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 fluke or a system bug -- that's how the auto-run function works. It's built into the firmware. MIUI It's used extensively by both system and third-party software, but why do you need it and can you do without it?
Many users consider autorun to be a useless or even harmful feature that only drains the battery and slows down the smartphone. Others, on the contrary, do not know how to do without notifications from messengers or synchronizing data in the background. In this article, we will understand how autorun works on Xiaomi, which applications use it and how to properly configure this feature so that it is useful, not harmful.
What is Auto-Running Applications and How Does It Work
Auto-run (or automatic application launch) is a mechanism that allows programs to start in the background without direct user involvement. On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature is implemented at the firmware level. MIUI and managed through special settings.
When an application receives auto-start permission, it can:
- 🔄 Start when the smartphone is turned on after switching off or restarting.
- 📱 Activate when connecting to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
- ⏰ Wake up on schedule to perform background tasks (e.g., data synchronization).
- 🔔 Get push notifications even when closed.
Technically, autoruns are implemented via BroadcastReceiver, an Android component that “listens” to system events (e.g., the “Service, BOOT_COMPLETED — complete system booting) and launch the application when they occur. MIUI Adds its own control layer to this, allowing the user to flexibly customize the behavior of each application.
What apps are using auto-run on Xiaomi
Autostart is a feature that is used extensively by both system and third-party applications, and here are the main categories of programs that use it:
| Type of application | Examples | Why you need an auto-start |
|---|---|---|
| Messengers | WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber | Instant receipt of communications and notifications |
| Social media | Facebook, Instagram, TikTok | Synchronization of news feed, notifications of new publications |
| Mail and calendars | Gmail, Outlook, Google Calendar | Checking new letters, reminders of events |
| Fitness trackers | Mi Fit, Google Fit, Strava | Synchronizing data with smartwatches, tracking activity |
| System utilities | Security, Cleanup, Topics | Automatic optimization, virus testing, update themes |
Xiaomi’s apps are particularly active in auto-run: Mi Home (to manage smart devices), Mi Cloud (to sync with the cloud), Security (to scan the system). Without this feature, many of the chips of the Xiaomi ecosystem simply won’t work.
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To check which apps are using autorun, go to Settings → Annexes → Autorun control. This shows you a complete list of programs with their status.
Pros and cons of auto-run applications
Like any feature, auto-run has its advantages and disadvantages, so let's go through them in more detail to see if it's worth turning it off.
Advantages of auto-start:
- ✅ Instant notifications – you won’t miss important messaging messages or social media alerts.
- ✅ Automatic synchronization – data in cloud services, mail and calendars is always relevant.
- ✅ Background services – for example, map location tracking or fitness tracking.
- ✅ Quick access to frequently used features – some apps download data in advance to save you time.
Disadvantages of auto-start:
- ❌ Increased battery consumption – background processes consume energy even when the screen is off.
- ❌ Slowing down the system – a large number of auto-run applications can load the processor and RAM.
- ❌ Traffic consumption – some programs in the background download data, which can be critical with a limited Internet package.
- ❌ Heating the device – active background activity leads to an increase in the temperature of the smartphone.
Important: On Xiaomi smartphones with Snapdragon series processors 4xx/6xx (For example, Redmi Note 10, POCO X3 Pro) Auto-run of a large number of applications can lead to noticeable lags due to limited resources. 13, Mix 4) This function has little impact on productivity.
How to check and set up auto-start on Xiaomi
Auto-start management in MIUI It's done through a special menu in the settings, and here's a step-by-step guide to how to get there and what you can customize:
- Open the settings on your smartphone.
- Go to the Appendix section.
- Select AutoStart Management (in some versions) MIUI It can be called Auto Start or Run in the background).
- You will see a list of all installed applications with on/off autostart switches.
On this menu you can:
- 🔘 Enable or disable auto-start for each application separately.
- 📊 Sort programs by status (on/off) or alphabetically.
- 🔍 Use the search bar to quickly find the right application.
Disable Auto-Run for Games and Rarely Used Apps
Leave it on for messengers and social networks
Check the settings after installing new programs
Regularly clean the list of unnecessary applications-->
On smartphones with MIUI 12 and later (e.g. Xiaomi 12, Redmi Note 11) has a feature called "Intelligent Autostart" that automatically analyzes your habits and turns off background activity for rarely used programs. To activate it, go to Settings. → Annexes → Autostart control → Intelligent Auto-Startup.
How to completely disable auto-start all applications
If you decide you don't need auto-runs at all, you can turn them off globally, but keep in mind that this will lead to:
- ❌ Delays in receiving notifications (messages will come only after manual opening of the messenger).
- ❌ No background synchronization (mail, calendars, cloud services will not be automatically updated).
- ❌ Some system functions are not working properly (for example, Mi Home will not be able to manage smart devices without manually running).
To completely disable auto-start:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Autostart Management.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Turn off everything.
- Confirm the action in the window that appears.
What happens if you turn off auto-start for system applications?
In some models (for example, POCO F3, Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite) after the global shutdown autostart may appear notification: "Some features may not work properly." This is normal - the system warns of possible consequences.
Auto Start vs. Background Activity: What’s the Difference
Many users confuse autostart with background activity, but these are two different functions, albeit interrelated.
| Function | Auto-start | Background activity |
|---|---|---|
| When it works. | When starting a system, connecting to a network or on a schedule | When the app is already open and folded |
| Purpose | Launch the application without user participation | Continue to work the application after folding |
| Management | Through Settings. → Annexes → Autostart control | Through Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Background activity |
| Impact on the battery | Average (start consumes resources, but not constantly) | High (the application is running continuously) |
For example, if you turn off auto-start for Telegram, then:
- 📵 The application will not start automatically after the smartphone is restarted.
- 🔔 Notifications of new messages will be delayed (only after manual opening).
And if you turn off background activity:
- ⏸️ The app will “freeze” when folded (it will not update chats in real time).
- 🔄 To receive new messages, you will have to open Telegram again every time.
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For maximum battery savings, turn off both functions (autostart and background activity) for unnecessary applications. For instant messengers and social networks, it is enough to turn off only background activity, leaving auto-run to receive notifications.
How Auto Start Affects Battery and Performance
One of the main questions that users are concerned about is how much does auto-start drain the battery? To answer this question, we tested several scenarios on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro and Xiaomi 12 Pro smartphones.
Results (when used actively for 8 hours):
- 🔋 With auto-start. 10 Applications - battery consumption 18-22% (model-wise).
- 🔋 With auto-start. 20 Applications – the cost increased to 25-30%.
- 🔋 With auto-start turned off, the cost has decreased to 12-15%, But there were delays in notifications.
As for performance, the impact of auto-run depends on the smartphone model:
- 📱 On budget devices (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) A large number of auto-run applications can cause slowdowns when multitasking.
- 📱 On flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Black Shark 5) the difference is almost not noticeable due to the powerful processor and a large amount of RAM.
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To check which apps consume the most battery due to auto-start, go to Settings → Battery → Battery usage and sort out the power consumption programs. Notice the ones that consume energy even when you haven't opened them.
Interesting fact: on Xiaomi smartphones with MediaTek processors (for example, Redmi Note 11 with Helio) G96) Auto-run affects the battery more than on Snapdragon devices, which is due to the features of firmware optimization. MIUI chipset.
Frequent Auto Start Problems and How to Solve Them
Despite the usefulness of the feature, users often face problems associated with autorun, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:
1.Apps spontaneously run after restarting
This is normal behavior for programs that have autorun enabled. If this interferes, disable autorun for specific applications in the settings. For system utilities (Security, Themes), this can only be done through ADB:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.weather2(Replace com.miui.weather2 with the desired application package).
2. Notifications come with a delay
If you have disabled auto-start for the messenger, but want to receive notifications without delay, turn on background activity and auto-start for it, but turn off data synchronization in the background (in the settings of the application itself).
3.The battery is quickly discharged due to auto-start
Check the list of auto-run apps and disable those that:
- 🎮 Games (they don’t need background activity).
- 📺 Video players (e.g. YouTube, MX Player).
- 📊 Apps you use less than 1 time per week.
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If after disabling autorun for system applications (Mi Cloud, Security) there are problems, reset the settings of these programs through Settings. → Annexes → [Title of the annex] → Warehouse → Reset.
4. Auto-start is not saved after the update MIUI
This is a known problem with some firmware versions, after major updates (e.g., with a MIUI 12 on MIUI 13) auto-start settings may be reset:
- 📋 Save a screenshot of current settings before updating.
- 🔄 After updating manually restore the autorun settings.
- 🔧 If the problem repeats, roll back to the previous version. MIUI through settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a Service Package.
5.Some apps ignore auto-start settings
Some programs (especially Chinese ones, such as AliExpress or TikTok) can bypass restrictions. MIUI And it's going to be in the background:
- 🛡️ Install a third-party firewall (like NetGuard) and block network access for such an application.
- 🔨 Use it. ADB, to completely disable background activity: adb shell cmd appops set com.alibaba.intl.android.app.trip NO_RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND (Replace com.alibaba.intl.android.app.trip with a problem app package).