which puts battery life at the forefront: The system’s algorithms analyze user behavior and, if an application is not active on the screen for a certain time, it is marked as “unnecessary” and unloaded from RAM, which is especially noticeable on models with RAM up to 6-8 GB.

There are also several layers of security in the system, and apart from the standard Android constraints, it has its own process manager, which can ignore system priorities if it thinks that the process running is consuming too much resources or has no active user interaction.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling all restrictions completely can cause the battery to run out faster, and the system will stop “sleeping” even those programs that you do not need right now, which will increase the load on the processor.

Understanding this mechanics allows you to approach the setup competently, and instead of fighting the system globally, it is more effective to create exceptions for mission-critical applications such as navigators, activity trackers or work messengers.

Basic settings through the "Applications" menu

The first and most necessary step is to remove the restrictions for a particular application through the standard settings menu, which works on all current versions of firmware and is the foundation for further configuration.

You need to go to Settings, then select the App and find All Apps in the list. Find the program you want, like your favorite messenger or email client, and click on it to open the detailed management menu.

Inside the app menu, find AutoStart and activate the switch, which will allow the program to run itself after the device has restarted. Next, go to Battery Savings, and here you will see three options: Save, No Limits, and Restricted. Select the No Limits option.

Once these steps are done, the system will no longer force the application to be terminated, but in some cases this may not be enough if the system is enabled with Sleep mode or other global limiters.

Affixing applications to memory

One of the most effective features of the MIUI shell is the ability to fix applications in RAM, which signals to the system that this application is a priority and should not be unloaded, even if there is a lack of free memory.

To perform this procedure, open the menu of running applications. This is usually done by swiping from the bottom up with a delay or pressing the appropriate navigation button. Find the card of the desired application and click on it with your finger held, or pull the card down (depending on the system version).

In the menu that appears, select the lock icon, and then the app card will display a closed lock icon, which means that the "clean all" button (cross or broom) will no longer affect the program. It will remain in memory until you close it yourself.

⚠️ Warning: Do not remember heavy games or applications that you do not use constantly, and this can lead to artificially creating a deficit of RAM for other tasks.

The use of the lock is especially important for navigation applications such as Yandex.Navigator or 2GIS. If you forget to put the lock, the system can unload the map during a long trip, which will lead to loss of route.

Set up notifications and permissions

Often, the problem with the background is disguised as a notification problem. Even if the application works, it may not be allowed to show pop-up messages if the appropriate permissions were rejected on the first installation.

It's important to check whether the notification category is "Important" or "Priority" included. In the new versions of Android and HyperOS, notifications are divided into categories. If you have banned the notifications from showing for the category "Messages" or "Calls", the application will work in the background, but you will not see anything on the screen.

You also need to pay attention to the resolution of "Master on top of other applications," which is a critical parameter for messengers and calls, and without this right, the application will not be able to deploy the incoming call screen if the phone is locked at that point.

Check the following settings for mission-critical applications:

• 🔔 Notifications: Make sure the Allow Notifications slider is activated, and audible and pop-up alerts are enabled.
• 📱 Over Other Windows: Give permission to display on top of other apps to see the call interface on the locked screen.
• 📍 Geoposition: For trackers and maps, select the “Always Allowed” mode, not just “When using” mode».

A comprehensive approach to permissions ensures that the application will not only work, but also be able to fully interact with the user.

Global Battery and Sleep Settings

In addition to the individual settings for each application, there are global switches in the system that affect the behavior of all programs at once. → Battery.

Here you can find power saving modes. If Ultra or Saving mode is activated, the system automatically limits background synchronization, reduces processor frequency and turns off background processes for most applications. It is recommended to use Balanced or Performance mode for normal background tasks.

Also in this section, there's a lot of Sleep or Sleep mode, which automatically restricts rarely used apps, and if you notice that an app has stopped coming in the background, check the Sleeping Apps list and remove the program from there.

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If you use third-party launchers, make sure they are also given all the necessary permissions, otherwise they may conflict with system memory management.

Using Developer Mode for Advanced

For users who want to gain maximum control over the system, there is a "Developers" menu, which is hidden by default, but activating it allows you to fine-tune the behavior of background processes.

To activate the menu, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After the message “You became a developer” appears, go back to the main settings menu and find a new section Additional → For developers.

In this section, we're interested in memory-related parameters. Find the Background Process Limit. The default is "Standard Limit." You can change that value to, for example, "No More than 4 Processes" or "No Limits." However, changing that to "No Limits" rarely has a noticeable effect on modern devices with more RAM, because the system will still tend to optimize.

More useful, disabling application-specific MIUI optimization might be helpful. In the developer menu, find Enable MIUI optimization. If it is turned off, the system will be more aggressive in closing processes, but this can help in some specific debugging cases. Usually, this option is best kept on.

⚠️ Note: Experiments in the Developer Menu can lead to unstable system operation. If you are not sure about the parameter's purpose, it is better to leave the default value.

Use of the ADB-Android Debug Bridge allows you to turn off aggressive battery optimization at a deep level, which is often the only way to get specific applications like Tasker or MacroDroid to work.

adb shell pm grant com.android.settings android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

This command requires a computer connection and drivers installed, but it gives full control over security resolutions, allowing you to ignore the system limitations of background activity.

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The most reliable method is the combination: “Autostart” + “No battery restrictions” + “Lock lock”.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)