Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices face a situation where the phone starts downloading and installing a new version of firmware on its own, often disrupting the stability of the usual system. Intrusive notifications about the availability of MIUI or the new HyperOS can be annoying, especially if the current build works perfectly, and the new version promises only changes in the interface or removal of familiar functions.
There are several effective ways to completely disable Xiaomi updates, ranging from simple settings inside menus to advanced methods of blocking network requests. Auto boot is often on by default, and the system persistently tries to activate it even after manually shutting down. Understanding the architecture of Updater services will allow you to take control of the device in your hands and prevent unwanted changes.
In this guide, we will look at all known methods, from disabling services in the developer settings to blocking domain names at the router or hosts level. Data security and saving the current version of the software is a priority for many, so we will pay special attention to the details that are often missed in surface instructions.
Disabling Automatic Booting in Standard Settings
The first and most obvious step is to check the basic settings of the system, where the automatic boot switch is often hidden. Many users miss this point by relying only on ignoring notifications, but to completely ban Xiaomi updates, you need to change the settings in the About Phone menu. Go to Settings → About Phone and click on the system version icon to open the update menu.
In the window that opens, find the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select Settings, where you need to find Auto Update and put the switch inactive, but even then the system can continue to background check for new versions, although you won't download them without your knowledge, which is a basic level of protection that doesn't require root rights or PC connection.
⚠️ Note: Even when Auto Update is turned off, the system may periodically show a pop-up with an offer to update. MIUI, This can not be completely eliminated only through a standard menu.
Additionally, you should disable the Notify Updates option if it is present in your firmware version, which will reduce the frequency of annoying banners, and it is also recommended that you uncheck the “Update via Wi-Fi” box in the same menu to prevent the accidental loading of packets when connecting to your home network, which creates the first line of defense against intrusiveness.
Using Developer Mode to Stop Services
A deeper level of control over the system is provided by the developer mode, which allows you to force the system processes responsible for version verification. To activate this mode, go to Settings → About the phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI version or OS version until the message “You became a developer” appears. Then a new section “Additional” or “Extended settings” will appear in the settings menu, where you need to select “For developers”.
Inside the developer menu, scroll down to the Apps or Services section and find the option “Disable MIUI services” (in some versions it may be called “Disable MIUI services” or have a similar name). In the system component list that opens, you need to find the service responsible for updates. It may be called MIUI Daemon, MIUI Core or simply contain the word “Update.” Disabling these services may temporarily prevent Xiaomi from updating, but the system often tries to reactivate them when you restart.
An alternative method in this section is to search for and disable Automatic System Reboot, which is more often associated with crash recovery, but deactivating it reduces the likelihood of background system activity, and it is worth paying attention to the item “Enable OEM Check”, which in some cases affects the ability to unlock the bootloader and, indirectly, the update policy.
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If you can’t find the service you want in the list, use a search for the keyword “update” or “miui” at the top of the developer settings screen for quick access.
It is important to understand that the methods through the developer menu are temporary, and after a device reboot or scheduled maintenance, Android systems can reset these settings, so this method is better used as an addition to more radical measures, such as blocking network ports or removing system applications.
Blocking Update Servers via ADB Command Prompt
The most effective root-free software method is the use of the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool, which allows you to force the Updater system application to be frozen or removed, which physically prevents Xiaomi from updating at the executable startup level. First, you need to enable USB debugging in the Developer menu and install ADB drivers on your computer.
Connect your smartphone to your PC with a cable and open the command line in the folder with ADB installed. Enter the command adb devices and confirm the debugging permission on the phone screen. After successful pairing, execute a command to obtain a list of packages containing the word "updater":
adb shell pm list packages | grep updaterIn the answer, you'll see the name of the package, usually com.android.updater or com.miui.otupdater. To prevent this component from working, use the disable command. It doesn't delete the file physically, but it makes it invisible and inactive to the system:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updaterOnce you do this, the update icon will disappear from the menu and the background processes will stop running. If you want to return everything as it was, just run the command adb shell pm enable com.android.updater. This is one of the most reliable ways, since it blocks the executable mechanism, not just hides notifications.
☑️ Pre-use checks ADB
Advertising Blockers and DNS Filters
Network protection means blocking requests to update servers before they leave the device, and you can use local VPN-based blocking applications such as AdGuard, Blokada or PersonalDNSFilter, which allow you to create your own traffic filtering rules by adding domain names of Xiaomi servers to the blacklist.
You need to add to the filtering rules (Custom Hosts or DNS Filter) the following domains that are used to distribute firmware:
- 📉 update.miui.com – the main shell update server.
- 📉 update.hihonor.com – sometimes used for related services.
- 📉 cdn.cdn.fds.api.mi-img.com - Firmware file storage.
- 📉 api.device.xiaomi.net – Device Verification Server.
- 📉 http.f.mi.com – Additional download resources.
Once these rules are added, the app will redirect requests to the specified addresses to nowhere (localhost or 0.0.0.0), effectively preventing the phone from reaching the server. The advantage of this method is its flexibility: you can turn off the blocker at any time if you decide it's time to upgrade.
⚠️ Attention: When in use DNS-Filters make sure you don’t block domains required to run push notifications or sync Mi Cloud, as they can use shared subdomains.
Comparison of methods of blocking updates
The right method depends on your technical skills and goals. Below is a table comparing the effectiveness and complexity of different methods of banning Xiaomi upgrades.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | PC required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu settings | Low. | Low (auto boot only) | No. |
| Developer mode | Medium | Medium (reset) | No. |
| ADB team | Tall. | High (full lock) | Yes. |
| DNS lockdown | Medium | High (network) | No. |
As you can see from the table, using ADB commands gives the most guaranteed result, completely removing the update functionality from active memory. However, the method with DNS filters is safer for inexperienced users, since it does not change system files and is easily reversible. Combining methods (for example, disabling in settings + ADB) gives the maximum effect.
Risks of blocking system components
Blocking at the router and hosts file level
For advanced users who want to block Xiaomi from updating on all devices on the home network, the ideal solution is to configure the router. If your router supports Parental Control or domain filtering, you can enter the update server addresses listed above, in which case no gadget on the Wi-Fi network will be able to download the firmware.
An even more radical method is to edit the hosts file on the Android device itself, but to write to the /etc/hosts system file, you need Root rights. If your phone is rooted, you can add domain redirect lines to your local address:
127.0.0.1 update.miui.com
127.0.0.1 update.hihonor.com
127.0.0.1 api.device.xiaomi.netThis method works even without running blocking applications and consumes zero battery resources. The hosts file is processed by the system kernel first, so the request simply does not go beyond the device. It is a "hardened concrete" method that works until you edit the file back yourself.
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The most reliable way for regular users is to combine disabling auto-update in settings and using ADB to freeze the Updater service.