Owners of Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI 12 shell often face the need to hide sensitive information that pops up on the screen at the most inopportune moment. Data privacy becomes a priority, especially when the device is in the hands of outsiders or lying on the table during a meeting. The notification system in this firmware version offers flexible management tools, but they are not always obvious to the average user.
Standard behavior involves displaying the full text of a message as soon as it is received, which may be convenient for instant messengers, but completely unacceptable for banking applications or personal correspondence. Fortunately, the company's engineers have provided several layers of protection that allow you to completely anonymize incoming data.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the methods available, from simple menu switches to creating special profiles. You’ll learn how to set up Smart Lock, hide app icons, and block pop-ups. Deep system setup will make you feel confident in any situation.
Basic display setting on a locked screen
The first and obvious step is to change the global settings of the display of information on the locked screen, and this is where private messages are most often "glowed," so first you need to go to Settings and find Notifications and Control Center, and in some versions of MIUI, this path may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same.
Inside the menu, look for a subsection called Notifications or Notifications on the locked screen, and there's a key switch that changes the behavior of the system, instead of displaying icons and text, the system will only show a generic "New Notice" or sender name without content, which is a basic level of privacy protection that every user must activate.
⚠️ Note: After changing these settings, you will stop seeing text messages until you unlock the device.
Also worth noting is the "Show Content" feature, which, if active, will still be visible even if you have a password until you enter the pin, and disabling this option will ensure that the content remains hidden until the owner is fully authorized, especially for those who use simple graphic keys.
Individual setting for each application
Global settings are good, but they don't give you complete control. Often, you need messages from messengers to come with sound but no text, and emails from emails don't show at all. To do this, MIUI 12 has a detailed control system for each application separately.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Control Center → Application Notifications. You will see a list of all installed programs. Choose the right one, such as Telegram or WhatsApp. Here you will see many switches, among which we are interested in the item "On the lock screen".
Choose Do Not Show or Hide Content, in the first case, you won't know if a message is coming until you open the app, in the second case, you'll see only that there's an event, and this approach allows you to create a flexible filtering system for the incoming information.
- 🔒 Hide content: Shows the app icon, but hides the text of the message even after unlocking until you click on it.
- 🚫 No Sound: Notification will come but will not emit an audible signal or cause vibrations, which is useful for background processes.
- 📵 Do not show: Completely hides any reminders from the selected application in the notification center and on the lock.
Remember that some system applications may require special rights. If you can't change the settings for a particular service, check if it's an Android or MIUI system component.
☑️ Checking privacy settings
Use of "Do Not Disturb" and Schedules
For situations where you need a temporary but absolute silence and secrecy, the Do Not Disturb mode is ideal. In MIUI 12, it works very competently, allowing you not only to silence the sound, but also to hide the visual manifestations of activity.
You can activate this mode through the notification curtain or in the Sound and Vibration settings. The main feature is the ability to configure exceptions. You can allow calls from selected contacts, and all other notifications, including messages, will be completely hidden from prying eyes.
The scheduling feature deserves special attention, so you can set up automatic stealth mode for the night or during meetings, which eliminates the need to turn functions on and off every time.
| Parameter | Description of action | Screen impact |
|---|---|---|
| Complete cover-up | No notifications are displayed | The screen stays black |
| Just an alarm clock. | Only system timers work. | Only critical errors are visible. |
| Elected | Calls from the contact book only | Contact name appears without photo |
| Repeated call | If you call twice in 3 minutes | Misses the second call with sound |
Using script automation makes the process even smarter, like the phone knowing you're in a movie theater (by geolocation) and turning on stealth automatically.
Hiding the app icon through Second Space
If standard methods aren’t enough and you want to hide the app itself, Xiaomi has Second Space, a fully isolated environment inside your phone that’s protected by a separate password or fingerprint.
The second space works as a separate smartphone inside the smartphone, and the apps that are installed there are not visible in the main space, you can install messengers with confidential correspondence there, and when the phone is locked or in main mode, no one will even know that these programs exist.
⚠️ Warning: Switching between spaces takes time and password input.Do not use this method if you need instant access to all features at once.
To activate, go to Settings → About Phone (or Advanced Settings) and find Second Space. The system will prompt you to create a new profile, and once created, you can migrate any applications there or download them again.
How quickly do you switch between spaces?
Protection through the application "Security" and hiding files
The MIUI shell has a powerful built-in Security app that is often underrated, and it contains the Hide Apps feature, which allows you to remove the program icon from the desktop and menu, leaving access to it only through a special input in the Security app.
To take advantage of this, open the Security app, scroll down to Hide apps, where you can select the programs you want to disguise, and once activated, the icon will disappear, and you can only launch the application through a hidden security menu login.
In addition, inside the same section there is a "Hidden Album" for photos and videos, and if you send a photo, it can be automatically moved to a secure folder that is not available for viewing in the standard gallery without a password.
- 📁 Hidden apps: The icon disappears, accessed via a password in the security menu.
- 📷 Hidden album: Photos and videos are hidden in an encrypted container.
- 🔐 Password protection: Separate PIN-code.
This method is one of the most reliable for local storage, and even if someone gets access to an unlocked phone, they won’t be able to find hidden applications without knowing a special login path.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Can you hide the text of the notifications, but leave the sound?
Will the notifications disappear after the phone restarts?
Will the text of the message be visible in the smartwatch?
How to hide pop-ups (banners) when using your phone?
💡
The comprehensive use of global lock screen settings and customization of each application gives the maximum level of privacy on MIUI 12.
Setup privacy on Xiaomi is a process that requires attention to detail, and using the methods described above, you can fully control the flow of information. Remember to check for updates periodically, as newer versions of MIUI may have additional security tools.
Remember that no system is completely invulnerable, but a competent setup will scare away 99% of curious glances. Change passwords regularly and remember to lock the device screen when you leave it unattended.