How to completely disable updates on Xiaomi smartphones: 5 working methods

Automatic MIUI updates on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often cause users to complain. The manufacturer imposes new versions of firmware that may contain errors, slow down the device or change the usual interface. Especially the problem for owners of older models – after the update, phones begin to “slow down”, discharge faster and overheat.

In this article, you’ll find all the possible ways to disable updates, from standard settings to hidden commands for power users. We’ll look at the methods for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14), including HyperOS, and explain the risks of these or those actions. It’s important to understand that completely disabling updates can affect the security of the device, but in some cases it’s the only way to keep the smartphone running.

If you're in a situation where your phone is getting worse after an upgrade, or you just want to avoid unexpected changes, this guide will help you take control of the system, start with the easiest and safest ways, and then move on to more sophisticated methods for advanced users.

Why users want to disable updates on Xiaomi

The main reason is the instability of new firmware versions. Many owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 10, POCO X3 or Mi 11 note that after upgrading to MIUI 14 or HyperOS, there are bugs: spontaneous reboots, problems with connecting to the network, increasing charging time. The manufacturer often releases updates with errors, and you can not roll back without a complete data reset.

The second common problem is performance deterioration: New firmware versions are optimized for modern flagships, but on budget models (such as the Redmi 9A or POCO M3) they run much slower, with users complaining of lags, long application loads and overheating of the processor.

Also, many want to avoid:

• 📱 Interface changes – new icons, menus and animations you need to get used to
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption – background refresh processes consume charge even in standby mode
• 📦 Imposing unnecessary apps – with updates, Xiaomi services are often installed that cannot be removed
• 🔒 Problems with unlocking the bootloader - after the update, the status of Bootloader Unlocked can be reset

Importantly, disabling updates has the downside of stopping critical security patches, which can make your smartphone vulnerable to viruses and hacker attacks, and weigh the pros and cons before you start setting up.

Method 1: Disabling updates through standard settings

The easiest and safest method is to use built-in system options, which is suitable for most models on MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS. The main advantage of this method is that root access or special knowledge is not required.

Step instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon)
2. Go to About Phone (usually at the bottom)
3. Tap on the item MIUI Update (or System Update in HyperOS)
4. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Settings
5. Turn off the switch Automatically download updates via Wi-Fi
6. We also recommend that you disable Update Notices so you don’t receive reminders.

Some models (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO F4) may not have a separate switch for automatic booting, in which case just don’t confirm installation when the update notification appears.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware may still show notifications for new versions after autobooting is disabled, and to get rid of them completely, you will need to use additional methods from the following sections.

This method does not block the updates from being checked completely – the system will still look for new versions when manually running the check, but it will prevent the update files from automatically downloading, which can take up to 2-3 GB of memory.

Method 2: Limit background activity through application settings

If the first method didn't help get rid of intrusive notifications, the other way is to limit the system application that's responsible for updating, which is a little more complicated, but more effective.

To start, find the System Update (or Updater) app in the settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. In the search box, enter "update" or "updater"
3. Select the System Update app (Icon with a down arrow)
4. Slip on the battery and select Limit background activity
5. Go back and press Notifications, then turn off all switches.

In addition, it is possible to:

• 🚫 Disable auto-run of the application in Settings → Annexes → Auto-start
• 📵 Limit access to mobile data in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data
• 🔒 Remove storage and network access permissions (in the application settings)

These actions will not remove the update application, but will make it virtually inactive, the system will stop checking new versions in the background and showing notifications, but when you manually start the MIUI Update, the check will still be performed.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices, the background activity restriction may cause other system services to fail. If there are errors following the changes, return the settings back.

Method 3: Use ADB-commands to shut down completely

For users who are ready to work with a computer, there is a more radical method - disabling updates via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which completely blocks the check for updates, but requires preliminary preparation.

What you'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux
• 📱 USB-cable
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB developer-setting
• 📥 Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode by pressing the build number 7 times in Settings → About the phone
2. Go back to the main settings and open additionally. → For developers
3. Enable USB debugging and confirm permission
4. Connect your phone to your computer and select File Transfer Mode
5. Open the command line (or Terminal) and type: Adb devices Should show up with your serial number.
6. Run the command to disable updates: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updater or for newer versions: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.updater

Once these commands are executed, the update app will be disabled for the current user, it will not run, check for updates or show notifications. To return everything back, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.android.updater

adb shell pm clear com.android.updater

Then repeat the main command.-->

Important: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or Redmi) K60) After restarting the device, the update service may be activated again. ADB-command or use a method with removal through TWRP.

Method 4: Removing Updates Through Custom Recovery (TWRP)

The most radical, but also the most reliable way is to physically delete update files through custom TWRP recovery, which is suitable for users with an unlocked bootloader and requires caution.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Complete removal of all traces of the update app
• ✅ No risk of self-healing after rebooting
• ✅ Ability to delete downloaded but not installed update files

Step-by-step:

1. Install TWRP Recovery for your model (instructions are available on the XDA Developers forum)
2. Load your phone into recovery mode (usually Power + Vol Up)
3. Go to Advanced → File Manager
4. Find and delete the following folders: /system/priv-app/Updater /data/app/com.android.updater-* /cache/update (uploaded update files are stored here)

Wipe → Dalvik/ART Cache

Reset the device

After this procedure, the system will completely lose the ability to check and install updates, but be prepared for the fact that some features (for example, checking security through the Security App) may not work properly.

⚠️ Note: Delete system files through TWRP It can lead to bootloop if you delete something critical.Always back up through TWRP Backup before the manipulation.

Method 5: Blocking update servers via hosts file (for root)

For root-right users, there is another effective method: blocking the domains from which updates are downloaded, and this is done by editing the hosts file in the system partition.

Instructions:

1. Install any file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer)
2. Go to /system/etc/hosts
3. Open the file in the text editor
4. Add the following lines at the end: 127.0.0.1 update.miui.com 127.0.0.1 api.account.xiaomi.com 127.0.0.1 ota.miui.com 127.0.0.1 bigota.d.miui.com
5. Save the changes and restart the device
6. 🧹 Through Storage Settings: Go to Settings → Storage Click Clear or Free Place Select category Downloaded files or Cache Updates Delete unnecessary files 🔧 Through ADB (if no root: adb shell rm /data/ota_package/*.zip After deleting the file, the notification of the pending update should disappear. If this does not happen, try restarting the device or clearing the cache of the System Update application in the settings. If you delete the update file, but the system still suggests installing it, which means that the update information is stored elsewhere, in which case only completely disabling the update service by one of the methods described above will help. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Disabling Updates on Xiaomi Can You Disable Updates Without Root and Computer? Yes, the first two methods in this article (standard settings and background restriction) do not require root rights or PC connectivity, but are suitable for most users and can significantly reduce the number of update notifications. However, it is impossible to completely block the update check without additional tools - the system will still look for new versions when manually running the update. MIUI. What happens if you turn off updates on a new Xiaomi smartphone? On new models (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13) disabling updates can lead to the release of updates: 🔴 Loss of warranty (if informal methods were used) 🛡️ Security vulnerabilities (no fixes for new viruses) 📱 On the other hand, you will avoid unexpected interface changes and possible bugs in new firmware versions. Weigh all the risks before making a decision. How do you get back the ability to update after you shut down? Depending on the method used, the update function restore is done this way: 🔄 If you used standard settings, just turn back the automatic boot. 📱 If you were restricted through application settings, return all permissions and remove restrictions. 💻 If they did. ADB-commands - execute: adb shell pm enable com.android.updater 🔧 If removed through TWRP — You will need to reflash the original Updater or reset the device