Xiaomi smartphone owners often come across the term “app autorun,” but not everyone understands what it means and how it affects the device’s performance, battery consumption, and even interface speed. In this article, we’ll explore why autoruns are important for some applications, how to set it up properly, and what risks it poses to devices with limited resources.
Xiaomi manufacturers (including Redmi and POCO sub-brands) are actively using background optimization mechanisms to extend battery life. However, aggressive auto-start restriction can break the functionality of instant messengers, social networks or system utilities. For example, without auto-run WhatsApp will not show notifications in real time, and Google Play Services will stop syncing data.
What is the Auto-Running of Applications on Xiaomi
Auto-start (or Auto-start) is a mechanism that allows applications to automatically start when a smartphone is turned on or after a reboot. Without this feature, programs remain “sleep” until the user manually opens them. On Xiaomi, auto-start is regulated at the system level through the Settings menu → Applications → Application Management → Auto-Start.
It is important to distinguish auto-start from background activity: the first is responsible for initializing the application when the system starts, and the second is responsible for its operation in hidden mode. For example, a Telegram with auto-start enabled will be ready to receive messages immediately after the phone is turned on, but to receive push notifications it will also need permission to work in the background and display on top of other windows.
- 📱 System applications: MIUI Launcher, Security, Google Play Services – often have auto-runs by default.
- 💬 Messengers: Viber, WhatsApp, Signal – require autorun for instant notifications.
- 🔄 Sync: Google Drive, Mi Cloud – no autorun will not update data in the background.
- ⚠️ Rarely used programs: games, photo editor – their autorun can be turned off to save resources.
On Xiaomi devices with MIUI shell, autostart is closely linked to the Battery & Performance feature (Settings → Battery).The system automatically restricts background activity for apps that are rarely used, but this can lead to missing important notifications. For example, if you haven't opened Instagram for several days, MIUI can block its autostart and you will stop receiving alerts for new messages.
Why you need auto-start: pros and cons
The main advantage of auto-run is that apps are instantly ready to go, and without it, many services will only wake up after manually opening, which is inconvenient for instant messengers, email clients, or fitness trackers. For example, Google Fit without auto-start will not be able to track steps immediately after a phone reboot.
However, the function has a downside:
| The Pros of Auto Start | Cons of auto-start |
|---|---|
| ✅ Instant notifications (messengers, mail) | ❌ Increased battery consumption |
| ✅ Automatic data synchronization (cloud, calendar) | ❌ Slowing down the system with a large number of auto-run applications |
| ✅ Background services (music, health trackers) | ❌ Risk of malware ‘waking up’ (if insecure applications are installed) |
| ✅ Quick access to frequently used programs | ❌ Difficulty managing settings for beginners |
On Xiaomi devices with Snapdragon processors 4xx/6xx (Like Redmi. 9A, POCO M3) auto-start 10-15 Applications can lead to noticeable lags when multitasking, due to limited chipset resources and aggressive optimization. MIUI weak-wielding.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoruns for system applications (such as Mi Security or Google Play Services) can cause your smartphone to run unstable, including account sync errors or problems installing updates.
How to turn on or off auto-start on Xiaomi
Autorun control on Xiaomi is carried out through the MIUI settings menu. Instructions are relevant for devices based on MIUI 12/13/14 (including Redmi and POCO):
- Open the Settings → Applications.
- Select Application Management.
- Slip on AutoRun (on some firmware it may be called AutoRun).
- In the list, tick the apps that are allowed to autorun. Unchecking the box will turn off the function.
On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12T or POCO F4), the path may be different:
Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management → Applications Selection → AutoRunFor convenience, you can use the search by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of Settings) and enter the request “autostart”.
Is the power saving mode turned off in Settings → Battery
Does the application have rights to work in the background (Settings → Apps → Permissions → Additional)
Is the application system (disabling them can disrupt stability)
Whether important data is stored (for example, chats in messengers)-->
If the application stopped working correctly after disabling autorun (for example, notifications do not arrive in VK), return the settings to the original state or check for additional permissions in the Settings → Applications → [Program name] → Permissions section.
What applications can be safely disabled
Not all programs need to run auto-start. Disabling this feature for rarely used utilities will save up to 10-15% of battery life per day (based on tests on the Redmi Note 11 with MIUI 13).
- 🎮 Games: PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact – They don’t need background launch unless you’re using gaming notifications.
- 📷 Photo/video editors: Snapseed, CapCut – work only on the user’s request.
- 🛒 Shops and promotional apps: AliExpress, Wildberries – their notifications are rarely critical.
- 📊 Analytics and trackers: Google Analytics, App Annie – only developers need.
- 🔊 Music players (if you do not use background playback): Spotify, Yandex Music.
Exceptions: Do not turn off auto-start for:
- 🔒 Antiviruses (Mi Security, Avast) – they must scan the system at start.
- 📱 System services (Google Play Services, Mi Account) – their disabling will disrupt the smartphone.
- 💬 The main messengers, if you actively use them.
Games
Social media
Shops (AliExpress, Ozon)
Fitness trackers
Nothing's been turned off.-->
On devices with low RAM (2-3 GB, such as the Redmi 8A or POCO C31), disabling autoruns for 5-7 unnecessary applications can reduce the number of forced program closures (so-called “departures” due to memory shortage).
Auto Start and Battery: How to Save Charge
One of the main battery eaters on Xiaomi is apps that start when the system starts and stay active in the background. According to tests from XDA Developers’ lab, disabling autoruns for 10 apps on Xiaomi 11T Pro increased battery life by 12-18% at an average load.
To optimize charge consumption:
- Check the list of auto-run apps and disable those that aren’t critical.
- From Settings → Battery → Battery Mode, select Balanced (not Performance, as it allows for background activity without restrictions).
- Use Battery Optimization (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization) to automatically limit the power consumption of rarely used programs.
On devices with MIUI 14, we have a feature called Deep Optimization, which analyzes the behavior of applications and suggests that you turn off auto-start for those that consume a lot of energy.
Settings → Battery → Battery settings → Deep optimization⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI For the global version (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro Global), disabling autoplay for Google Play Services may result in Google account sync errors and problems installing apps from the Play Market.
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If the app stopped showing notifications after disabling autorun, check the additional settings in Settings → Notifications → [Application Name]. Sometimes you need to manually allow display of banners and audible alerts.
Auto Start and Performance: Myths and Reality
Many users believe that disabling autoruns for all applications will speed up the smartphone. However, this is not always the case. On devices with Snapdragon 8xx or Dimensity 9000 processors (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5 Pro), the impact of autoruns on performance is minimal due to the powerful hardware and optimization of MIUI.
On the budget models (Redmi 10A, POCO M4), the situation is different:
- 📉 Too many auto-run applications → The system spends resources on initializing them, which leads to lags.
- 🔄 Frequent restarts of background processes → MIUI aggressively closes tasks if auto-start is disabled, which can increase the opening time of programs.
- 🔋 Increased battery consumption → Continuous “wake-ups” of notification-checking apps consume more power than a single auto-run.
Tests on the Redmi 9C (4GB of RAM, Helio G35) showed that the optimal number of auto-run applications for the balance between performance and functionality was 8-12 pieces.
How to check the impact of auto-start on productivity?
To objectively assess the impact of auto-start on your device:
- Run a performance test (e.g. in AnTuTu Benchmark).
- Turn off auto-start for 3-5 unnecessary apps.
- Reboot your smartphone and re-test.
- Compare results (especially UX (User Experience) and RAM parameters).
Auto Start Problems and Their Solutions
Sometimes users encounter situations where auto-start is not working properly. Let's look at the typical problems and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The application does not start after restarting | Autostart disabled in settings or app added to battery optimization blacklist | Check Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization and Allow Auto-Run |
| Notifications are coming with a delay | No rights to work in the background or auto-run | Enable Background Work and Auto Run in the App Settings |
| Auto-Run Resets After MIUI Update | Resetting optimization settings with large updates | Manually set up autostart again after installing firmware |
| Some system applications cannot be disabled | MIUI Limitations for Critical Services | Use it. ADB-commands (requires unlocking of the loader) |
If the standard settings do not help, you can use ADB-commands to force auto-run, such as allowing auto-runs for Telegram:
adb shell cmd appops set org.telegram.messenger android:auto_start allow⚠️ Attention: Use ADB requires unlocking the bootloader, which can lead to loss of warranty and unstable operation of the device.
For root-enabled devices, you can use apps like MIUI Hidden Settings or Activity Launcher to access hidden autorun settings, but it's risky because incorrect changes can cause MIUI to crash.
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On devices with MIUI Global (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Lite), some autorun settings may be hidden, in which case switching the firmware region to MIUI China (requires unlocking the bootloader) will help.