How to permanently remove a pop-up SMS on Xiaomi: from MIUI 12 to HyperOS

Pop-ups with notifications of new SMS on Xiaomi smartphones can be annoying — especially when they appear on top of games, videos or important applications. Unlike standard push notifications, these windows lock the screen, require manual closure and often work even for spam messages. The problem is compounded by the fact that different versions of MIUI and HyperOS have different settings hidden in different ways, and some options are not even in the basic menu.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to turn off SMS pop-ups, from obvious (but often ignored) to hidden system tricks. We’ll focus on the nuances of popular models: Redmi Note 12/13, POCO X5/F5, Xiaomi 13/14, and the differences between global and Chinese firmware. If you’re tired of intrusive pop-ups, read on.

Why do SMS windows pop up and can they be turned off completely?

SMS pop-ups are part of the MIUI (and now HyperOS) shell that gives messages the highest priority by default. Xiaomi's logic is simple: the manufacturer believes that the user should immediately see an incoming SMS, even if the screen is locked or occupied by another application.

• 🎮 Interrupting games – the window appears on top PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty, Which Could Cost You a Match.
• 📺 Overlaying video – interrupts watching YouTube, TikTok or streams in Twitch.
• 📱 Accidental taps – when you try to close the window, you can accidentally open a message or run the wrong function.
• 🚫 Spam attacks – banks, services and scammers often send SMS messages that annoy pop-ups.

Can I turn them off completely? Yes, but not all of them at the same time. For example, in MIUI 14 and HyperOS, some of the settings are moved to the Special Permissions menu, and in older versions (before MIUI 12.5), you needed to bypass the Developer Settings. It's also important to consider that some methods only work for the standard Messages application, and for Google Messagesages or Truecaller, you need separate actions.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) CN) Some of the functions can be blocked without root rights. Before changing, check the version of the software in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

Method 1: Disabling pop-up notifications in the Messages app settings

The most obvious, but often overlooked, method is to configure the Message app itself, which works on all versions of MIUI/HyperOS and does not require additional permissions.

1. Open the Messages app (an envelope icon).
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner → select Settings.
3. Go to Notifications (or Pop-up Notifications in older versions).
4. Turn off the slider Show pop-ups (or pop-up notifications).
5. For reliability, also turn off notification sound and vibration if they interfere.

If your app doesn't have a pop-up notification, it's an outdated version. Update Messages via Google Play or the App Store (for global firmware). On Chinese versions of MIUI, this item may be called Floating Notifications ().

Is the standard Messages app (not Google Messages) open?

Are there updates for the app in the store

Is the Do Not Disturb mode on (it can block changes)

Whether important messages are saved (settings will reset for notifications only)

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This method works for 80% of users, but if windows keep popping up, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Blocking with "Special Permits" (for MIUI 12.5 and later)

Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi moved some notification controls to the Special Permits section, where you can globally prevent apps from showing pop-ups, including Messages.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Special permissions.
2. Select Show over other apps (or pop-ups).
3. In the list, find Messages and tap it.
4. Turn off the Allow slider.
5. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

This method blocks all pop-ups from the app, including notifications of new messages in the status bar. If you need notifications but do not lock the screen, combine it with Method 1.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) after disabling this permission, the Messages app may stop showing notifications at all.

Method 3: Using “Do Not Disturb” to Filter SMS

If pop-ups are for important messages (such as from a bank) but not for spam, set up Do Not Disturb with Exceptions Mode, which allows you to filter out unnecessary SMS messages, leaving only critical notifications.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Do not disturb mode.
2. Activate the slider Enable automatically.
3. Select Set up rules → Messages.
4. Add bank, delivery or contact numbers from the address book to the exceptions.
5. For other SMS, set the rule to Block Notifications.

The advantage of this is flexibility, for example, you can allow SMS-only pop-ups from Sberbank or Ozon, blocking the rest, but note that spam numbers are often disguised as legitimate ones, so the filter is not perfect.

Spam from banks and services|Advertising from operators (MTS, Beeline)|Messages from messengers (VK, Telegram)|Notifications from social networks (Facebook, Instagram)|Other-->

To increase protection, install a filter application like Truecaller or SMS Filter (available on Google Play), which automatically block spam numbers at the system level.

Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work and you don't have root rights, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires you to connect your smartphone to your PC, but it's guaranteed to turn off system-level pop-ups.

Instructions:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it on PC.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Settings), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and in the command line (terminal) do:

adb shell pm grant com.android.mms android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW


adb shell settings put global heads_up_notifications_enabled 0

The first command revokes the Messages app (com.android.mms) from showing windows on top of other apps; the second command globally disables all pop-up notifications (not just SMS).

Important: Once these commands are executed, pop-ups will turn off for all applications, not just SMS. To return them to messengers (such as WhatsApp), you will have to manually configure permissions for each application into Special Permits.

Method 5: Resetting notification settings (last resort)

If none of these methods worked, and pop-ups keep popping up, reset the notification settings, which will return all settings to factory settings, but will not affect personal data (messages, contacts, files).

How to reset:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner → Reset application settings.
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot.
4. After rebooting, reconfigure the notifications using Method 1 or Method 2.

This method helps in 95% of cases when the problem is caused by a system failure, but if pop-ups come back after a reset, the reason may be:

• 📱 Custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS) where notification settings are modified.
• 🔄 Automatic software updates that reset user settings.
• 🛠️ Virus or malware that compulsorily includes notifications.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) After reset, you may lose access to the Developer Settings. To return them, tap 7 times again on the Version. MIUI.

Additional tips: how to avoid the return of pop-up windows

Even after the shutdown, pop-ups can return after the system update or reset.

• 🔒 Turn off automatic updates to the Messages app in Google Play (if it updates, settings may reset).

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If you often receive SMS from a single number (such as a bank), add it to your Favorite Contacts and set up a separate notification for it without a pop-up, so you do not miss important messages, but avoid spam.

For models with HyperOS (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), it is also recommended to disable the Smart Notifications feature in Settings → Notifications → Additional. It automatically prioritizes some messages, which can lead to pop-ups.

FAQ: Frequent questions about SMS pop-ups on Xiaomi