Xiaomi smartphone users often face intrusive notifications that the app cannot connect to the network.This is a built-in Traffic Control feature that blocks Internet access by default for some programs to save battery power and mobile data. However, in MIUI 12, this system has become more aggressive, which leads to problems with getting push notifications and background synchronization.
Many owners of Redmi and POCO devices notice that messengers stop sending messages while the screen is off or games can't load resources. The solution lies in deep tuning of system security settings where access switches are hidden. You don't need root rights or complex third-party utilities, since all the tools are already built into the shell.
In this article, we will discuss how to properly configure the rules for each application or completely deactivate the function if it interferes with your work. It is important to understand the difference between limiting background activity and completely blocking network packets. Disabling the system firewall through ADB is the only way to remove the key icon forever without losing security functionality.
Why you need to control traffic in MIUI 12
The MIUI Traffic Control feature is a combined tool to monitor and filter network activity, not only showing how many megabytes YouTube or Telegram has spent, but also actively managing application access rights to Wi-Fi and mobile network, part of an optimization ecosystem designed to extend the battery life of a device.
The system analyzes the behavior of programs and can automatically limit their background activity if it believes that they consume too much resources. However, algorithms do not always work correctly, blocking vital processes for notifications to work.
⚠️ Warning: Complete shutdown of system security services may cause malware to gain unrestricted access to your data. It is recommended not to remove the component completely, but only to configure exceptions.
MIUI 12 adds new layers of protection that sometimes conflict with enterprise customers or specific games. Understanding how this firewall works will help you avoid a lot of connection errors, and you can flexibly manage which applications are allowed to go online in the background.
Step-by-step setting up through the Security app
The basic method of managing network rights is in the standard Security app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi devices, and this is where the master switches that block the Internet for individual programs are hidden, and first you need to run this application and find the partition responsible for data transfer.
Inside the menu, you'll need to find Data Transfer or Traffic Control. The interface may vary slightly depending on the regional firmware (Global, China, EEA), but the logic remains the same. Once you go to this section, you'll see a list of all the apps installed with access indicators.
☑️ Checking access settings
You can find a program in the app list that doesn't work correctly, like Viber or a banking app. You click on the name and you'll open a detailed menu where you can allow or deny access to Wi-Fi and the Mobile Network separately, uncheck the boxes or switch the sliders to active to restore the connection.
- 🔵 Open the Security app on the home screen.
- 🔵 Select Traffic Control tab at the bottom of the screen.
- 🔵 Click on Connection Speed or Traffic Limitation.
- 🔵 Find the right app in the list and make sure that the checkmarks are in front of Wi-Fi and 4G/5G.
If you can't find the app you want, try sorting them by name or using search. Sometimes system processes are hidden by default and you need to switch the view to the settings menu to display them. Make sure you have the latest version of the Security app installed through GetApps.
Access management for individual applications
The flexible configuration of MIUI 12 allows you to set individual rules for each program, which is especially true for those who want to limit background traffic for heavy games, but leave full access to messengers, this approach helps save battery power without sacrificing functionality.
When you go into a particular application settings, you'll see two main types of restrictions: mobile network access and Wi-Fi access. Background connectivity is often blocked automatically by the system for applications that are rarely used.
For some system services, such as Google Play Services or MIUI Cloud, network access is critical, and blocking these components can cause an entire smartphone to run unstable, contacts to sync and updates to fail. Be careful when changing settings for system rights processes.
⚠️ Warning: Changing access settings for system applications can cause the operating system to malfunction. Do not turn off the Internet for processes called android or system unless you are sure of the consequences.
If you want to turn off control completely for a particular application, just make sure all the switches are activated. Some firmware versions have a Reset button for the selected application, which returns it to factory access parameters. This is a useful feature if you're confused by multiple checkmarks.
Hidden system applications
Using Developer Mode to Disable Restrictions
For more advanced users, MIUI can manage network constraints through a developer menu, which bypasses some of the standard shell constraints and gives them more detailed control over network interfaces, but it should be used with caution.
To activate the developer menu, you need to click on the build number in the About Phone section several times, and then a new item will appear in the advanced settings, where you can find parameters related to background processes and network activity, and you can force the services that block traffic to stop.
One of the useful features is that you can limit background processes, and if you set the "No Limits" value, the system will stop aggressively unloading applications from memory, which will indirectly solve the problem of connection loss, but this can increase the RAM consumption.
| Parameter | Standard value | Recommended value | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit of background processes | Standard. | No restrictions. | Improves the work of messengers |
| Adaptive battery | Included. | Off. | Prevents blocking of traffic |
| Sleep regimen | Active. | Unplugged. | Keeps the net in the background |
Don't change the settings you're not sure about, as this can lead to system instability. In MIUI 12, some hidden settings can be overwritten after the device is restarted. To save the changes, you may need to use special scripts or reconfigure them.
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Tip: Before you change your settings in developer mode, take a screenshot of the initial values, which will quickly return everything as it was if the system starts to work incorrectly.
Shutdown through ADB-Teams for experienced users
The most radical and effective way is to use USB debugging and ADB command line, which allows you to completely remove or freeze the traffic control component, which physically eliminates the possibility of blocking, which requires a computer and a cable.
First, you need to activate USB debugging in the developer menu and connect the smartphone to the PC. Once you install the drivers and the ADB utility, you can send commands to the device, which requires minimal technical knowledge, but gives maximum results.
The command to disable the traffic control component is as follows: Enter it in the terminal, after making sure that the device is identified:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.securitycenterIt is important to understand that disabling the com.miui.securitycenter component can affect other Security features, such as garbage cleaning or antivirus.A safer alternative is to find a specific packet responsible only for network monitoring, but in MIUI 12 they are often combined.
- 🔴 Install the platform SDK Platform Tools on your computer.
- 🔴 Put the debugging on. USB on a Xiaomi smartphone.
- 🔴 Connect the device with a cable and enter the command adb devices.
- 🔴 Execute the command to disable traffic control service.
⚠️ Note: Disconnect system components through ADB It can lead to loss of warranty or inability to boot the system (bootloop).Always have the ability to reset to factory settings via Recovery.
If the device starts to behave unstable after using the command, you can turn it back on by enabling the component with the command adb shell pm enable com.miui.securitycenter. This will return the functionality of the Security application to its original state.
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Using ADB is the only way to completely remove the Key icon and system limitations, but it requires caution and PC availability.
Frequent problems and ways to solve them
Even after setting up, users may experience a situation where the Internet goes down periodically, often due to the aggressive operation of the Power Saving function, which overwrites the network settings. In MIUI 12, the energy saving algorithms operate at the core level of the system.
Another common problem is resetting after a system update, and if you install a new version of MIUI or a security patch, the system files can be replaced with the original ones, returning the locks, in which case the setup procedure will have to be repeated.
Sometimes the problem isn't with the phone, but with the access point or router settings. Make sure the router doesn't have a filter installed. MAC-Addresses or parental controls that lock the device, checking other devices on the network will help localize the problem.
If nothing helps, reset the network settings, which will return all Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile settings to factory values by removing stored passwords and APN configurations, often resolving software configurations conflicts.