How to remove screen recording in the background on Xiaomi Redmi

Many Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners are faced with a sudden icon in the corner of the screen that resembles a video camera or microphone that indicates active recording, which can be caused by both system security features introduced in Android 12 and higher, and the work of third-party applications that have access to the screen. Understanding the nature of this indicator is the first step to solving a problem that often causes anxiety among users worried about their privacy.

MIUI and its global version of HyperOS have strict notification protocols, and if you didn't start the screen recording specifically and the icon is on, it often means that an application uses Digital Wellbeing or has permission to access media in the background, and it's important not to panic, but to check the settings consistently, because in most cases this is the standard behavior of the system, which can be easily configured to your needs.

The next steps will depend on your device’s specific model and firmware version. We’ll look at all possible scenarios, from standard Android notifications to hidden system processes specific to the Xiaomi ecosystem.

The Nature of Record Indicators in MIUI and Android

Since Android 12, Google has introduced a mandatory visual alert for camera and microphone performance, and on Redmi and Poco, this is done by the appearance of a green or orange dot in the corner of the status bar. However, if it is a screen recording icon, the situation is a little more complicated, and users often confuse the recorder indicator with the image capture indicator.

The com.miui.screenrecorder system process is responsible for the standard screencast function. If this process is active without your knowledge, it may have been accidentally started recording via a control panel or voice assistant. In some cases, third-party launchers or optimization applications may initiate the creation of screenshots or video streams for their smart control functions.

It is also worth considering that some banking applications and secure services can block the creation of screenshots, but do not always correctly display the status of their activity, which creates a false impression of the background work of the recorder.

⚠️ Warning: If a record icon appears when you enter passwords or card data, immediately close any suspicious applications. This may be a sign of malware trying to intercept information.

💡

Use Do Not Disturb during important conversations to prevent third-party apps from accidentally activating call recordings.

Checking active permits and accesses

The first thing you need to do is identify the culprit. There's a handy tool in the MIUI shell to monitor access rights. Go to Settings → Security & Security → Privacy → Permissions Management. Here we're interested in the section related to screen access or overlays.

Pay particular attention to applications that have permission to display over other windows. This is the mechanism often used to implement recording or interface functions over active content. If you see unknown programs here or those that do not need this access to work (for example, a calculator or flashlight), access should be immediately revoked.

Also check the list of applications that have access to Special app access. In some versions of the firmware, this menu is hidden deeper, but you can find it by searching the "access to use" settings on request.

• 📱 Application Manager: Check the list of recently launched programs and forcefully stop those that are not in use.
• 🛡️ Security: Run the built-in virus scanner through the "Security" app to rule out malware.
• 🔍 Search for permissions: Use search in the settings for the word "screen" to find all related options.
• 🚫 Background Limitation: For suspicious applications, turn on the “No Background Processes” mode in the battery settings.

After changing the settings, it is recommended to perform a full reboot of the device to reset all temporary processes and hooks that may have been implemented into the system.

Disabling the system recorder and its widgets

The standard screen recording app on Xiaomi has its own settings that may conflict with the user's desire to completely disable the feature. Even if you don't manually start the recording, widgets or quick commands can activate it. Go to Screen Recorder through the menu of all programs.

In the recorder settings (cog icon), find the item responsible for automatically starting or recording the sounds of the system. Sometimes the "Sound recording" function remains active even after the application is closed, if it was set as a priority, and it is also worth checking the settings of fast commands.

Settings → Additional Features → Quick Commands → Screen recording

This can be assigned to a button combination or a long-term keystroke that you randomly click in your pocket or when using your phone.

If standard methods to remove the icon fails, it is possible to activate the advanced debugging or logging function, typical for developers, which will be discussed below.

Settings for developers and debugging USB

One of the hidden reasons for the appearance of record or overlay indicators may be activated mode. USB-debugging in combination with tools ADB (If you previously connected your phone to your computer to modify the system, these settings may have remained enabled.

Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and quickly press 7 times to open the developer menu (if hidden). Then to Advanced Settings → For developers, find “Show slashes when touching” or “Display touch area.” Although this is not a record, visually it may resemble activity.

More dangerous is the item "Debugging by USB". If it's on, the computer that the phone is connected to can have full access to the screen. In modern versions of Android, when you connect, you always get a request for confirmation of debugging. If you see such a request or icon. USB-debugging in the status bar, it is better to disable this feature if you are not engaged in development right now.

⚠️ Warning: Never turn on "Debugging by" USB" It's on public charging stations or unknown computers, and it gives you full access to your device's data.

Also on the developer menu is a "Do not turn the screen" or "Disable screenshots" feature, which can affect the behavior of the image capture system, check if there are restrictions that cause status bar malfunctions.

Analysis of third-party applications and cleaning the cache

Often the source of the problem are applications from Google Play that require permission to record the screen for their work: messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp for video calls), applications for remote access (TeamViewer, AnyDesk) or streaming services.

Check the list of newly installed programs. If the icon appears after installing a particular software, the problem is likely to be in it. Delete the application or revoke all permissions from it. Pay special attention to memory cleaners and antiviruses that can aggressively scan the screen for advertising.

For deep cleaning, follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find the Security and Screen Recording app.
3. Select Memory and click Clear Cache (not data unless you want to reset settings).

If the problem persists, try to start the phone in Safe Mode, press the turn off button, and then keep your finger on the Turn off button on the screen for a long time, and if the icon is missing in Safe Mode, then the third-party application is to blame.

Comparison of functions in different versions of MIUI

The behavior of indicators and how to manage them vary greatly depending on the firmware version: Owners of older devices on MIUI 11-12 and new devices on MIUI 14 / HyperOS face different interfaces.

On the new versions of HyperOS, the system itself suggests disabling access to the microphone or camera if the application uses them for a long time in the background.

💡

The most effective way to remove an intrusive icon is to find an application that uses screen access in the background through the Privacy menu and limit its rights.

Radical measures: Resetting and reflashing

If none of the above methods worked, and the record icon continues to burn, it may be that system files are damaged or a deep virus has been introduced into the system, in which case there are two ways: a complete reset to factory settings or a flashing.

Before reset, make sure to back up important data to the Xiaomi Cloud or your computer. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data. This will bring the phone back to the “out of the box” state by removing all third-party interventions.

For power users, a method of flashing through the Mi Flash Tool in Fastboot mode is available. This is guaranteed to replace all system partitions with clean ones. However, this requires unlocking the bootloader, which can be difficult for a beginner.

In conclusion, the user controls the recording features on Xiaomi, and regular permission checks and an understanding of Android security will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure complete privacy of your actions on the smartphone screen.