How to Turn Off Optimization on Xiaomi: Why It’s Needed and How to Do It Right

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for aggressively optimizing background processes. On the one hand, it saves battery life and prolongs uptime, but on the other, it leads to app closures, notification delays, and even performance problems in games or specialty programs. If you notice that instant messengers stop updating, music players stop after 5 minutes, and geolocation is interrupted – the fault is the MIUI Optimized feature (formerly known as Battery Saver or Security Optimizations).

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to disable optimization on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from basic menu settings to hidden options for power users. You’ll learn exactly what limitations can be removed, how this will affect autonomy, and what non-obvious consequences can occur when you completely disable optimization. Importantly, the procedure differs depending on the version of MIUI (12/13/14) and the smartphone model, so we’ll give you current instructions for 2026.

What is MIUI Optimization and Why You Want to Disable It

MIUI Optimized is a set of algorithms that control background processes, RAM allocation and energy consumption, and in theory should make your smartphone faster and more economical, but in practice it often interferes with:

• 📱 Applications close after 1-2 minutes in the background (even if they do not consume resources).
• 🔔 Notifications come with a delay or not at all (especially in Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber).
• 🎮 Games and heavy programs can slow down due to artificial clock speed restriction of the processor.
• 📍 Geolocation and fitness trackers (like Google Fit or Strava) lose data due to background services being suspended.

The manufacturer claims that optimization extends the life of 10-15%, but many users are willing to sacrifice these percentages for stable operation, especially for owners of flagships (Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70, POCO F6), where the margin of autonomy is already high, as well as for those who use a smartphone as a working tool (for example, for trading on exchanges or monitoring servers).

⚠️ Warning: Full optimisation shutdown can cause overheating under prolonged loads and accelerated battery discharge (up to 20% in 4-5 hours standby). 10A or POCO M6) It also causes a lot of interface disruption.

Method 1: Disabling Battery Optimization for Individual Applications

If you want specific programs (messengers, navigators, fitness trackers) to work without restrictions, you just need to configure them manually. This method does not require superuser rights and is suitable for all versions of MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as Telegram).
3. Go to Battery Optimization (or Energy Consumption in older versions).
4. Choose the No Limits option (or No Limits).
5. Turn on the Auto Start switch (if any).
6. Go back and activate Blocking in the background (an option may be called Prohibit Closure).

For convenience, we have collected the key settings in the checklist:

Select "No Limits" in Battery Optimization |

Enable auto-start |

Activate the lock in the background |

Add to the exceptions of cleaning RAM (in the memory settings)|

Restart the application after changes-->

This is a good way for most users because it doesn’t affect system optimization in general, but if you want to turn off all restrictions globally, read on.

Method 2: Disable MIUI Optimized via Hidden Settings (for MIUI 12–14)

In MIUI 12 and later, MIUI Optimized is hidden in the developers to disable it.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version (you will receive a notification "You became a developer").

Settings → Additional → For Developers

Special facilities → For developers

MIUI Optimized

Optimization of MIUI

Improvements to MIUI

reboot

After you turn off, you will notice:

• ✅ Apps stay in the background longer.
• ✅ Notifications come in instantly.
• ✅ Geolocation and background services are more stable.
• ❌ Battery discharges 15-30% faster (depending on model).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 13 Global for Redmi Note 11 after shutdown MIUI Optimized navigation gestures may be missing. To return them, go to Settings → Display. → Full screen display and select the navigation type again.

Notifications (messengers, mail)|

Background processes (music, navigation) |

Performance restrictions (games, benchmarks)|

All of the above.-->

Method 3: Using ADB to Deeply Disable Optimization

If previous methods didn't work, you can use ADB commands to disable hidden restrictions that aren't available through the GUI.

• Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• USB Type-C cable (preferably original)
• Included debugging on USB on your smartphone (Settings → For developers → debugging on USB).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell


settings put global hidden_api_policy 1




pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.powerkeeper




pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.securitycenter/com.miui.permcenter.autostart.AutoStartManagementActivity

These teams:

• Unlock hidden APIs to manage background processes.
• Remove the system application PowerKeeper, responsible for aggressive optimization.
• Disable automatic control of auto-launch applications.

Once done, be sure to restart the device. The effect will be noticeable immediately: applications will stop closing, and notifications will begin to arrive without delay.

Method 4: Disable optimization via TWRP (for advanced users)

If you have a custom TWRP recavator installed, you can remove the system applets responsible for optimizing directly.This method requires an unlocked bootloader and is only suitable for power users.

Instructions:

1. Download the archive. Disable_MIUI_Optimization.zip (For example, replace it with current).
2. Reboot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
3. Select Install and point the way to the downloaded archive.
4. Confirm the installation and wait for completion.
5. Run Wipe cache/dalvik and reboot.

The archive usually contains scripts for:

• Delete com.miui.powerkeeper and com.miui.securitycenter.
• Disconnect DevicePerformanceManager and ThermalEngine.
• Resetting energy saving policies to standard Android.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through TWRP It can lead to unstable operation (for example, loss of battery settings or overheating). TWRP → Backup!

Comparison of methods: what is better to choose

To make it easier for you to determine, we have collected the key differences between the methods in the table:

For most users, the first two methods are sufficient; you should only resort to ADB or TWRP if you know exactly why it is necessary (for example, to run specialized software or benchmarks).

💡

Disabling optimization through MIUI Optimized has an 80% effect with minimal risks. ADB and TWRP are only needed for deep customization or if standard methods have not worked.

Frequent problems after optimisation disabling and their solutions

Even if you do everything right, there can be side effects, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

• 🔋 Fast battery drain: Check which apps consume the most power in Settings → Battery → Battery use. Turn off background activity for unnecessary programs. Use a dark theme and reduce the brightness of the screen.
• 🔥 Overheating: Install a temperature monitoring app (for example, CPU Monitor. FPS in games through settings → Special facilities → Play mode: Remove the case during charging or heavy use.
• ⚙️ Interface Lags: Clear the cache in Settings → Memory. → Clean up. Turn off animations in Settings. → For developers → The scale of animation (switch off) Reboot the device - sometimes helps even after optimizing is turned off.

If after disabling the optimization of the smartphone began to slow down, try to return the settings back and use selective disabling only for critical applications.

adb shell dumpsys cpuinfo

It will show the top processes for consumption CPU real-time.-->

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions