Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive behavior of the MIUI 12 operating system, which constantly reminds of the presence of a new firmware version. This red notice on the settings icon can be annoying, especially if you prefer the stability of the current build or do not want to risk data when installing beta versions. Complete ignoring system requests requires a comprehensive approach, since developers have provided several levels of reminders.
Fortunately, there are a number of proven ways to block these signals without having to get root permissions. We'll look at ways to turn off system downloaders, change developer settings, and use special commands to help you forget about constant reminders. It's important to understand that each method has its own characteristics, and for the best result, it's worth combining them.
In this article, we will take a look at an algorithm that allows you to control the update process, rather than letting the system dictate its terms, and learn how to find hidden services, block access to update servers, and adjust notifications so that they no longer interfere with the user experience.
Disabling the Updater system application
The most effective and common way to remove a red dot is to force the Updater system application to stop and clean up data, which is responsible for checking for new versions of MIUI and sending appropriate signals to the user, and to access its settings, you first need to activate the extended debugging menu.
Go to Settings → About Phone and find the MIUI Version line. Click on it quickly 7-10 times in a row until the pop-up message "Additional Features Enabled" appears. Then go back to the main settings menu, select Advanced Settings and go to For Developers. Here you are interested in the Current Updater App (or "Current Updater version"), which you need to click on several times.
After you do this, you will see a menu with additional options.
- 🛑 Select Disable at the top of the list.
- 🧹 Click on the Clear Data button and select "Clean Everything".
- 🚫 In the menu "Auto Update" select Do not check.
- 🔕 In the section "Notifications" delete the tick from the item "Notify of the availability of updates".
☑️ Checking Updater settings
It is worth noting that after the data is completely cleaned, the application can start checking again on the next Wi-Fi connection, so it is important to also prevent background activity. In some versions of the firmware, the "Disable" option may not be available, then it is enough to clean the data and ban notifications.
Blocking through notification settings
If standard methods are not entirely restful, you can go the other way and simply prevent the system from displaying any visual or audible signals associated with updates.This method is less radical than a full stop service, but it effectively hides annoying interface elements from the user's eyes.
To do this, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. In the application list that opens, look for System Updater, where you will see full control over how and when the application can grab your attention. Disabling all sliders will make the update process completely quiet.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling notifications completely may cause you to miss critical security messages or fix serious bugs, so use this method only if you are confident in the stability of your current version.
Inside the notification menu, make sure the following options are turned off:
- 🔔 Allow notifications - the main switch.
- 🔊 Sound and vibration – so that the phone does not make sounds.
- 📱 Icon in the status bar – to disappear the icon.
- 📢 Pop-up notifications – not to block the screen.
Additionally, it is recommended to go to the settings of the application Security, as it often duplicates messages about the need to update the antivirus databases or the system itself. Disabling Push notifications in the Settings → Notifications inside the application Security will also reduce overall information noise.
Method of limiting background activity
Modern versions of MIUI 12 have aggressive power saving algorithms that can be used against the system itself, limiting its ability to run in the background. If the System Update application cannot run in the background, it will not physically be able to check the server and send you a signal.
Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find System Update (robot icon or MIUI logo) in the list. Go to Energy Saving and select No Limits (to check) mode or, conversely, try to limit background activity if your firmware version allows you to select the degree of limitation for system processes. Most of the time, the “Restricted Background Activity” mode works better.
Also, turn off auto-start for this component. In the app menu, find Auto-Start and make sure the switch is off, which will prevent service from starting immediately after the phone has restarted.
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If settings are reset after the phone is rebooted, try using third-party app freezers like Ice Box or Hail, which require USB debugging enabled.
Background data restriction is another powerful tool: In the section Using data within app properties, turn off background data transfer and, if possible, limit Wi-Fi use. Without network access, checking for updates will become impossible.
Using ADB for Deep Locking
For advanced users who are not afraid to work with the command line, the most reliable method is the use of the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit, which allows you to hide or completely remove the system application updater for the current user without violating the integrity of the system partition.
To implement this method, you will need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux), USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. You need to turn on the phone debugging USB Connect your smartphone to your PC and type the next command in the terminal:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updaterThis command puts the com.android.updater package into a "disabled" state for user 0 (primary owner). Visually, the app icon can disappear from the menu and all background processes will be completely stopped by the system. The red dot will no longer appear, as the system will assume that the application is deleted.
| ADB Team Team | Action. | The result |
|---|---|---|
| pm disable-user | Shutting down the package. | Application won't start |
| pm enable | Includes the package | Returns functionality |
| dumpsys package | Status check | Shows a state of affairs. |
| adb reboot | Reboot. | It's a fixture. |
To get things back to normal, you just need to type in the command adb shell pm enable com.android.updater, which is considered one of the cleanest methods, since it does not require superuser rights and is easily reversible at any time.
Blocking through hosts file (requires Root)
If your smartphone has an unlocked bootloader and has Root rights installed (for example, through Magisk), you can block the Updater application from accessing Xiaomi servers at the network level. This is done by editing the hosts system file, which redirects domain names to a local address.
Using any file manager with access to system partitions (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer with plugins), open the file /system/etc/hosts.
127.0.0.1 update.miui.com
127.0.0.1 update.c.mi.com
127.0.0.1 api.miui.security.xiaomi.comAfter saving the file and restarting the device, any attempts by the system to contact the update servers will be blocked at the DNS level.The phone will think that the server does not exist and will stop sending notifications.
⚠️ Note: Editing system files requires extreme caution. One error in the syntax of the hosts file can lead to unstable network operation or even system boot problems (bootloop).
This method is especially effective for those who want to cut off the phone from MIUI telemetry and services, but it is only suitable for experienced users who understand the risks of modifying system files.
Resetting and alternative solutions
In the rare cases where software bugs cause an endless notification cycle that cannot be fixed by standard methods, a more radical approach may be needed: Resetting all phone settings to factory (without deleting personal data, only settings) often helps clear the system services cache that may have been corrupted.
However, if you don’t want to waste time setting up your phone again, you can try changing the region of your device. Sometimes update servers for different regions work with different frequency or priority. Going to India or Singapore in settings (Settings → Additional settings → Region) can temporarily remove notifications, since the firmware will assume that you are in an area where the update has not yet arrived.
Why do notifications return after rebooting?
Also, it is worth considering that it is impossible to completely remove the Updater system application without Root rights, since it is part of a protected part of the system. All the methods described above are aimed at blocking its activity, not physical deletion.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to completely disable system updates?
Will the red dot disappear if you just turn off the internet?
Could disabling updates affect the operation of banking applications?
What if the phone starts to work slower after the shutdown?
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The comprehensive use of methods (data cleanup + notification ban + background restriction) gives a 100% guarantee of the disappearance of annoying notifications on MIUI 12.