Screen recording works in the background on Xiaomi: how to completely disable

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi smartphone periodically turns on screen recording without your knowledge? Or the battery discharges faster than usual, and the list of active processes flaunts an unknown service com.miui.screenrecorder? This problem is familiar to many owners of devices with a shell MIUI - background recording of the screen can be activated by mistake or due to specific system settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes of spontaneous screen recording, including hidden MIUI features, application conflicts, and even potential security threats. You’ll learn how to completely disable background recording on models from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and what to do if standard methods don’t work.

Why Screen Recording Works in the Background: 5 Main Reasons

Before you turn off the function, it is important to understand what triggers it. In MIUI, screen recording can be activated automatically in several scenarios:

• 🔄 System Errors: Firmware bugs (especially in versions) MIUI 13–14) sometimes lead to spontaneous recording launch after updating or restarting.
• 📱 Spy Apps: Some programs (such as Clean Master or Security Antivirus) have screen recording rights to "monitor activity".
• 🎮 Game Mode: Xiaomi’s Game Turbo feature can automatically record gameplay even if you didn’t turn it on.
• 🔒 Hidden settings MIUI: In some regional firmware (e.g. China), screen recording is used for diagnostics and is not disabled via the standard menu.
• 🤖 Automation through MacroDroid/Tasker: If you’ve ever set up automation, there may be a trigger left over for screen recording.

The most insidious case is when a record is launched without notice, which can be due to disabled alerts for system applications or malware. → Notifications → System apps – if there are Screen Recorder alerts disabled, you just won’t see it recording.

How to check if the screen is currently being recorded

Before you take action, make sure the problem really exists. Here are 3 ways to diagnose:

1. Notification Panel: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen – if there is a recording, there will be an icon 🎥 Or it says, "Screen recording." Some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60) The notification may be hidden under the button "More".
2. Task Manager: Open Settings → Applications → Run and find the com.miui.screenrecorder process. If it's active, it's recording.
3. File Check: Go to Gallery → Albums → Screen Records (or DCIM/ScreenRecords folder via file manager) is a sure sign that new files are available without your knowledge.

If neither method showed an active record, but the battery is discharged suspiciously quickly, the problem may be different. for example, Google Play or Mi Cloud sometimes consume up to 30% of the charge in the background. To rule this out, check the consumption statistics in Settings → Battery → Battery Use.

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On some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 Lite), screen recording can be activated when you connect to your PC via the Mi Assistant.

Method 1: Disable screen recording via standard MIUI settings

Let’s start with the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Screen recording (on some firmwares the path may be Settings → System → Screen recording).
2. Translate the slider "Allow Screen Recording" to the Off position.
3. Below, find the “Run with the Toolbar” item and turn it off – this will prevent accidental launch through the swipe across the screen.
4. In the "Save" section, select Do Not Save or specify a folder where records cannot be saved (for example, a non-existent path).

If your version of MIUI doesn’t have a separate screen recording section, try an alternative way:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three points (menu) → Show system → Screen Recorder → Disable

On models with MIUI 14 and later, you may need to unlock additional settings.

• 🔓 Go to Settings. → About the phone and 7 times click on the version MIUI, activate the developer mode.
• 🔧 Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and find the Debugging item USB (turn it on).
• 📱 Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.screenrecorder

Method 2: Stop background processes through battery settings

Even if you have disabled the screen recording in the settings, some processes may still work in the background to stop them completely:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
2. In search, type screenrecorder and select com.miui.screenrecorder.
3. Click "Limit" and select "Limit background activity".
4. Go back to the Battery → Battery Use section and check if the process has disappeared from the power consumption list.

On devices with MIUI 13 and older, an additional step may be required:

• 🔋 Open the Settings. → Battery → Performance mode.
• 📉 Select Charge Saving and add Screen Recorder to the list of limited apps.
• 🔄 Reboot the device – it will reset all background processes.

Important: On some firmware for China (CN ROM) The screen recording is integrated into system monitoring and does not turn off through standard settings, in which case only flashing to the global version or using it will help. ADB-team.

Method 3: Remove or Freeze the Screen Recorder System Application

If previous methods have failed, you can radically remove or freeze the screen recording app, which is suitable for power users, as it requires superuser rights or ADB.

Before deleting, back up your data! On some devices (Xiaomi 13T, Redmi K50), the screen recording is associated with the Game Turbo feature, and deleting it can cause game crashes.

Method 4: Checking for viruses and malware

If the screen recording is turned on by itself, despite all settings, it can be a sign of infection with a virus. Some spyware (for example, Cerberus or SpyNote) use screen recording to steal data.

How to check:

• 🛡️ Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light and perform a full scan.
• 🔍 Check the list of apps with screen recording rights: Settings → Annexes → Permits → Screen recording Remove all suspicious programs.
• 📦 Look at the installed ones. APK through settings → Annexes → App management. Look at apps with names like System Update, Android Service, or Google Play Mod, which are common masks for viruses.

If you find malware, remove it and reset the settings:

Settings → About the phone → Resetting settings → Resetting all settings

Don’t do a full Wipe Data reset without a backup – it will delete all your files!

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If after removing the virus, screen recording continues, check the phone for firmware with preinstalled spyware. This is true for devices purchased on unofficial sites (AliExpress, uncertified sellers).

What to do if nothing helps: radical measures

If all of the above methods fail, extreme measures remain:

1. Reflashing to another version MIUI: 📥 Download the official global firmware from the Xiaomi website. 🔧 Use the Mi Flash Tool for clean installation (with full wipe). ⚠️ This will delete all data, so pre-do backup!

Installation of custom firmware

LineageOS

Pixel Experience

This will completely remove all Xiaomi system applications, including Screen Recorder. however, you will need to unlock the bootloader and get root access.

Contacting the service center

If the problem occurs after repair or update, it is possible that the system has unofficial software installed, in which case only diagnostics in an authorized Xiaomi service will help.

On Xiaomi models with MediaTek processors (e.g. Redmi 12C, POCO M5), flashing can be complicated by locking the bootloader. In this case, use the official Mi Unlock Tool, but note that unlocking will take up to 7 days (due to Xiaomi policy).

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Before flashing, check if your device is on the list of bootloaders locked to unlock. The current list can be found on the XDA Developers forum in your model section.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen background recording on Xiaomi