Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the content of personal correspondence becomes available to anyone who picks up the device. The lock screen by default displays the text of incoming notifications, which may not be desirable in public transport or office. This applies not only to SMS, but also messages from Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and other applications installed on your Xiaomi.
The problem is that the standard settings of MIUI or the new HyperOS prioritize usability over privacy, so you don't have to be a programmer or have a deep technical background to change that behavior, but you just have to go through a few things in the settings menu in a sequence to completely hide the content of notifications or prevent them from showing on a screen that's off.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all the available methods, from global shutdowns to fine-tuning individual apps, learning to hide only the text of messages, leaving only the name of the program visible, or completely removing notifications from a locked screen, allowing you to control what information is seen by outsiders when your smartphone is lying on the table.
Globally configured notifications in the system
The first and most effective way to hide the content of messages is to change the system settings of the display, which will affect all applications at once, which is convenient if you want to quickly secure your data.
Find a section called Notifications and Status Bar (some firmware versions may call it simply Notifications) and this is where the main controls for what a user sees on a locked screen are concentrated.
- 🔒 Hide content – notifications will come, but instead of text it will say “Content is hidden».
- 🚫 Do not show notifications – the screen will remain black when messages arrive.
- ✅ Show notifications – standard mode when full text is visible.
⚠️ Note: When selecting the option “Do not show notifications” you may miss an important call or urgent message, as the smartphone will not give a visual signal on the locked screen.
You should choose a hidden option, and you'll know that you've received a message, but only the person who unlocks the device can read it, and that's the optimal balance between security and functionality. Once you select the option, the changes take effect instantly, you don't need to restart.
Configure privacy for individual applications
Often, you have to hide messages only from certain messengers, such as a banking application or personal correspondence, leaving work chats visible, in which case a global shutdown will not work, and you need to configure each application separately. Android system based MIUI This allows you to do it with high accuracy.
You need to go to the Settings menu, then select Notifications and find Notification Management, and the list that opens will list all the programs you have installed, and find the application you want, like WhatsApp or Telegram, and click on it.
Within the app menu, look for the Lock Screen section, and here you'll see a "Show notifications" switch, and if you turn it off, messages will stop appearing on the locked screen, but will come into the notification curtain once you unlock it, allowing you to flexibly control the flow of information.
☑️ Checking privacy settings
Also worth paying attention to the Importance of Notification parameter: If it is set to low priority, the system can automatically hide such messages on the lock screen so as not to disturb the user. However, for instant messengers, it is better to leave high priority, but limit visibility through special privacy settings.
Using the Pocket Mode and Hiding Data
Xiaomi smartphones have a unique feature associated with the proximity sensor, which often confuses users: this is the so-called “pocket mode”: if it is activated incorrectly or malfunctions, the screen can go out or, conversely, show notifications at the wrong time, but there is a useful feature of data hiding.
To further protect the content on the lock screen, you can use the hide-and-see function. It's on the Settings path. → Passwords and security → Privacy. You can configure what data is displayed before you enter it. PIN-fingerprint.
| Function | Location on the menu | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| Hiding contents | Notifications and status bar | The text was replaced by “Content hidden” |
| Disconnection for the application | Management of notifications | Notifications are not visible on the locked screen |
| Pocket mode | Screen locking | Prevents accidental tapping in your pocket |
| Second space | Passwords and security | Complete isolation of applications and notifications |
The second space feature deserves special attention. By creating a second profile on your phone, you can completely isolate personal apps. Notifications from the second space will not appear on the main profile lock screen until you switch to it. It is ideal for separating work and personal life.
What is Second Space?
Display settings in messengers
Remember that the communication apps themselves have their own notification settings that can override the system, like Telegram or Viber, which allows you to set previews regardless of Xiaomi's settings, and this creates a second layer of protection for your communications.
Consider a popular messenger. Go to the app settings, select Notifications and Sounds. There you will find the Preview (or Show Text) option. By disabling this option, you guarantee that even if the system allows the notification to be output, the messenger itself will not transmit the text of the message for display.
- 📱 Telegram: Settings → Notifications → Preview (off).
- 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → Notifications → Show notification (Android system settings).
- 📞 Viber: More → Settings → Notifications → Pop-up notifications.
It is important to understand the difference between system settings and in-app settings. If you have disabled the display in the system but turned on in the application, messages may not arrive at all or come with a delay. The optimal configuration is to allow notifications in the application, but limit their display on the lock screen through the Xiaomi system menu.
⚠️ Warning: After updating the application, the settings inside it may reset to factory. Periodically check the privacy section in your messengers to make sure that the text preview is still disabled.
Problems with theme and always on display
Users who like to customize the interface often install third-party themes from the Themes store. Some themes may have their own rules for displaying notifications on the lock screen, ignoring the system settings. If standard methods do not work, the problem may lie in the active theme.
Try to temporarily switch to a standard Classic or Default theme and check notification behavior. If the standard theme is hiding correctly, then the third-party theme conflicts with the privacy settings, in which case it is recommended to abandon its use or find an updated version from the developer.
Also worth mentioning is the Always On Display feature. AMOLED-Xiaomi smartphone screens can display notifications even when the display is off. Settings for this mode are separate: → Wallpaper and personalization → Always on screen. You can turn off notifications or leave only the app icon without text.
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If you use a third-party launcher or theme, be sure to check their individual lock settings, which are often the cause of the leakage of text messages, as they take precedence over the system parameters of MIUI.
The Impact of the Do Not Disturb Regime and Schedules
Do Not Disturb (DND) is a powerful tool that not only turns off audio, but also hides visual notifications. You can set it to automatically turn on on on a schedule, such as at night or during meetings.
To activate, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Don’t Disturb. You can set the rules here: hide all notifications or only from selected contacts. This is a useful feature for those who want to completely disconnect from information noise at certain times of the day.
There are also automation scenarios, where you can set your phone to hide notifications when you connect to your home Wi-Fi and then display them when you leave your home, and these flexible settings are available in Settings → Advanced Settings → Silent Mode (or through the Security app).
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The combination of system settings for hiding content and the “Do Not Disturb” mode on a schedule provides maximum confidentiality and allows you to control the flow of information at different times of the day.