How to permanently disable MIUI auto-update on Xiaomi smartphones: working methods for 2026

Automatic MIUI updates can be a real headache for Xiaomi smartphone owners. The system downloads gigabytes of data without warning, drains the battery in the background and sometimes installs firmware with bugs that spoil the user experience. Worse, after a reboot, the device can upgrade to a new version on its own, even if you didn’t plan to.

Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi actively hides the settings for disabling auto-updates in the new versions of MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS. The manufacturer motivates this with concern for security, but in practice this leads to unexpected crashes, data loss and even locking the bootloader on some models after a forced update. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to disable auto-update – from standard settings to hidden commands for experienced users.

Why is Xiaomi forced to update devices?

Xiaomi has an aggressive update policy for several reasons:

• 🔒 Security: Closing vulnerabilities in older versions of software (although often new firmware contains bugs).
• 📊 Statistics: Collecting data on user behavior to improve MIUI and targeted advertising.
• 💰 Monetization: Newer versions often feature additional services and advertising integrations.
• 📱 Support for new features: HyperOS requires an update to work with the Xiaomi Home ecosystem.

However, forced updates have a downside:

• ⚡ Decreased performance on weak devices (e.g. Redmi) 4X Redmi Note 5 after the update MIUI 14).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption due to background download updates.
• 📶 Unpredictable traffic consumption (especially critical for users with limited Internet access).
• 🔧 Risk of "bricking" of the device during interrupted update.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) After the forced upgrade to HyperOS, the region of the device may reset, which will lead to the loss of support for the Russian LTE-Before updating, check the firmware compatibility with your region!

Method 1: Disabling Auto Updates through Standard Settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, but in the latest firmware versions Xiaomi has hidden the direct settings, so you will have to work through workarounds.

Instructions for MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7-10 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You are a developer!” appears (this will unlock hidden options).
3. Return to the main settings menu and go to Additional → For developers.
4. Activate the USB Debugging Switch (this is necessary for further action).
5. Now go to Settings → System → Software Update.
6. Slap the icon. ⚙️ (gear) in the upper right corner.
7. In the menu that opens, turn off the options: 🔄 Automatic booting over Wi-Fi 📥 Automatic installation of updates 🔔 Notifications of updates (optional)

If you don't have Auto Install on the menu, your version of MIUI is blocking it, so move on to the next way.

Backup of data (via Mi Cloud or locally) |

Free space check (minimum 2 GB) |

Connection to stable Wi-Fi (if required)|

Shutdown VPN (It can block access to Xiaomi servers)-->

Method 2: Block updates via ADB (without root)

If standard settings don't work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, which doesn't require superuser rights, but requires a computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).
3. On the phone in the Developer Menu, turn on USB Debugging and confirm your PC connection.
4. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with adb.exe.
5. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
6. Execute the command to disable the update service: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updater An additional command may be required for HyperOS: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.updater
7. Reset the device.
8. In the Recovery menu, select Advanced → File Manager.
9. Go to the folder. /cache and delete the files: update.zip recovery/last_install (If any, all files with the.tmp extension

Reset the device.

If you have a standard recovery from Xiaomi (without TWRP), then you will not be able to delete update files - you will need to install custom recovery first.

Method 4: Using apps to block updates

For users who don’t want to mess with ADB or Recovery, there are third-party apps that block access to Xiaomi’s DNS or firewall update servers.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 🛡️ NetGuard (blocking network access for com.android.updater).
• 🔧 Disable Service (disable system services without root).
• 🌐 Blokada (blocking domain updates via the VPN).

Instructions for NetGuard:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → Logs and find the process com.android.updater.
3. Add a lock rule for this process (ban Wi-Fi and mobile data).
4. Activate the firewall and restart the device.

For Blokada:

1. Download the application from the official website.
2. Select Hosts Lists → Custom.
3. Add the following domains to block: update.miui.com ota.miui.com api.io.mi.com
4. Turn it on. VPN-regime.

⚠️ Note: Blocker apps may conflict with antiviruses (e.g. Avast or Kaspersky). Turn off real-time protection before use or add the app to exceptions.

Method 5: Change the firmware region (for power users)

One radical method is to change the firmware region to one where updates are less common (e.g. EEA or India), which also helps avoid forced upgrades to HyperOS if your model isn’t ready to switch.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the firmware for your model with the desired region from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website.
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root folder of the device.
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → Software update.
4. Slap the icon. ⋮ (three dots) and select Select firmware file.
5. Please specify the path to update.zip and confirm the installation.
6. After the reboot, check the region in Settings → Additional → Region.

Popular regions and their features:

• 🇪🇺 EEA (Europe: stable updates, but with a delay of 1-2 months.
• 🇮🇳 India: Rare updates but with local bugs.
• 🇷🇺 Russia: adapted to Russian LTE-Frequency updates are often available.
• 🇨🇳 China: Earlyest updates but no Google services.

💡

Changing the firmware region can cause data loss! Before the procedure, make a full backup via Settings → Additional → Backup or Mi Cloud.

What to do if the update has already been installed?

If your smartphone has been updated without your consent and the new firmware is unstable, there are several ways to roll back:

• 🔙 Recovery rollback: Download the old firmware version for your model. Rename the file to update.zip And put it in the root of the memory. Go to Recovery and select Install. update.zip.
• 💻 Flash through Mi Flash Tool: Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool. Download Fastboot firmware for your model. Connect the device in Fastboot mode. + Volume down) and run through Mi Flash.

Reset to factory settings

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
2. Choose to erase all data.
3. After reset, the device will return to the factory firmware (but the data will be lost!).

If the device stopped turning on after the update (for example, it got stuck on the MI logo), try:

1. Hold power for 20+ seconds for forced reboot.
2. Log in to Fastboot (Power + Volume Down) and flash the firmware through the PC.
3. Contact the service center if the self-repair did not help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about MIUI auto updates