Where to find the background mode on Xiaomi: hidden settings MIUI and their impact on productivity

Have you ever noticed that some apps on your Xiaomi suddenly shut down or don’t send notifications? the reason for this may be the wrong set up background mode – one of the most controversial features in firmware. MIUI. This energy-saving system aggressively manages resources, sometimes blocking programs in the background, but where are these settings hidden and how to set them up properly?

In this article, we will not only show the way to the background settings, but also explain how to MIUI Multitasking is managed by different versions (12 to 15), and you will learn why some applications require manual optimization through Special Resolutions, even if you have disabled all restrictions in standard settings. And also to dissect the myths that “background mode kills the battery” – in practice, it is more difficult.

What is the background mode on Xiaomi and why it is needed

Background in MIUI — It is a set of mechanisms that control which applications can run in the background and which will be forcibly closed by the system. Unlike "pure" Android, where background activity is limited only by the battery settings, Xiaomi adds additional layers of control:

• 🔋 Battery Optimization – Automatically restricts application activity when the screen is off
• ⚡ Auto-cleaning RAM — Remove “extra” processes when the screen is locked or low charge level
• 🚫 Auto-start blocking – prevents applications from automatically starting when the phone is turned on
• 🔔 Notifications Limitation – filters background alerts from “unnecessary” programs

On paper, this sounds reasonable, but in practice, many users are facing problems: messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) do not show notifications, activity trackers (Google Fit, Mi Fitness) stop recording data, and music players (Spotify, YouTube Music) suddenly stop, all of which are the consequences of too aggressive optimization.

It is important to understand that MIUI It doesn't just kill applications, it ranks them by priority, it analyzes how often you use a program, how much power it consumes, and how critical it is to the user, but sometimes it gets it wrong, especially with little-known or niche applications.

Where is the background mode in the settings of Xiaomi (step-by-step instructions)

Starting with MIUI 12, the path to background settings has changed — they are now scattered across multiple menus. Here are the current paths for different firmware versions (tested on Redmi Note 12 Pro)+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO F5 2026):

Method 1: Through "Battery settings"

1. Open the settings → Battery
2. Tap on Battery Mode (or Energy Saving in Older Versions)
3. Select Settings → Optimizing the battery
4. In the list of applications, find the desired one and select Without restrictions

Method 2: "Special Permits"

This is the most reliable method, as it bypasses the standard restrictions. MIUI:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Select the desired application (for example, Telegram)
3. Slip on the Permits. → Special permits
4. Activate: 🔄 Auto-start (allows start-up when the phone is turned on) 📱 Background activity (allows you to work in the background) 🔔 Show notifications (allows background alerts)

Battery optimization for critical applications disabled|

Auto-run for messengers and trackers is enabled|

Background activity in "Special Permits" is allowed"|

Checked notification settings in the application itself-->

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) An additional step may be required: after enabling Background Activity, you need to manually add the app to the cleanup exception list RAM. For that:

1. Press the recent app button (square in the navigation bar)
2. Slip on the icon of the Castle next to the desired application
3. Confirm the lock from cleaning

Hidden background settings: what is not shown in the standard menu

Even after all the manipulation, some apps keep shutting down. MIUI It hides some of the settings from the average user:

1. Set-up through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not help, you can manually disable optimization through ADB. For that:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap, then return to Additional settings → For developers)
2. Enter in the command line: adb shell dumpsys deviceidle force-idle To disable optimization for a specific package: adb shell cmd appops set <package_name> RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND allow (replace) <package_name> on ID applications such as org.telegram.messenger)

2. File editing miui_optimization.props

On phones with root access, you can completely disable optimization MIUI, altering the system file:

1. Open the file. /system/build.prop In any file manager with root
2. Add a line: ro.miui.optimization_props=false
3. Reset the device

⚠️ Warning: Changing system files can cause the phone to run unstable or lose warranty.This method is recommended only for experienced users on unofficial firmware.

3. Use of third-party utilities

Apps like Greenify or Battery Guru allow you to fine-tune background activity, but their effectiveness depends on the version. MIUI. For example, in MIUI 14+ These utilities may not work without root rights due to tightening security policies.

Why apps are still closed: common reasons

You've turned on all permissions, but Instagram still doesn't send notifications and Google Maps loses connection in the background? Here are 5 non-obvious reasons:

• 🔌 Aggressive Power Saving Mode – Even if you have disabled optimization for the application, the general battery mode (such as “Super Power Saving”) can block background activity. → Battery → Battery mode.
• 📵 Limitations MIUI for specific regions – on some firmware for Russia/Europe (MIUI EU) Background activity is more severely restricted due to local regulatory requirements.
• 🔄 Conflict with "Security" - built-in antivirus MIUI Sometimes it blocks background activity of suspicious applications. → Memory. → Viral protection.
• 📦 Errors in the app cache – sometimes cleaning the app cache and data helps (but be careful – this will remove all settings inside the program).
• 🔗 Application restrictions – some programs (e.g, VK AliExpress itself restricts background activity on Xiaomi due to conflicts with the company. MIUI.

Especially often problems arise with applications that use background services with high energy consumption:

• 🎵 Music players with online streaming (Spotify, Yandex Music)
• 📍 Navigators (Google Maps, Yandex Navigator, Waze)
• 🏃 Fitness trackers with constant synchronization (Strava, Endomondo)
• 💬 Messengers with voice chats (Discord, Telegram Voice Chats)

💡

If the app still closes, try adding it to Game Mode (Settings) → Special opportunities → Paradoxically, this mode sometimes allows you to bypass the limitations of background activity.

How to check if the application is working in the background

To see if your application is actually being closed by the system, use these methods:

1. Through the battery log

1. Open Settings → Battery → Battery use
2. Select an application from the list
3. Check the Background Use Chart – If it’s empty, the app is blocked

2. With the help of ADB (precision-diagnosis)

Follow the command:

adb shell dumpsys battery unplug

Look for lines from your app's uid -- if there's a background, it works in the background. If only foreground, it gets killed when it locks the screen.

3. Notification test

The easiest way is:

1. Open the app (such as Telegram)
2. Lock the screen.
3. Ask a friend to send you a message.
4. If the notification does not arrive within 5 minutes, the application is closed.

💡

Nana MIUI 14+ Even with background activity enabled, applications can be closed through 10-15 It's a feature of the firmware, and you can only shut it down completely after a few minutes. ADB custom-based.

Myths about the background mode on Xiaomi: what is true and what is not

Around the background. MIUI There are many myths. Let's take a look at the most popular ones:

⚠️ Warning: Disabling all background activity restrictions can reduce battery life on the 15-30%. This is especially noticeable on phones with a small battery (e.g. Xiaomi). 13 Lite or Redmi 10).

Another common myth: POCO Black Shark has no background issues. These devices actually work on the same. MIUI (The only difference is that the Black Shark 5 Pro phones have a less aggressive optimization mode by default.

Alternative solutions: if nothing helps

If you’ve tried all the ways but apps are still shutting down, consider these options:

1.Use of "No Limits" in Developer Settings

This method works for MIUI 12-14:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 taps according to version) MIUI)
2. Go to Settings. → Additional settings → For developers
3. Find Background Process Limitation and select Without Limitations
4. Also disable Optimization. MIUI and window animation (this reduces the load on the system)

Installation of custom firmware

Firmware like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or ArrowOS are not aggressively optimized MIUI. But keep in mind:

• 🔧 Requires unlocking the bootloader (loss of warranty)
• 📱 Not all camera and sensor functions will work.
• 🔄 Updates will have to be installed manually.

3. Moving to another annex

Some programs have special versions for Xiaomi, with circumvention of restrictions.

• 💬 Instead of a standard Telegram, try Telegram X – it works better in the background.
• 🎵 Use Poweramp or Musicolet for music, which are optimized for music. MIUI
• 📍 Try OsmAnd instead of Google Maps for navigation.

4 Automation through Tasker

With Tasker, you can create a rule that will wake up the app from time to time.

1. Event: Screen off
2. Action: Launch the application (select target)
3. Interval: Every 30 minutes

It’s not a perfect solution, but it helps maintain connectivity for critical applications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the background on Xiaomi