Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive notifications about the release of a new version of MIUI or HyperOS. The system insists on downloading and installing fresh software, promising improved security and new functionality. However, the latest update is not always the best for a particular device.
Sometimes a new build contains critical errors, causes overheating or significantly reduces the autonomy of the gadget, in such situations, the user has an urgent need to cancel a planned update or completely delete already downloaded firmware files from the memory of the phone.
The cancellation process depends on the stage your device is in: the notification has arrived, the files have already been downloaded or the installation has already begun. Below we will discuss in detail the algorithms for each scenario so that you can keep your system running smoothly.
Why you should cancel the system update
The decision to block automatic installation of new versions of Android is often dictated by the experience of using previous updates. Users notice that after switching to a new version of the MIUI shell, the smartphone starts to run slower and the battery runs out faster than usual.
In addition, new firmware versions may contain bugs that developers did not have time to identify during the testing phase. rollback or blocking the update allows you to wait for the release of the corrected patch, maintaining the current stability of the device.
⚠️ Warning: Attempting to interrupt the installation process of an already running update (when the progress lane is in progress) can lead to software failure and data loss.
There are also situations where the user needs a specific version of the system to work root rights or specific applications, in which case automatic updating is an obstacle that must be properly circumvented.
Disabling Automatic Update Downloading
The easiest way to prevent unwanted changes to the system is to prevent the phone from downloading firmware files on its own, and this requires changing the settings in the standard Update app.
Go to the Settings menu and select About Phone. Click on MIUI or HyperOS to go to the Update menu. In the upper right corner of the screen, find the three-dot button and select Update Options.
In the list that opens, you need to deactivate several options. First of all, disable the Auto Update function so that the system does not search for new versions in the background.
- 🚫 Disable the “Outload” option – this will prohibit downloading files without your direct participation.
- 📶 Remove the tick from the option “Update via Wi-Fi” – now the phone will not use the network to download firmware.
- 🔕 Block notifications so pop-ups don’t annoy you with constant update offers.
Once you do this, the phone will stop initiating the update process on its own, but if files have already been downloaded before, they will remain in the device’s memory.
Removal of the downloaded firmware file
If the update has already downloaded but not installed, it can be manually removed, freeing up space in memory and preventing accidental installation.Firmware files typically take up 2 to 4 GB of disk space.
To delete, go to the update options menu as described in the previous section. Click on the three-dot button and select the option "Delete the update file." The system will request confirmation of action.
Confirm the deletion and the phone will clear the bootloader cache, and then the installation process will become impossible until the files are manually uploaded again.
☑️ Checking for file deletion
In some cases, standard deletion may not work due to system limitations, and you will need to access hidden menus through engineering code.
Using an engineering menu to block
A more advanced method involves using secret codes to access advanced debugging settings, which allows for deeper interventions in the system update process.
Open the phone application and type the code ##6485##. In the list you open, find the parameter. MB_OTA. If the value 0, This means no updates or they are disabled.
To completely block, you can use the code ##717717## (does not work on all models), which forcibly disables the system-level update check.
⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful when changing the parameters in the engineering menu.Unknown settings can lead to unstable operation of communication modules.
This method is especially relevant for older models, where standard settings can be hidden or changed by the manufacturer in newer versions of Android.
Comparison of methods of cancellation of updates
Different ways of blocking have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of the specific method depends on your technical background and goals.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnection in settings | Low. | Medium | Minimum |
| Deletion of the file | Low. | Tall. | Absent. |
| Engineering menu | Medium | Tall. | Average. |
| Disconnection through ADB | Tall. | Maximum | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, for most users, the best solution is a combination of disabling settings and manually deleting files.
What is ADB and how does it help?
System rollback via Recovery Mode
If the update is already installed and is not working correctly, the only way out is to roll back to the previous version.
You will need to download the archive from the previous stable firmware version (.zip format) and rename it to update.zip.
Reboot your phone to Recovery mode by clamping the button combination Volume up + Power. From the menu, select "Install update.zip".
- 🔄 Choose a language (usually English or Chinese).
- 📂 Find the file. update.zip listing.
- ✅ Confirm the installation and wait for the process to be completed.
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Before rolling back the system, be sure to make a full backup of all important data, since when you lower the version of the software, the device memory will be completely cleared.
Once installed successfully, the phone will restart with the previous version of the system, and it is important to immediately disable auto-update so that the cycle does not repeat.