Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi 9, run Android operating system with a proprietary shell MIUI. One of the key features of this ecosystem is aggressive resource management, where many programs continue to function even after the user has folded them or closed the screen. This phenomenon is known as background mode, and it can significantly affect the autonomy and performance of the gadget.
Optimizing the operating system becomes critical if you notice that the battery is running out too quickly, and the interface begins to slow down when switching between tasks. Background processes consume not only battery power, but also precious megabytes of RAM, which is especially noticeable on models with 3 or 4 GB of RAM.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can manage your smartphone’s background tasks, look at both the standard MIUI shell tools and the deeper Android settings available through the developer menu, and learn to force unnecessary services to stop and prevent them from automatically running.
Why apps are running in the background
Understanding the reasons why programs continue to work after closing is essential to managing smartphone resources effectively. Android is designed to enable the instant launch of frequently used applications, keeping them in memory. This creates the illusion of multitasking, but in practice leads to constant power consumption by the processor and communication modules.
In addition, many developers have built into their products mechanisms for notifications, data synchronization and content updates. Background activity can be caused by the need to receive messages in messengers or update social feeds in real time. However, not all applications need such constant activity, and often they waste resources.
On Xiaomi Redmi 9 devices, the situation is aggravated by the presence of a large amount of pre-installed software that also seeks to launch its services. Without proper control, this leads to the fact that after a few months of use, the phone starts to work slower than on the first day after purchase, the user must determine his own priorities and limit the work of unnecessary services.
MIUI has built-in power saving algorithms that try to shut down unused programs automatically, but they are not always effective against persistent applications. It is important to distinguish between the system processes needed to run the phone and the user software that can be safely limited. Incorrectly shutting down critical services can lead to unstable device operation.
Use of the built-in MIUI optimizer
The easiest and safest way to manage running processes is to use the regular Security app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, which provides quick access to memory cleaning and auto-start management, allowing you to close all background tasks in one click, and regular use of this feature helps keep the system in good shape.
To access the optimization functions, you need to open the Security app and click on the Clean button. The system will analyze the current state of RAM and suggest that you free up space by closing inactive applications. This action instantly stops the code of programs that hang in the background, but does not prevent them from being re-started by the system.
A more effective method is to set up auto-run, which prevents programs from starting on their own when you turn on your phone or start other applications. Go to the "Permissions" section inside the "Security" app and select "Auto-Run" here, you will see a list of all programs that are authorized to run without your knowledge.
☑️ Auto-start setup
Importantly, disabling autoruns for instant messengers can cause a delay in getting notifications until you manually open the app. For social media and gaming, the autorun restriction usually passes without any impact on functionality.
⚠️ Note: Do not disable AutoRun for Xiaomi system services such as Services and Feedback or Mi Credit if you are unsure of their purpose, as this may cause interface errors.
Limiting background activity through settings
Android-based MIUI provides deep customizations for each application installed, allowing you to control its behavior in detail. You can manually prevent a particular program from running in the background, which is more radical but also more effective than simple memory cleaning. This is especially useful for heavy games and applications that you rarely use.
To access these settings, go to the Settings menu, then select the Apps section and click All Apps. In the list that opens, find the program you want, like a popular social network or game, and tap it. You are interested in the Battery Savings item, which is hidden in the app settings sub-menus.
The charge saving menu will offer you three behaviors: "No Limits," "Power Savings," and "Saving Hard." The choice of "Saving Hard" mode completely prevents the application from running background processes until you open it again, ensuring that the program does not consume CPU and network resources in the background.
Austerity is ideal for applications that don't require instant response or constant synchronization, such as taxi or food delivery programs that can be easily restricted if you're not waiting for a courier right now. Navigators and activity trackers are not suitable for this mode, as they have to work constantly.
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Use the “Savings Hard” mode for games so that they don’t update content or waste traffic until you play.
Keep in mind that applying these settings to each application takes time, but it will give you the best long-term result. You create a customized power profile for your Redmi 9, eliminating unnecessary battery loads, and the system will remember your preferences and apply them automatically after each update to the application page.
Management through the Developer Menu
For advanced users who want to gain full control of the system, there is a hidden “Developers” menu, which hides technical parameters that affect the behavior of the Android operating system, including limits on the number of background processes.
To unlock access, open Settings, go to About Phone and find MIUI Version. You need to quickly click on this line 7-10 times in a row until the screen says you have become a developer.
Inside the developer menu, scroll down to the Applications section, and here you're interested in the Background Process Limit option. It's set to Standard Limit by default, but you can change it to No Background Processes, or limit the number of processes to a specific number. It's a global setting that affects the entire system.
What happens when you set the limit “No background processes”?
Using the limits of background processes can dramatically change the behavior of a smartphone, making it more responsive, but less convenient in terms of multitasking. RAM will be released more aggressively, but you will have to wait for applications to download more often when you switch, which is a trade-off between speed and usability.
⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the developer menu can lead to unpredictable behavior of some applications, so it is recommended to test the changes on less important programs first.
Disabling Google Background Services and System Processes
A significant portion of the background activity on Xiaomi smartphones is occupied by Google Play services and other system components, which are responsible for synchronizing contacts, geolocation, backup and update applications, and although you can not completely turn them off without losing functionality, you can limit their appetites.
To limit Google services, go to the app settings, search for Google Play Services, and select Savings mode under Battery, and check your Google account sync settings by turning off syncing for data you don’t need all the time, such as calendar or notes if you’re not using them.
MIUI system processes, such as "Mi Cloud" or "GetApps," can also run in the background. They can be found in the application list by sorting them by system. Disabling the auto-update for the GetApps app store in its own settings will help reduce network and processor strain.
| Process/Service | Function | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play Services | Google Basic Services | Limit the background, don't turn off |
| Mi Cloud | Synchronization of data | Turn off autosynchronization |
| GetApps | Xiaomi App Store | Turn off auto-update |
| MIUI Daemon | Statistics collection | It can be tightly restricted. |
The critical point is that completely disabling Google Play services can cause most third-party apps, including maps and browsers, to malfunction. So we have to be careful: we limit background activity, but we don't kill it completely. It's a fine-tuning that requires monitoring the outcome.
Use of third-party utilities and freezing
If you don't have enough Android and MIUI built-in tools, you can use specialized freezer apps, like Hail or Ice Box, to freeze apps, making them completely inactive until you unlock them, a more powerful analog of the standard shutdown.
The principle of freezing is that the application is removed from the installed list for the system, but its files remain on the disk, as a result, it can not start a single background process, does not consume battery or collect data.
These utilities on Redmi 9 often require special permissions through ADB or root rights, although some features are available to regular users, a tool for power users who want maximum battery life and complete privacy.
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Freezing applications is a radical, but the most effective way to completely eliminate the background activity of unnecessary programs.
Consider that frequent freezing and defrosting can increase wear and tear, although this effect is minimal at current volumes, and the main advantage of the method is absolute control: a frozen application can not physically do anything in the background, which is ideal for spyware or rarely used bank customers.