Auto-Running applications on Xiaomi: how it works, why you need and how to disable

Have you ever noticed that some apps on your Xiaomi run on their own, even if you didn’t open them? It’s not a bug or a virus — that’s how the auto-launch feature built into the MIUI shell works. It can be useful for quick access to frequently used services, but often causes battery drains, overheating of the device and even slowing down your smartphone.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what is autorun on Xiaomi, what applications use it and why, and learn how to manage this feature from complete shutdown to fine-tuning for individual programs. We will focus on the differences in MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, as well as the nuances of working on popular models like the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13.

If you want to extend your phone’s battery life or just figure out why some apps are “living their lives,” read on. We’ll also answer frequent questions like whether auto-start affects notifications, whether it’s possible to turn it off for system applications, and what to do if the phone starts to malfunction after the settings change.

What is the Auto-Running of Applications on Xiaomi and Why You Need It

The autostart feature (or Auto-start in the English version of MIUI) allows apps to automatically start when you turn on your phone, connect to the Internet, or reboot your system.This is not the same as background activity - autostart works even if you've never opened the app manually.

Why is that necessary?

• 📱 Fast access to services: Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) and social networks (Facebook, TikTok) can receive notifications immediately.
• 🔄 Data synchronization: email clients (Gmail, Outlook) and cloud storage (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) update information in the background.
• 🎵 Multimedia: Music players (Spotify, Yandex Music) can continue playing after a reboot.
• 🛡️ System processes: Antiviruses (Avast, Kaspersky) and SEOs (Security by Xiaomi) monitor security.

But there's a downside to this: many apps abuse auto-starts, running up to 15-20 percent of their battery per day, like Facebook and Instagram, which can run every 30 minutes even if you don't use them, and services like Mi Video or Mi Browser are often turned on with the system, although not everyone needs them.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoruns for instant messengers (such as Viber or Signal) can cause delays in receiving notifications. If you care about speed, leave autoruns on for those applications.

How to Check Which Apps Are Using Auto-Run

Before you turn something off, it's helpful to understand which programs are actively using autoruns. MIUI has built-in monitoring tools, but they're hidden deep in the settings. Here's how to find them:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Auto-Start (or Auto-start in the global version).
3. You'll see a list of all the apps with the switches, and the green color means that you're allowed to auto-start.

You can also use the built-in battery monitor:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Use.
2. Select the time interval (e.g., “Last Day”).
3. Pay attention to applications marked Autostart or Background activity - they are the main "eaters" of charge.

For more detailed analysis, you can use third-party utilities like AccuBattery or Greenify (the latter requires root rights to work properly), which show what processes wake up the phone at night and how much power it consumes.

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If you see an unknown app with a Chinese name (e.g. com.miui.analytics) on the autorun list, it’s Xiaomi’s system stats service, which can be turned off without risking stability, but update notifications may come less frequently.

Step-by-step: how to disable auto-start on Xiaomi

The process of disabling autorun is slightly different depending on the version of MIUI. Below is a universal instruction that will suit MIUI 12-15, including global and Chinese versions of firmware.

Battery charge > 50% |Close all background apps |Connect to Wi-Fi (for data sync) |Close backup of important settings-->

Method 1: Through standard settings

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select AutoRun.
3. Scroll through the list and turn off the switches in front of the unwanted apps, and for convenience, you can sort the list by alphabet or auto-start status.
4. Confirm the changes if the system requests a password or fingerprint.

Method 2: Through battery settings (for MIUI 14/15)

In new versions of MIUI, some of the autorun settings are moved to the energy saving section:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Power Management.
2. Select the app from the list.
3. Slip on Autostart and turn off the function.
4. Here you can limit background activity and push notifications.

Method 3: Through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on some POCO models), you can turn off auto-start via ADB:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.securitycenter.autostart


adb shell cmd appops set <package_name> RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny

Where <package_name> — Application ID (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook) can be found via App Inspector or adb shell pm list packages.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoruns for system applications (e.g., com.android.phone) can cause phone malfunctions. Do this only if you understand the risks!

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Disabling auto-runs for instant messengers (such as WhatsApp) does not block notifications completely, but can delay their delivery by 5-15 minutes.

What applications can be turned off without risk

Not all programs are equally useful. Below is a list of apps that can be safely disabled on most Xiaomi devices:

Here's what you should not touch:

• 📞 Phone and contacts (com.android.contacts, com.android.phone) - responsible for calls and SMS.
• 🔒 Security (com.miui.guardprovider) – manages permissions and antivirus.
• 🔄 System Updates (com.android.updater) – without it, the phone won’t receive security patches.

If you’re in doubt about whether to turn off autoplay for a particular app, try doing it for a day and watch your phone run. Most problems (like no notifications) show up in the first hours.

What to do if after shutting down the autostart the phone began to work worse

Sometimes users find that after a mass shutdown of autostart, the device begins to brake, overheat or incorrectly display notifications.

Problem 1: Notifications are not coming or are late

This is a messaging situation.

1. Return auto-run for critical applications (WhatsApp, Telegram).
2. Check the notification settings: Settings → Notifications → App settings.
3. Enable Priority Notifications for important contacts.

Problem 2: The phone is slowing down.

Paradoxically, sometimes turning off autostart increases the workload on the processor, because the system has to run applications from scratch every time.

• 🔄 Reboot your phone, it will reset the cache.
• 🧹 Clear memory through Settings → Memory → Clean.
• ⚡ Enable Performance Mode: Settings → Battery → Performance mode.

Problem 3: Fast battery discharge despite auto-start shutdown

If after all the manipulations the battery still sits down quickly, check:

• 🔋 Battery status: Settings → Battery → Battery status (if there is a battery health item, and it is below 80% – it is time to change the battery).
• 📡 Mobile Internet Background Consumption: Settings → SIM-Maps and Mobile Networks → Application Traffic.
• 🌡️ Processor Temperature: Use AIDA64 or CPU Monitor.

Features of auto-run on different models Xiaomi

Although the MIUI shell is unified, some models have unique nuances in the autorun.

Redmi Note 11/12 and POCO X4/X5

On these devices, autorun is enabled by default for most pre-installed applications (Mi Community, Mi Pay, GetApps) and can be safely turned off because they are not critical to the system, and POCO often has a bug when autorun settings are reset after a MIUI update.

adb shell settings put global autostart_management_enabled 1

Xiaomi 12/13 and flagship models

On flagships, auto-run is more aggressively optimized for performance.

• 🎮 Game Turbo mode: It can force games to run in the background for preloading.
• 🔍 Quick Search Box: Indexes files even when the phone is locked.

Devices with MIUI for Russia (RU-firmware)

In the Russian versions of MIUI, auto-run is allowed by default for Yandex services (Yandex.Browser, Yandex.Music, Alice).

• Voice assistant Alice will stop working on the command “OK, Yandex”.
• Yandex.Weather widgets will not be automatically updated.

Devices on MIUI Lite (budget models)

On phones like the Redmi A1 or POCO C50 with a lightweight version of MIUI, the autostart option may not be on the menu.

1. Greenify use (without root it works limitedly, but can block background activity).
2. Manually “freeze” applications through Settings → Applications → Forced Stop (the effect is temporary).

Alternative methods of managing background processes

Turning off autostart isn't the only way to optimize your phone, but here are some other effective methods:

1. Restriction of background activity

MIUI has a separate setup that allows you to limit which applications can run in the background:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Power Management.
2. Select the application and set the Background activity limit to the Restricted position.

2. Use of energy saving regime

Enabling Power Saving or Super Power Saving automatically limits auto-start for most applications:

• 🔋 Energy saving: limits background activity but leaves notices.
• ⚡ Super Power Saving: Shuts down almost everything except calls and SMS (useful at 10% charge).

3. Third-party utilities for deep optimization

If standard MIUI tools are not enough, you can use third-party applications:

⚠️ Warning: Applications like Servicely or Brevent can disrupt the stability of MIUI if they are not configured correctly. Back up your data before using it!

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The safest way to optimize is to combine standard MIUI (background activity restriction) tools with energy saving mode. Third-party utilities should only be used if you are confident in your actions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about auto-launch on Xiaomi