Xiaomi smartphone users, particularly the Redmi Note 9, often face a situation where a running application blocks access to the interface or blocks the installation of other programs. This phenomenon is caused by the floating window function, which allows you to run applications on top of others, but sometimes becomes intrusive or interferes with the basic work.
MIUI has several layers of protection and settings that regulate the behavior of windows. Sometimes the security system mistakenly determines the application as dangerous or, conversely, allows it too many rights, creating visual debris on the screen. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to regain control of the display of your Redmi Note 9.
You will learn to distinguish between system floating windows and malicious banners and understand where hidden switches in the developer menu are hiding. Customizing the interface is the first step to personalizing your device, making it a truly convenient tool, not a source of annoyance.
The nature of floating windows in MIUI
The floating window phenomenon in the MIUI shell is implemented at a deep system level. It is not just a bug, but a full-fledged multitasking feature that allows you to run video players, messengers or calculators on top of the active screen. However, on the Redmi Note 9, this feature can be activated automatically due to gestures or specific application settings.
The main reason for unwanted windows is because of the “Master on top of other apps” resolution. When you install new software, it often requests that access to display notifications or widgets, and if you don’t control those requests, the smartphone screen becomes a mess of pop-ups.
⚠️ Warning: Some viruses and ad units use the same technology to display intrusive ads. If a floating window appears on its own without you, it is a security check signal.
Xiaomi also implements various ad integrations into system applications that can mimic the behavior of floating windows, which often requires not only closing the window, but also changing the settings in the Security section.
Disconnection through special features settings
The most direct way to prevent apps from overlapping the screen is to use the special features menu, and here's a central switch that controls the priority of content display, and first you need to go to the basic settings of your Redmi Note 9.
Find the Additional Settings section, then select Special Opportunities. In the list that opens, you will see tabs with different services, you are interested in the Downloaded Services tab or a list of all the apps that have access to the screen.
This menu provides a complete list of programs that can create floating windows, and you need to carefully go through the list and disable those applications that do not require constant display on top of other windows.
- 📱 Messengers (if you don’t use their widgets)
- 🎮 Playground launchers
- 🎥 Video players
- 🛡️ Antiviruses and cleaners
Once the sliders are disabled, the apps will lose the right to draw the interface over other windows, which will solve the problem of blocking the back or home buttons when you try to close the program.
☑️ Permit verification
Managing Overlay windows in the Security Menu
The second level of control is in the Security app, which is preinstalled on every Xiaomi.This is where the system warns of a “floating window detected” error when you try to change screen settings or install it. APK-To remove this restriction forever, you need to change the settings of the security application itself.
Open the Security app, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select Settings. In the list, look for the item associated with Security Monitor or Installation Checker, which often hides the option to block actions when there are active windows.
However, a more effective method is to manually search for the resolution “Master on top of other apps” in the general Android settings. MIUI:
- Go to the smartphone settings.
- Go to the Applications section -> Application Management.
- Click on three dots in the corner and select Special Access (or "Special Access").
- Select the Display option on top of other applications.
In the list that opens, you'll see all the programs. Find the ones you don't need in the background and deny them access. This action is guaranteed to remove the system's warnings about floating windows.
Why is the system blocking the installation?
Setting up the game mode and Game Turbo
For owners of Redmi Note 9, the issue of floating windows during the game is especially relevant. Game Turbo (or game mode) allows you to run instant messengers in the form of a small floating window right in the game. This is convenient for responding to messages, but often activated accidentally when swiping in the corner of the screen.
To disable or configure this feature, run the Security app and find the Game Turbo icon (or “Game Acceleration”). In the Game Mode settings menu, you can disable the message responder or prevent the creation of floating windows for specific games.
Also worth checking is the sidebar settings. In some versions of MIUI, a swipe from the edge of the screen calls up a toolbar where you can roll the game into a floating window. If you do this inadvertently, turn off the sidebar in the Game Turbo settings.
| Function | Where to find out. | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Respondent of communications | Game Turbo -> Settings | Turn it off if it's in the way. |
| Sidebar. | Settings -> Special Opportunities | Leave only for games |
| Screen recording | Control panel | Use it carefully. |
| Floating video | Video settings/YouTube | Requires subscription or activation |
| Notifications in play | Game Turbo -> Notifications | Select "Do Not Show" |
Competent setting of the game mode will allow you to enjoy the process without sudden interruptions and pop-ups from social networks.
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Use Do Not Disturb mode during games to completely eliminate any pop-up notifications and windows.
Solving the problem of access to other applications
A common situation is that you try to press "Allow" when you install the application, but the button doesn't respond, and the system says "Floating window detected," which means that some background program covers an invisible layer on top of the button, and it can be difficult to find the culprit, because it may not have a visible interface.
In the Display menu on top of other applications (described above), disable applications one at a time, starting with the most suspicious ones: voice recorders, flashlights, scanners. QR-After each shutdown, try pressing the button in the locked menu.
If the problem persists, try restarting the device to Safe Mode, which only runs system applications, if the error is gone in Safe Mode, it's the third-party application's fault, and uninstall the recently installed programs.
⚠️ Warning: In Safe Mode, the corner of the screen will say "Safe Mode." To exit it, just reboot your phone in the usual way.
Sometimes it helps to clear the system interface cache. Go to Settings -> Apps -> All apps, find "Android System Interface" (or System UI) and click Clear Cache. This won't delete your data, but it will reset graphical errors.
Hidden settings and developer menu
For advanced users of Redmi Note 9, you can access the developer menu, where you can fine-tune the behavior of windows. However, be careful: changing the settings here can affect the stability of the system.
To activate the menu, go to About Phone and quickly click on MIUI 7 times. Then the "Developers" option will appear in "Additional Settings." Inside, we're interested in sections related to animation and window size.
You can find free-form forced placement options here, but for the average user, it's more important to check if the experimental window functions are enabled, and if you don't understand the purpose of a particular option, you'd better leave it by default.
💡
The developer menu is a powerful tool, but standard permission settings are enough to solve the problem of floating windows.
Also on the developer menu, you can find the item "Show window boundaries." If it's on, colored frames will be drawn around each interface element, and make sure that this feature is turned off so that you don't confuse the window boundaries with the actual floating elements.