How to remove auto-update on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive behavior of the MIUI operating system or the new HyperOS. The device can independently download update packages, taking up precious space in memory and consuming mobile traffic, and sometimes spontaneously reboot at the most inappropriate time to install a new version.

Disabling this feature completely requires a comprehensive approach, as developers have hidden the appropriate settings deep in the system menus or even hidden them altogether with standard tools. You will have to use a combination of methods: from simple switches in the interface to more complex manipulation of the permissions of system applications through the engineering menu.

In this guide, we will look at all the current ways to block automatic updates that work in 2026-2026, and we will look at both software methods for ordinary users and more advanced techniques for those who want to have full control of their system.

Disconnection through the standard settings menu

The first step that any user needs to take is to check the basic system settings. Although automatic updates are often enabled by default, the interface allows some of the behavior to be limited, you need to go to Settings → About the phone and click on the logo of the MIUI or HyperOS version.

In the window that opens, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Update Options. Here you will see the Auto Update switch. If it is active, the system will search for and download new firmware versions when you connect to Wi-Fi. Disabling this slider is the first barrier to unwanted changes.

However, even after this option is disabled, background processes can continue to work. Android in conjunction with the Xiaomi shell tends to ignore user preferences after major security patches. Therefore, it is also recommended to disable the option “Boot in the background” if it is available in your version of the firmware.

It's worth noting that this method is superficial, and it tells the system that you want to not update right now, but it doesn't block the version check service itself, and for a more reliable result, you need to go to the next steps of the instruction.

Blocking through the developer menu

A more effective way to manage updates is to use a hidden developer menu, which is where you find the settings that directly affect how you interact with your system when you connect to the network. → About the phone and quickly click on the build number (line "Version") MIUI» or “OS version») 7-10 successively.

Once you have a “You’ve become a developer” message, go back to the main settings menu and select “Additional” or “Extended Settings” where a new “Developers For” option appears. Inside this section, look for the “OTA System App” or “Update Checker” block.

In some versions of the shell, you can find the "Automatically Check Updates" switch here, which prevents periodic requests to Xiaomi servers from being turned off. However, the most effective method in this section is to reset network settings or change DNS, which we will discuss below, since direct disabling of the OTA service here is often not available without root rights.

It is important to understand that the developer menu is designed to debug applications, and carelessly changing other parameters can lead to unstable smartphone operation.

Restriction of rights of the system application Updater

The most effective method of software that does not require root rights is to force the system component responsible for updating to stop and restrict the rights of the system component responsible for updating, a process called “freezing” the service within user permissions, and you will need to find the “Component Update” or “Updater” application in the list of all installed programs.

Once you find a system application, go to About App and select Permissions, where you need to turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi. If the system does not allow you to do this directly, use the Traffic Savings or Background Activity Restrictions function.

Then go back and click Stop (or Force Stop). Immediately after stopping, click three dots in the corner and select Auto Start to make sure it is off. Also, in the Battery and Performance or Charge Savings menu, set the app to No Limits (paradoxically, but this is sometimes necessary to prevent the system from waking it up) or, conversely, to Hard Limit, if this option is available in your MIUI version.

The effectiveness of this method is that you shut down the communication channel for the update service, and even if the timer starts the verification process, the application will not be able to send a request to the network, which is the most secure way for the average user.

Use debugging over USB and ADB commands

For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a way to completely freeze the system package through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), this method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and having the driver and platform-tools installed. It allows you to disable the component so that it disappears from the user interface, but remains in the system in case you need to restore.

First, turn on USB debugging in the Developer menu. Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line (terminal) on your computer, and type in the command to check the connection: adb devices. If the device is determined, you can proceed to lock.

To disable the update service, enter the following command:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updater

This command forcibly disables the updater user interface, and the phone will stop seeing any updates at all. If you want to return the ability to manually update, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.android.updater

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Before using ADB commands, make sure to back up important data. Although the pm disable-user command is reversible, any manipulation of system packages carries minimal but present risk.

Using ADB is guaranteed because you’re directly impacting the Android package manager, which bypasses all the software limitations of the MIUI/HyperOS shell. However, when you reset your phone to the factory’s Hard Reset, these changes will be cancelled and the service will have to be disabled again.

Blocking through hosts file and DNS

A radical but very effective method is to block access to update servers at the network level, which can be done in two ways: by changing the hosts file (requires root rights) or using DNS (runs without root on Android 9 and higher).

The DNS (Private DNS) method is preferred because it doesn't require superuser rights. You need to find a reliable DNS server that blocks ad and tracker domains, or manually lock in the router settings. However, in the settings of the Android 10+ phone itself, you can manually prescribe a DNS host.

Go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → Private DNS. Select "Host Name of the Provider" DNS» And enter the server address that blocks the domains of Xiaomi. DNS It is Xiaomi that is blocked OTA It does not exist, so users often prescribe a non-existent address or use a local address. VPN-filter.

A more difficult but reliable way is to edit the hosts file, which requires root rights and a file manager with access to the system partition (such as Root Explorer or Root Explorer). MT Manager. /system/etc/hosts You need to add lines that forward requests to update servers to a local address. 127.0.0.1.

Examples of domains to block:

• 📉 update.miui.com
• 📉 update.c.mi.com
• 📉 api.io.mi.com
• 📉 http.fs.mi.com

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Blocking through a hosts file is the most reliable method, since the ban applies at the level of the network infrastructure of the phone, regardless of the application settings.

After adding the records, the file must be saved and restarted, and the phone will not be physically able to connect to the update check server, as it will try to find it at the internal address.

Comparison of methods of disabling updates

To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you assess the risks and effectiveness of each method, depending on your technical background.

As you can see from the table, for most users, the optimal balance between security and outcome is the method of limiting Updater’s app rights through smartphone settings.

The ADB method is recommended for those who want to get a clean system without unnecessary processes, but are afraid to climb into root-right system files.

Possible problems and solutions

You may encounter a number of difficulties in disabling auto updates. MIUI Google Play is known for its aggressive policy of returning users to the “ecosystem”, so some settings may be reset after rebooting or updating the security features of Google Play.

A frequent problem: the Auto Update button in the settings is active but not pressed (gray), which means that the management of this setting is captured by the system policy or work profile, in which case only the ADB method or lock through hosts will help.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Service completely may result in you no longer receiving critical security patches, making the device vulnerable to new viruses and exploits. Check for updates manually at least once a quarter on a regular basis.

Another problem is that you see a "Failed to Check Updates" notification with a red exclamation point, which is a normal system response to a connection lock, so to remove the annoying notification, you can prevent any alerts from showing in the feature updates settings in the notifications app.

Also, remember that after the full reset (Wipe Data) all settings will return to factory, you will have to repeat the procedure again, so it is recommended to save screenshots of your actions or remember the sequence of steps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

⚠️ Warning: If you plan to sell a device, be sure to turn the update service back on or perform a full reset.The new owner may be surprised at the inability to upgrade the system or the presence of strange restrictions.

To sum up, fighting intrusive updates on Xiaomi is an ongoing process, with developers regularly changing how the system works, so the methods that work today may need to be adjusted in the future, and the most stable solution is the combination of limiting network access rights for the Updater app and periodically manually monitoring the firmware version.

Use these methods responsibly. Full control of your device gives you freedom, but also imposes responsibility for the security of your data. Remember to periodically check the relevance of blocking methods in specialized forums.